800 bodies found out side what was once an Unwed Mothers Hom

[tankgirl]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morn ... d-mothers/

I bring this up for two reasons, first the fact that the church still keeps hiding this history, and the fact that so many people would see this as the "good old days" punish the Mothers for being unwed, shame them, take their children, and damn well make them have those babies. Just another fun bit of what it was like when religious culture prevailed, and abortion was illegal.

[polecat]

I read this a few days ago. It's sickening -- not only the finding of the bodies but also the stories of the way the young women and their children were treated.

At the risk of criticizing someone's religion, I don't ever want to hear someone insisting that the Catholic "pro-life" position has anything to do with actually respecting life. It clearly, unequivocally does not.

[Antimony]

The film Philomena covers this topic (though at a different home) and it is an incredible heartbreaking film. I sobbed through most of it

The entire thing was really an industry back then. They made absurd amounts of money off it because of the indentured labor side of it. The movie was accused of having an Anti-Catholic message but I disagree with this statement -- it doesn't seem to attack the Catholic faith itself but this particular part of their history while they do highlight the strength and kindness that Philomena derives from her religion.

[Jana814]

Whst a sad story!

[samurai_sarah]

The "Magdalene Sisters" and "Sinners" films treat this subject as well. There's also a documentary, "Love in a Cold Climate", on youtube, which "The Magdalene Sisters" is based on. You'll need a strong stomach for all three.

[AnywhereButHere]

The "Magdalene Sisters" and "Sinners" films treat this subject as well. There's also a documentary, "Love in a Cold Climate", on youtube, which "The Magdalene Sisters" is based on. You'll need a strong stomach for all three.

After I saw the film, I looked up some more information on the Magdalene laundries and was shocked to find they were still in operation as late as 1996. The movie was sickening enough, I can't even imagine the reality.

[fun2beme]

As a Catholic, I was ashamed and disgusted when I read about this. Those poor, poor babies - and their mothers...

[Jana814]

As a Catholic, I was ashamed and disgusted when I read about this. Those poor, poor babies - and their mothers...

Someone who a dog walk for feels the same way & she is also Catholic.

[bionicmlle]

Andrew Sullivan posted a great piece about this yesterday - http://dish.andrewsullivan.com/2014/06/ ... ity-ctd-2/

[Vivi_music]

I have such a hard time understanding the logic in this.

In a society that was highly religious, I understand that abortion was not even an option. But once these babies were born, they lived in poor conditions, were not fed well, not treated appropriately for the disease they had, and they would often die within their first years. How can this be called ''pro-life'' when they don't even care about these children once they are born?

[Mice]

Andrew Sullivan posted a great piece about this yesterday - http://dish.andrewsullivan.com/2014/06/ ... ity-ctd-2/

An excellent article! Thanks for passing that on.

When Mr. Sullivan said "the entire fiction of a more virtuous past is only made possible by literally making its victims as invisible as those infant bodies in a septic tank" - I immediately thought of Lori A with her constant yammering about a more virtuous past that happened in her own imagination. You know - back when women were quiet, obedient and feminine and men were manly things who knew when their women needed to be pushed up against a wall.

Mr. Sullivan further remarked that "My contention is that the rigidity of this standard is inextricably tied up with cruelty. And that cruelty is far, far greater a sin, than surrendering to our deepest nature, hurting no one. That’s the lesson I get from Jesus’ words to the adulteress at the well. That’s the lesson I get from the Gospels as a whole. Love one another; and forgive one another. And these before everything else; mercy before everything else; love before anything else."

:clap: