39 Comments

• lullabelle | Oct 28, 2012, 08:36 AM EDT

  Looks like a nun with problems and full of self importance and as TOWNGATE says 'delusional'. Talking s@@t in my opinion. We will probably see her getting married next to some idiot who is mad enough to take her on or having an alternative relationship. She is saying that sometime in 1970s (based on calculations of her age) she was flung about in a sacristy....yeah right likely story. Maybe she was taking a few to many sips of the unused wine.

• Towngate | Oct 24, 2012, 05:24 PM EDT

  I hope she is very happy in her new home for the incurably delusional!

• turzovka | Jun 18, 2012, 10:01 AM EDT

  I came back here out of curiosity if any debate remained? Apparently not the case, but I do see a comment from KweenOHearts and so I just take the time to say thank you for your kind words.

• KweenOHearts | Jun 13, 2012, 12:31 AM EDT

  turzovka -- You understand the Catholic faith perfectly, and explain it even better!

• turzovka | May 28, 2012, 12:48 PM EDT

  EphraimKibbey – I am not skipping One Year, much less the first 300. Of course, as a Protestant you have to fabricate these “assumptions” in order to justify your schisms from the only Church that was ever in existence. You ignore the Biblical clearest statements on the Holy Eucharist and the Sacrament of Penance and just pretend that did not mean that much to Jesus when He said it. You assume Rome corrupted the dogmas, doctrines and teachings of the Church, but what crucial teachings are those? I can tell you which ones Protestants corrupted. Not only did they scandalize Jesus’ mother in how she has been ignored or devotion to her treated as heresy, but they also are absolutely ignorant or obstinate on a most blessed and critical doctrine of purgatory. I do not have the space to argue with you, but the unity Christ preached on can only be found in the universal true Church and in the mass. All of the early Church fathers (pre-Constantine) wrote in terms of what Roman Catholicism teaches, not these watered down strange conflicting theologies coming out of thousands of competing protestant sects.

• turzovka | May 26, 2012, 10:23 PM EDT

  I notice the most commented articles on your site have to do with the Catholic Church and faith matters. And yet, I submitted to comments here in the past three days in response to critics here that never were allowed to be aired. I know they were not disrespectful. So what gives? Who is afraid of debate around here and why?

• EphraimKibbey | May 25, 2012, 04:43 PM EDT

  @turzovka - You are skipping the almost three hundred years that the church existed before it was usurped by the Roman Emperor Constantine in 306 AD/CE. During that time, the apostles and their followers spread the Word to the whole middle east. Each group developed its own interpretations of Christ's teachings. The Roman version came on the scene late and immediately began to silence all of the other voices, proclaming itself as the "One True Church." Its good to be the emperor! Their only justification was that Peter died in Rome hundreds of years earlier (at their own hands.) They changed many of the earlier church's practices to fit Roman society and to mesh with the still vibrant pagan religions of the empire. There is NO continuous line from Christ and Peter to Ratzinger. After the empire fractured and there were two emperors the "One True Catholic Church" became the "Two True Catholic Churchs" both claiming to be the only "True" one. Its time for the "God loves MY church better than your church" stuff to be put to rest!

• turzovka | May 25, 2012, 02:40 PM EDT

  Portia, I have no idea what you are talking about? Do you? The Catholic Church demands a proper definition and distinction. If you think any person can start a church and declare it the Church established by Jesus Christ, you would be wrong. There are very critical dogmas and doctrines, that if two churches differed on, one would have to not be the one established by Christ. Jesus gave authority to the apostles to forgive sins or to hold them bound, and to be ordained to change bread and wine into His body and blood. If you think that is no small matter, or any "Christian" can interpret that as he pleases, again, grave error on your part. Just because there are sinners in the Catholic Church does not break the covenant. And there are many rites in the one true Catholic Church, the Roman Latin rite being the largest.

• Portia777 | May 24, 2012, 03:35 PM EDT

  turzovka. The Catholic church is NOT the Roman catholic church. The Roman church usurped the Catholic church. Research and find the truth.

• Portia777 | May 24, 2012, 03:22 PM EDT

  jacersagain. St Patrick.... mmm you mean the patriarch patrick I suppose. The slave trader.Just remember every ritual used by the Roman church was used by so called pagans first and corrupted by the men of god. Every church was built on pagan altar/alter sites. So if the pagans were so evil, why place christian churches on them? To control the Great Mother Earth- that is why and you are one of her children used in that whole scam.

• Mick10000 | May 24, 2012, 01:16 PM EDT

  Kudos, EphraimKibbey. Your compassion and your knowledge shine through your statements. I would be delighted to have students with your insight pass through my world religion classes and teach this professor a thing or two. Write on!

• Collette2 | May 24, 2012, 03:21 AM EDT

  Good on her, that's telling them. I know for years they have been silent victims while the "saucy" ones live a life of Riley.

• EphraimKibbey | May 23, 2012, 10:57 PM EDT

  @jswebster - Celibacy was introduced as a requirement of the priesthood in the middle ages when some of the married priests were passing church property to their heirs. Instead of making a rule against inheritance, the church made a rule against having heirs. This is why it is important to strip away all the "rules" and return to simply following Christ's teaching.

• jswebster | May 23, 2012, 06:48 PM EDT

  I don't know the Vatican's interpretation of 1 Corinthians 7:9. If we consider Scripture to be true and the ultimate source of doctrine, Paul has already commented. I Cor 7:9 says "But if they do not have self-control, let them marry; for it is better to marry than to burn with passion." All the arguments that could be made, Paul advocated being single, the self-control mentioned in verse 9 are all trumped by the statement,"... better to marry than to BURN with passion.' Translation? If you have sexual desires and they 'burn' as in having a sex drive that is ever present, it's better to be married. The self control mentioned should not be a white knuckle characteristic. Instead it needs to be a true attribute or gift from God, again as Paul states in 1 Cor 7:7 This has been a huge argument in the church. The well documented sexual violations by clergy, however, indicate that a significant number, should be married rather then burn. I know there are volumes dedicated to this issue. For me it comes down to a simple test. If I'm thinking about sex pretty much on par with most other people, then the single life is not for me. The perception of the church worsens everyday as sexual abuse incidents are reported, all the more damning as too many have been covered up. I think himself in Rome should be praying about this topic, not looking to justify church doctrine, or his own opinion, but truly to seek God's opinion.

• jacersagain | May 23, 2012, 05:54 PM EDT

  I say to me oul hearty Portia777 – I’d no more go your Meath pagan way, which was long done away with by the truths of St. Patrick’s Christian message and his demonstration of the falsity of paganism, because grumpy monkey gangs in modern paganism start calling the shots. Druid priests wear dresses too, don’t they? And they can get very very very grumpy…!

• barneyjo | May 23, 2012, 06:50 AM EDT

  @turzovka - Yes indeed; but not just Priests. You will note that Pio Refers to "ecclesiastical dignitaries" that to me means something more than just the "Foot soldiers" in the Parishes. I take it to mean the Hierarchy also. If I recall correctly, Pio was censured by the Vatican and the Holy Father himself, silenced him on more than one occasion. I have reflected and prayed to the Holy Spirit for understanding as to why all that has come to pass has happened. I now understand that Pio, like many before him has been entrusted with messages from the God of us all for his church on earth. Pio was touched by that same God (with the stigmata) to indicate his special status. Now, when you consider that this was written in 1913, pre vatican II, pre mass-media, this letter has particular resonance living today. This good Nun we are told has served the Lord for over 40 years. So why should she after all this time just up and leave? On a whim? No, thats too obvious, convenient and "human" as an explanation. For me, I have come to understand that it is the Holy Spirit which is at work here; calling to account those who have lost sight of the real purpose of the Ministry that Jesus left in the care of their predecessors. That the church will survive, I agree absolutely - but not this church in its present guise. Quite simply it has been shown to be a corrupt spent force as a creature of this world. Posters on this site can argue one way or another but it is certain that the will of God WILL be done, regardless!!

• IrelandNorth | May 23, 2012, 05:42 AM EDT

  When does a human interest story become a conspicuous crusade? "I can now embrace anyone - gay [sic], lesbian, divorced and transsexual ..." Does that mean 'Sister Francesca' (?) doesn't envisage embracing depressed homosexuals who are married. Heterosexuality is sacred.

• eiriamach | May 23, 2012, 01:03 AM EDT

  EphraimKibbey, excellent summary at May 22, 9:16! If people knew more about the early Christian churches, they'd never put with with the kind of behavior this nun and others complain about. Elaine Pagels, in "The Gnostic Gospels," quotes the church father Clement of Alexandria, who wrote about 180 AD, "Men and women share equally in perfection, and are to receive the same instruction and the same discipline. For the name 'humanity' is common to both men and women; and for us 'in Christ there is neither male nor female'" (p. 68). The Roman church, however, adopted Tertullian's misogyny rather than Clement's Alexandrian equality. Tertullian, she writes, spent a lifetime suppressing equalitarian Christianity, but close to the end of his life, he rejected hierarchy as the wrong way to organize Christians and wrote, "The church congregates where the Lord plans it-- a spiritual church for spiritual people-- *not* the church of a number of bishops" (110).

• pilib04 | May 22, 2012, 09:49 PM EDT

  Bring back Bernard Law and put him on trial!

• Bangor46 | May 22, 2012, 09:37 PM EDT

  Is there anyone on earth who is worth losing one's faith for???? People human and some are very good and some are very bad, but in the words of the Shepherd of our Catholic Church, "I am with you always even to the consummation of the world. You are, Peter and upon this rock I will build my church and THE GATES OF HELL SHALL NOT PREVAIL AGAINST IT. Where would we be if the saints who had suffered pain and indignities had left the fold and started their own church???? These eternal comments about priests and bishops wearing dresses -- Christ wore what could be called a "dress". Grow up, pray hard and have faith in Christ and the one church he founded. We got through the Borgias and Communism and many died for this church that Christ founded. Under His guidance that church will prevail (His words, not mine)

• irishpjk | May 22, 2012, 09:34 PM EDT

  I must have missed something in my catholic education, I was never told not embrace gay, lesbians, divorced or transsexuals. I was told it would be a sin if I took sexual pleasure in my embraces. I was also thought not to judge or condemn others for their sins. Love and forgiveness was the way I was thought to deal with it. Sister must have taken different meanings from her lessons. Of course if I wanted to find fault with the church I could, then I could talk myself into joining another religion that was more to my liking.

• EphraimKibbey | May 22, 2012, 09:16 PM EDT

  @turzovka - You are confusing the Catholic Church and ROMAN Catholic Church. The former is the body of Christ and includes ALL Christians including Protestants. This is what shall prevail. The latter is the quasi-Christian church that still clings to the idea of a Roman Emperor as Christ's Infallible Chosen Leader on earth. The Roman's USED Christianity as a tool to retain power over their subjects (see the resemblence?) and rejected the practices of the early Christian Church. Those who continued real Christianity were branded as heretics and murdered. The other Christian churchs have returned, in various degrees, to the Pre-Roman practices and beliefs. Compare Jesus and his simple garments, lifestyle and concern for children to your pope and his garments, lifestyle and protection of pedophiles. One must decide whether, as a Christian, one should follow the words of Christ or the rules of an earthly EMPEROR who CLAIMS to rule in His name. Remember He said that many would come in His name and that we should judge them not by their words but by their fruits (or acts.) Think about it!

• turzovka | May 22, 2012, 07:39 PM EDT

  barneyjo -- that letter was written by the great Italian saint, Padre Pio. Thank you for posting this. Yes, it appears many, many priest have neglected their duty, abused their privileges, been guilty of many sins. No doubt the devil is far more interested in deceiving them than any lay person or unbeliever. Consequently, this should not come as a great surprise albeit still a great sadness. But to that fanciful sprite below, Portia777, and anyone else who cares I ask: HOW does any of this deny the Words of Jesus Christ that the Gates of Hell Shall Not prevail against Thee? The CAtholic Church remains THEE Church established by Jesus Christ here on earth with apostolic succession since the first pope, Peter. The arguments by Portia and others fall flat or false. The miracles of the Church remain. Fatima, alone, confirms its authenticity and importance. Jesus had a traitor in his own ranks, why should the Church think it should be exempt from sinners?

• barneyjo | May 22, 2012, 06:59 PM EDT

  For anyone interested, this is an excerpt from the writings of a Saint of our church - "Letter to Friar Augustine, on April 7, 1913, “My dear Father, I was still in bed on Friday morning, when Jesus appeared to me. He was battered and disfigured. He showed me a great crowd of priests, among whom were different ecclesiastical dignitaries. Some were celebrating or where donning or removing their vestments. To see Jesus in this condition caused me much pain. I wanted to ask him why he suffered so much. He did not answer me, but showed me that priest being punished. But shortly after, he looked sadly at these priests and I noticed, to my great my horror, two tears running down his face. Jesus went away from that crowd of priests and with a great expression of disgust on his face, cried’: “Butchers!” Then He told me: “My Child, do not believe that my agony has been only three hours, no; actually I will be in agony till the end of the world because of the souls I love. During the time of the agony, my child, nobody can sleep. My soul goes looking for some drop of human pity, but they leave me alone under the weight of their indifference. The ingratitude and the sleep of my ministers increase the agony for me. They badly respond to my love! The greater torment for me is that these people add their contempt to their indifference and disbelief. How many times my wrath was to strike them like lightning, but I was stopped by the angels and the souls who love me..... Write to your confessor and describe to him what you saw and heard from me this morning. Tell him to show your letter to the Provincial... “Jesus continued to talk but I may never reveal what he said...”

• turzovka | May 22, 2012, 06:35 PM EDT

  Portia, fine if you think leaving the Church is the right thing for this nun. Fine if you want to condemn the Church because of the abuses of the few. But by what evidence or authority to you extend from that there is no heaven or hell? And are you also in a position to say that no saint or soul has ever heard the voice of God? Joan of Arc did some amazing things on the battle field as a 15 year old girl soldier and she claimed to hear the voice of God. Was she lying about the voice part, but the miracles of her victories and taking charge of the French armies just a coincidence?

• Portia777 | May 22, 2012, 06:33 PM EDT

  Us Duleek girls were always strong and spoke our truth. This is a proud day for my village.

• Portia777 | May 22, 2012, 06:25 PM EDT

  turzovka Portia777 --- I dare say you have an extremely limited understanding of Roman Catholicism and what it all represents here on earth. WHO is saying the molestation of children is acceptable? Such a claim is scandalous on your part. Jesus Christ established HIS CHURCh here on earth to whom He gave "the keys of the kingdom" (which may be beyond your biased point of view and comprehension). The point I am making is that all that what is at stake for every individual ever born is what is our purpose of existence and what happens to us after we die? God had made it clear enough in many ways that the Catholic Church is still His authority here on earth despite its many human failings. Play your righteous card if you think going your own way is so much holier and better. You best go research the sacred texts then and see for yourself re the sacred rites when the men of the fish god abide by. As for the keys of the kingdom- they are the keys to your sovereignty...shows how much you know. No one needs to be a sheep in a church with men in dresses telling us what to think and what to do. We were born free sovereign beings. JESUS HAS NOTHING WHATSOEVER TO DO WITH THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH. The church of Rome took control over the church of Christ and if you researched you would have found that out.

• Portia777 | May 22, 2012, 06:18 PM EDT

  mairint "Another malcontent nun - what is new? She has obviously been a trouble maker for some time, according to her own remarks so toddle on Francesca and enjoy your alternative lifestyle" You are gaslighting this woman. Now stop it. She is entitled to her opinion and her feelings. What do you want her to do? Be like the women of old, suffering for the sins of men. Not anymore. Go suffer for your own wrongs. Oh and by the way, there is no hell and no heaven and if you were evolved enough and done your own inner journey to Christ/Magdalene, you would know that. When did you hear the voice of god? You get locked away if you hear voices you know,

• mairint | May 22, 2012, 05:46 PM EDT

  Another malcontent nun - what is new? She has obviously been a trouble maker for some time, according to her own remarks so toddle on Francesca and enjoy your alternative lifestyle. We are so sick of the reinventors and their demands for the Church to accept anything and everything 'in fashion'. Notice the tirade of accusations against the Church - all in multiples - and then how the chorus of approval from the chattering crowd... God bless the faithful Sisters, Brothers and Priests who labour selflessly in the field without complaining about their underpaid lot. The Gates of Hell will not prevail against God's Church, He told us so Himself. What is alarming is the numbers of folk who choose to go through those gates to the wrong side.

• edwardkeating | May 22, 2012, 04:56 PM EDT

  my the saints preserve us. more priests getting away with what ever they want to do. hello....wake up VATICAN.

• AndrewSB49 | May 22, 2012, 04:37 PM EDT

  Time these enablers of abuse were pursued to the fullest that the law allows. For the whole of the 20th. century they were a law unto themselves.

• cynicus | May 22, 2012, 03:29 PM EDT

  One would expect nuns to have the moral courage to speak out in the name of Jesus Christ. Let is hear from more Nuns who have had the same experience.

• turzovka | May 22, 2012, 01:00 PM EDT

  Portia777 --- I dare say you have an extremely limited understanding of Roman Catholicism and what it all represents here on earth. WHO is saying the molestation of children is acceptable? Such a claim is scandalous on your part. Jesus Christ established HIS CHURCh here on earth to whom He gave "the keys of the kingdom" (which may be beyond your biased point of view and comprehension). The point I am making is that all that what is at stake for every individual ever born is what is our purpose of existence and what happens to us after we die? God had made it clear enough in many ways that the Catholic Church is still His authority here on earth despite its many human failings. Play your righteous card if you think going your own way is so much holier and better.

• SingleDonald | May 22, 2012, 12:28 PM EDT

  I sympathize with Mother Maria Francesca. I am appalled that the priests she dealt with bullied and abused her. I was taught, at an early age, that we boys should always respect girls. It is a crying shame that priests have so little respect for the women of their clergy. I thought the abuse was only directed at kids. SHAME ON THESE PRIESTS!! They are a disgrace to the priesthood, and also give decent men a bad name!

• Skibberrean | May 22, 2012, 11:12 AM EDT

  God Bless you sister for your courage and the love of truth and true Godliness! The Catholic Hierarchy has allot to explain on many issues of abuse!!

• Portia777 | May 22, 2012, 11:11 AM EDT

  turzovka"I am a loyal Catholic and I will always adhere to Catholic doctrine. so loyal that you remain a member of the Roman catholic cult which has nothing to do with Jesus- if you research. If you remain a member and adhere to the ROMAN doctrine, then you are saying molestation of children is acceptable because that is what the sacred texts of this cult claim? Still feel like boasting about your allegiances now?

• hermitTalker | May 22, 2012, 11:06 AM EDT

  Rather confusing story, prayers are in order. She took this abuse for her 43 years in the convent, even after the former victims have come forward this past decade or more. Her mother and father would have told her the grass is not greener on the other side. She objects to Vatican rules for religious life and is now independent, so all will live happily ever after we are to assume. Calling their community in honour of the Blessed Sacrament when the members are possibly not actually ordained to do so by the action of the Holy Spirit, then she agrees with the named dissenting priest, do not know the theology of the others, which puts her at odds with the Holy Spirit who has not okayed the ordination of women and may never do so. The Irish clergy are no more sinister than the culture of every village, city or town anywhere in the world. The media only gets a lead to some of the sin and scandal, especially since the Catholic clergy and hierarchy are the popular targets now worldwide. That "hierarchy" never ddemanded that no one show compassion and love for divorced and homosexual people. The conduct that is condemned is from the Bible, not from the Vatican or any cardinal's or archbishop's or bishops' cathedrals. No person or group may be condemned according to the supreme Law of Love as JESUS said. There is no condemnation of divorce in the NT where the marriage is "what God has joined together" -re-marriage is not automatically the best thing to do. Ask the serial divorced people, they do not all work out after two or even three.

• turzovka | May 22, 2012, 09:54 AM EDT

  Something very sinister inside the Irish clergy and somehow allowed to create a scourge for years. It is the size of the scandals and the various authorities doing nothing for decades that is so shocking. I am a loyal Catholic and I will always adhere to Catholic doctrine, but I do not blame people like this sister or the many victims for leaving their Church behind. I believe God will treat them very kindly. As to these cover-ups and abuses of authority --- the devil is surely a powerful adversary. God help us.

• DannyBoyG | May 22, 2012, 09:09 AM EDT

  And yet there will still be people who will defend the Church. Continue to defend, cardinals, bishops and priests no matter what. i really do wonder why? Why do people if they REALLY love their faith and their Church want and continue to defend those who seem so hell bent on destroying it? I would love on "apologist" for the Church to really answer that question. This poor faithful nun is a great example of so many good faith filled people who have suffered so greatly at the hands of the Church. It is disgusting.