An opinion expressed in Today's Buffalo News by a Farrell, and believe it or not, it wasn't from Marty. Marty's sister, Patty wrote this well written article about the Sisters of Mercy. Or as Buddy the Book calls them, No Mercy. Patty is right. The Catholic Church is a way of life for many. And much more than what some in the Vatican have tried to turn it into...
Whenever I get fed up with the archaic actions of the Vatican and its backward sexist leadership, I have to ask myself what causes me to remain a Catholic? Some days this answer does not come easily. The Vatican’s teachings against homosexuals, suppression of women, chastising the divorced, favoring the wealthy, prohibiting birth control and other atrocities make me wonder why I choose to be a member of such a closed, dark, judgmental society.
But then I remind myself, this dark cryptic tomb is not my church! My church is not the rules, the fundamental teachings, the incense or the rote prayers. My Catholic Church is a spirit burning bright and warm and is welcoming, loving, cheerful and hopeful. It is not a building but a way of life. Who wouldn’t want to be a member of my Catholic Church?
My enlightened view of the church is one that was instilled in me by the Sisters of Mercy, who taught me the Sermon on the Mount and the Golden Rule by example and led with songs of joy and happiness. The good, dedicated sisters who, in grade school at St. Teresa’s, organized canned good drives and bake sales for Catholic charities and collected change and clothing for children in countries we could never pronounce. The sisters who, later at Mount Mercy Academy, gave us our voice and taught us to stand up for social justice.
One of the greatest points in history was around 1983, when the maniacal parent finally crossed paths with the sadistic nun. Up until that point, it was considered an honor for your kids to get beaten across the head in the name of God. What were you going to do, go to the police? Even they were afraid of them. Nuns were the only group exempt from common law. They were like an organized crime syndicate. Even the Blogger was wacked across the head in 2nd grade by a nun (because I wasn't writing fast enough for her). Some were great people. Others, from another planet.
You're not from South Buffalo unless you heard stories of at least one nun who "left the convent" and ran off with a priest (see Fr. Art). In any event, I miss seeing the nuns walking up McKinley Parkway. It's funny how the young kids in the schools today only have heard the stories of these penguinlike people who walked around with rulers as their weapon of choice. Who was the craziest nun ever to come out of the neighborhood? I would have to say Sister Kateri from St. Agatha's. Sister Theresa Kelly comes in at a close second. (Kelly, at Outside Linebacker, was a member of the Bills practice squad in 1981.) If you have any other nominees, please feel free to comment.
Nuns are the lifeblood of the Catholic Church
Come out Virginia, don't let me me wait
You Catholic girls start much too late
But sooner or later it comes down to fate
I might as well be the one
They showed you a statue and told you to pray
They built you a temple and locked you away
But they never told you the price that you pay
For things that you might have done...
sister roberta at st martins, she was brutal. her perfume smelled like the flea market on a hot summer day. we also had father sam. he drove around in a huge 5 row van with a huge stuffed monkey in the back. no jokes.
ReplyDeletehahahhahhahahha. we need pictures of that monkey. I'm glad I never rode in that van.
Deletethere was actually a student who got picked up in the van on the way home from school a few times, no jokes. fthr sam told us he was in the air force and flew fighter jets. he did sumthing creepy because it wasnt announced that he left, like they usually do to the "normal" priests. he was just gone one day. wouldnt doubt it if hes a priest in the rio de janeiro slums.
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