[Steve_Seattle]

I went to Catholic schools for 16 years, including college, and never saw anything approaching this kind of physical abuse, or any sign of sexual abuse, but I can say that there were minor forms of it - the ruler on the wrist, being grabbed by the ears, an occasional personal insult to a student,and so forth.

Another thing I can say is that a majority of the priests and nuns seemed slightly "off" - they weren't people that you admired or would want to imitate, and that may have factored into the dramatic drop-off in vocations beginning in the 60s.

[wardaddy]

Corporal punishment is fine

This is sadism

And satanism

[God luvs America]

yup- i went to Catholic School for 17 years and heard nothing close...

could this be true??? absolutely- the Catholic church, like all other churches, are run by fallible humans who can be evil- so i could believe this being an exception to the rule...

[Avalon Memories]

My experience was similar to yours. My mother abandoned my father and I when I was barely a toddler. My father put me in a working class Catholic boarding school when I was about 5, and I stayed there until I graduated from high school. Although I never saw the kind of severe physical and sexual abuse described in the article, the nuns were cold, psychologically abusive in numerous ways, and physically abusive on a lower level — rulers, paddling, smacks across the face — that sort of thing. They also confiscated (stole) allowance money and other things. Kids were never believed. They just had to endure. I hated the nuns, hated that place and rebelled as best I could. Upon HS graduation, I left and never looked back. I also have never actively practiced any religion my entire adult life, because if that’s what it meant to be religious, I want no part of it.

[metmom]

I went to Catholic schools for 16 years, including college, and never saw anything approaching this kind of physical abuse, or any sign of sexual abuse, but I can say that there were minor forms of it - the ruler on the wrist, being grabbed by the ears, an occasional personal insult to a student,and so forth.

Well, if that's what you got when they knew they were accountable to your parents and you didn't live at the school, imagine what they got away with with no prying eyes.

[longfellow]

We had a sister that was absolutely terrifying. The inspiration for Darth Vader. I can easily see her doing this.
She would bloody kids noses. We would rather get molested by a priest.

[nutmeg]

I went to Catholic schools for 16 years, including college, and never saw anything approaching this kind of physical abuse, or any sign of sexual abuse, but I can say that there were minor forms of it - the ruler on the wrist, being grabbed by the ears, an occasional personal insult to a student,and so forth.

I went to Catholic school for 3 years. It was a *great* education. Honestly if I could do it all over again, I would've gone to a Catholic school K-12. Maybe college too. When I went back to a public school, most of my classes seemed easy.

I agree with your comments above: I NEVER saw any type of a hint of physical and/or sexual abuse in this school, nor did 6 of my cousins who attended another Catholic school K-12 across town.

Never even saw the ruler on the wrist, but some misbehaving boys were grabbed by the ears, lol. The rest of us who did something wrong were made to kneel on the floor for awhile. It was a badge of honor for some of the kids. ;-D

I had a really hard time with geometry and algebra in the 7th grade... the crankiest nun in the school taught this class. She was a terror in the classroom. However,when I had to 'stay after class' to be further tutored one-on-one by this nun, she was extremely kind and patient. It was amazing... my math scores improved after those sessions.

My Catholic school experience was tough, but overall very positive. Last I heard, this school no longer has any nuns... they're all lay teachers. Kind of sad.