Thank you for sharing this! As a practicing Catholic, it’s so important to bring awareness to the errors of our Faith and other Faiths as well. Bringing this into the light allows for healing for all victims and prevents any more abuse. Thank you to the brave survivors, and I am so so sorry
Thank YOU for being open and understanding to people from other Catholic groups who had a negative experience. Your comments are very validating and I appreciate it!❤️
@ thank you for brining awareness to it. I admire that you have branched out to include all religions. To be honest, I haven’t heard of as many Catholic based cults as I have other denominations, but I am happy to be educated.
I’m an orthodox Christian and totally agree, it’s our job as believers to give these people a voice and talk about things that have went wrong because if we don’t it WILL happen again!
Patricia’s stories about Sister Catherine gave me shivers. I still remember my first grade teacher Sister Mary Dorothy. I am 68 and I still remember the things she did. You could not tell your parents or the Monsignor because you were the one who would have been in trouble.
Thank you for this program. As a child, I was terrified of nuns. They were all mean and evil... I stayed away from them and would even cross the street to walk on the opposite side of the street so I would not be too lose to them whenever I was out on an errand.
Yeah, well saying anything was counter productive 'cause crossing the path of a nun, worse yet a priest, is met with more disbelief than crossing the path of a pedophile.
This ranks as one of the most fascinating interviews you have done thus far. Patricia is such a lovely, eloquent person. I’m so happy for her success in life.
I grew up in a Catholic-based c*lt and I've been waiting for this interview, because I know I'm not alone. Thank you so much Shelise, Patricia (and the hubby/beautiful baby behind the camera). ❤❤❤
I’ve been waiting for this one too. Catholicism is normalized at an alarming rate. How people ignore the deep wounds and control. It’s not even the off shoot groups, it’s mainstream day to day practices. It needs to be seen until people see it clearly.
@@neverenufit is not a cult in the traditional sense bit it is defintiely cutlish. As a former (very devoted) catholic, these are my gripes with the church -an overabundance of shame for normal behaviors, including sexuality and fibbing. Not all lies are bad and sometimes you need to lie to protect yourself. LGBTQ communities have suffered bc of these policies as well -supression of women, including but not limited to: prohibiting contraception and abortion even in cases of illness or non-viability, discouraging divorce even in times of ab*se, women cannot really hold positions of power nor do they have a voice in the church even though Jesus advocated for women -unfettered and unconsequential child ab*se, even though jesus advocated for children - pastoral reviews that take additional money and punish poor areas yearly -different messages for rich vs poor areas...if you are poor you shall inherit the earth with your sacrifices bc the rich are evil, if you are rich you are blessed and should be blessing the church and others with the fruits given to you -on a larger scale, many many hidden and covered up stories of crime commited by members of the church - financial mismanagement of funds...a few years ago the church almost went bankrupt due to buying properties in high value areas such as aspen and milan -encouraging soulmates and young people being virgins which creates a culture of people getting married after 6 mo to a year of "knowing" each other which can lead to toxic relationships, esp since you cant divorce. So, while it is not a high demand religion if you are a casual catholic, it can be. I saw many families suffer bc of catholic beliefs, the worst of which was a family with 9 kids living in the worst poverty I had seen, with teeth rotting out of their heads. They were homeschooled and their parents worked for the church.
Omg… I grew up in a big Catholic family literally the town over from Harvard (and now I live in Cambridge) and I’ve never even heard of this group… this is bonkers! What an amazing story, thank you Patricia for sharing!
Neither have I. There are these subgroups, devotions, not approved by the church, that people follow blindly. Some of them have even started religious communities that are operational, such as the one featured in this story. One has to be careful, especially the young people.
When I close my eyes and listen to her voice she sounds so much like the late Barbara Walters even in the pace of her speech, at many moments in this wholesome interview it almost sounds like I'm listening to the audible version of her book!
I kept thinking her voice feels so familiar... The cadence, the Trans-Atlantic vibes, the slight raspiness, the crisp annunciation, and the eloquence of her sentence structure. Totally nailed it. Sounds just like Barbara Walters.
Shelize, please, invite an indigenous person from Canada who’s gone through a residential school. This is the best example of Catholicism acting as a cult
@@CultstoConsciousnessI’m not surprised. Canada is still really bad regarding our treatment of indigenous Métis, and Inuit people, so I’m sure there is a lot of ongoing trauma in that respect. Maybe someone would be willing to speak anonymously, or, maybe a child or grandchild of someone who was in a residential school would be willing to discuss the generational impact. I know multiple people who didn’t even realize their grandparent was indigenous or Inuit because that grandparent intentionally hid it from their children in order to try and protect them. Many found out through genetic/ancestral testing/tracing
The old timers in ME sometimes talk about their Indian School days. My next door neighbor went to one, he would say little things sometimes. He liked having food regularly even if it wasn’t tasty. He passed away last year.
I attended the morning star camp for girls in the mid 00s ran by the sisters of this order. (Mom was a trad cultist) Today they are a community of victims who know no better than to victimize others, but their beliefs are very dangerous still. I believe they are still active to this day at least in massachusetts at the saint benedict center. Truly awful stuff. Thank you for talking about this, i have never heard anyone speak out about the slaves before.
Even as far removed as Patricia's childhood and life experiences seem to be from my own, I'm yet astounded by the insight, encouragement, and even validation that I draw from it. I'm a black male, 34 years of age, gay, born and raised in rural south GA. I'm no stranger to the lasting effects that religious indoctrination can have on a person, especially given that my paternal grandmother and maternal uncle were both pastors of non-denominational, Christian churches. I'm sure you can imagine the internal turmoil that plagues a curious, artistic, gentle-spirited, open-minded, seeker of knowledge like myself, when at every corner, these attributes were met with disdain and disapproval. Nonetheless, the many parallels that I am able to draw between Patricia's personal experience and feeling the radiant self assurance, resilience, and determination that she's been able to retain (as well as her brightly optimistic perspective) have given me an inexplicable surge of hope for the future of my own mental health and emotional well being. I simply could not refrain from commenting in hopes that, if this reaches her, so shall my immense gratitude for the courage, grace, and selflessness exhibited here. I look forward to reading your books. Additionally, this is my introduction to Cults to Consciousness but certainly won't be my last visit. Subscribing was a no-brainer. Lol. I can't wait to explore the rest of your content. Peace and love!
I'm a 20 year old and cult survivor myself (I don't know how you'd refer to yours, but I know mine was a minor cult myself), and I only truly started to heal when my brother introduced me to the Wiccan belief. I had thought I never would want to be near religions ever again because of how badly I was treated, but seeing how Wicca has goddesses who empower women, and knowing my brother who raised me and my mother have been part of it just made me feel like it was natural, just as some feel being atheist is natural or being part of another religion is natural. Until you know yourself more, healing is stunted. I'm glad mine isn't stunted anymore, so I can truly heal, and feel better interacting with the world as a Wiccan woman. (This isn't me trying to make others be Wiccan, but just relaying my own experiences with healing. If you have questions, feel free to ask!)
As someone who identifies as both Roman Catholic and as a member of the LGBTQ+ community, I want to sincerely apologize for the harm that you and your family endured in the name of faith. It’s truly heartbreaking to recognize the injustices that have been done under the guise of religion, and it’s so important that we shed light on these wrongs-not only within our own faith but across all beliefs. Your story deeply moved me, and I am grateful for the opportunity to learn about your journey after leaving the cult. The work you're doing to support the LGBTQ+ community fills me with hope, and I truly admire your advocacy for acceptance, understanding, and healing. I’m eager to read your books and learn more about your personal experiences and the incredible work you're continuing to do. Thank you for sharing your powerful story and for being an inspiration to so many, including myself.
Patricia your interview was excellent! You are so compassionate about not blaming others but using your past to learn from. You are truly to be admired. Thank you for sharing your story. 🩷
Patricia, if you see this, your interview healed a part of me. You are so eloquent and perceptive. I just ordered the Little Sister audiobook and can't wait to listen! Thank you for speaking your truth. ❤️❤️❤️ Edit: I just finished the last couple of minutes, and as a queer parent who is terrified of my future as an American, I am so proud of and grateful to you for unbelieving what I know you were taught about the LGBTQ community. Had we more people with open and curious minds like yours, we would be in a very different situation. You're such an inspiration!
They had to keep their community secret in order not to be rejected by ordinary, common-sense Catholics who would have seen the whole thing as bonkers. I’m so proud of you for coming through this so well!
Exactly. If you are married you have already rejected a monastic life style. This must be voluntary! No nun or priest can act as if they were the Pope in defiance of legitimate authority! Truly, unless you are educated you will fall victim to insane people!!
I grew up Catholic. In college I went on my Newman Center's retreat and they did Stations of the Cross. They literally beat the guy playing Jesus. It was strips of knotted cloth and didn't break the skin, but his back would have raised red welts. It was seen as an honor to play Jesus and something they prayed about for weeks beforehand. I thought it was so holy at the time. I love so much about the Church and view it as my cultural heritage. However, seeing the dark parts of the Church exposed is healing, and my experience was nothing like this guest's.
This is one of the best sessions I’ve heard. I can so relate to this, having gone to a French Convent school. She is about the same age. I would love to meet this woman!
Yes! Lauren Bacall! What an interesting story! I hope we get a follow up: more detail on how she adjusted as an adult, met her partner, any trouble raising children, etc.
Truly everyone can learn something from this interview. Patricia speaks so beautifully about her journey. She has such compassion and holds space for those who are victimized yet also invites them to look forward and create a future of their own. I will be reading her books!
This is my favorite interview. I'm an ex Catholic woman the same age as Patrica. I went to Catholic School but stopped going to church when I got out of High School. I just didn't feel the spirit. Other than Catholic School and Church on Sundays there wasn't religion in our home. It was easy to become a Born Again Christian in Mesa Arizona when my son was born in 1980. I wasn't living around family to find fault with it. It's amazing all the offsets of the Church we hear about these days. We weren't aware of any cults, my guess there're are many more. Patrica told her story in a beautiful, loving way. It would have been so easy to have showed some resentment. I just can't get over how she handled her story. She's a lovely lady and I can't wait to read her books. Thank you for having her on. Please bring her back. ❤
What a remarkable story. I was raised a Catholic in R.I. in a town an hour drive to Boston. By most strict Catholics standards my mother was a likewarm Catholic who married my father who was a non practicing Methodist. My parents sent me to Catholic school for 7 years primarily to get a better education than I would have received in my town's public school system. I had a good experience in Catholic school, no abuse, made lifelong friends, and the priests and nuns were kind to the children. As many Catholic do, I drifted away from the Catholic Church when I etarted to attend public high school. In my mid 20s I met the man who would become my husband who grew up in MA in a town 20 minutes from my home town. My husband was raised by strict Irish American Catholic parents that sent all 4 kids to 12 years of Catholic school, and my MIL actually worked for the bishop of their diocese. When my husband was 8 or 9 his parents signed him up to become an altar boy, and as fate would have it the priest that my husband and his altar boy friends served Mass for was one of the most notorious CSA predators in the diocese. My husband was not SA by this priest but several of his friends were, and he believed he escaped being a victim because his mother worked for the bishop. When my husband turned 18 and went off to college he left the Catholic Church because of the trauma caused to his friends much to the dismay of his parents. When the story finalky broke about CSA predator priest who was convicted and sent to prison and eventually died there, my husband's parents remained mum about this and continued to support and attend Catholic services at their Catholic church. And neither of my husband's parents ever questioned him to see if he was ever harmed by any priest. My husband forgave his parents for turning a blind eye because he realized his parents as their parents before them were indoctrinated into the Catholic cult from the cradle. My husband could not change his parent's Catholic belief system and neither could they change his non Catholic belief system, but thankfully they continued to love each other despite their differences.
There is no way I could stay in contact with any family that stayed and continued to support that kind of pure evil and then not even addressing the trauma he suffered thru the horrid abuse of his friends. They didn’t even ask him? I would have screamed at them , oh by the way I was not SA’d.. but really thanks for asking, then walked away forever
That is so perceptive of you !! As soon as a speaker starts with “like and Umm or pauses too long , I switch off, for some reason , it grates on my nerves 😂🤣
I feel so so grateful that I got to hear this. Thos was beautifully told. I adore this woman. If she reads this- thank you for blessing me with your story!
Wow. What an absolutely incredible woman. Thank you so much, Patricia! As an ex-Catholic having to detangle myself from toxic beliefs, this is absolutely awe-inspiring and gives me a lot of hope for my own future
I was raised in the Roman Catholic church, not in a cult "offshoot" as such, but in a very strict, traditional household. So much of Patricia's story resonates with me. So much to think about and process ... thank you Patricia for sharing your story and Shelise, for your strength and compassion in providing this platform for people to share their stories and learn from one another.
Shalise(sorry if I misspelled) this was the first time I've seen a Catholic based cult on your show. I wish you ALL THE success so more types of people can find you &; trust you because I truly believe there are so many more christian based christian based places that don't truly stand for what God is, which is LOVE. So I can't wait to hear what you get next. Patricia YouR story and life are truly inspirational, BRAVO, you are the role model I wish my students would be so lucky to find. Thank you for sharing!
I love listening to this lady, I wish her interview were 5+ hours. She is authentic and fascinating. I can't wait to read her books. Thank you for sharing your life!
My word…what did someone do to sister Catherine. I agree, her behaviour certainly does point to some very deep seated trauma in her past. Hurt people, hurt people. I’m so glad to see stories like this shared so more people can see the red flags as they take so many different shapes in the early stages. Amazing story about a remarkable woman.
I loved listening to Patricia’s story, there were a few parallels with my own but most of all I loved her attitude, it’s so easy to dwell on the past and allow it to rob us of our present too. So happy Patricia has a good life and a family around her 🥰
I throughly enjoyed this interview my grandmother was catholic and from New England the accent brought me back to my childhood growing up in Connecticut. What a strong educated woman a inspiration, thank you for sharing your story even the hard parts and making us feel less alone and spreading awareness ❤️
Really enjoyed this. She's a great storyteller, and I especially appreciated having someone older who has decades of experience and perspective to share!
Thank you for sharing. I was in first grade and stopped believing in the Catholic Church. I was😮 told anyone who was not Catholic and died went to hell. My grandmother who was not Catholic was a good person she was not going to hell
The irony is that saying that is literally heretical to say/believe there is no salvation outside the Roman Catholic church🙄 My FIL was told the same thing as a kid because his dad wasn’t Catholic, he was going to hell. How horrible to say such things to kids
Forcing families to be monks is insane. For salvation, you can choose either marriage and family life OR monasticism. To force one to be the other is evil. God bless you for speaking out and writing a book about this.
Shelise! I so enjoyed this interview in part because the guest is part of another generation and shared such a unique experience with us! I was especially interested in the education of the adults and yet the religious control the catholic dioceses had on this specific area in Boston and in that time is hard to imagine now but this guest really explains her story and experiences in a very descriptive way that we can relate to her world so well. Thank you for sharing your platform and I look forward to finding her books. I’d be very interested if she did another interview with you, her thoughts on the social costs associated with the Catholic community in Massachusetts and especially Boston. Additionally if she might describe the influence the diocese had upon the higher education system there in Boston; were most professors or faculty involved in the traditional Catholic community there and how that created a specific social milieu in the academia? This is explored in the docuseries The Keepers (Netflix) and I’m intrigued to know her response to that series. Thank you again for your remarkable work!
What a powerful story, what a journey! Thank you for sharing it. Bless for father for his willingness to break the rules, even in "tiny" ways--those ways were huge! Shelise, great questions as always. I'm so glad you invited Patricia onto your show. I look forward to reading Patricia's books.
Patricia, you are such a wonderfully articulate lady with such a beautifully warm voice. I was amazed by your story. Your book is on my list of books to buy.
As a believer In Jesus Christ, and a mother of two daughters....this story is just incredibly heartbreaking 😔. This group is the very antithesis of what God calls us to be and do. Patricia you are a literal gem of a woman. So eloquent and poised, yet so much emotion behind every word. Hearing you speak of the little silver linings in your childhood as you dealt with such abuse just shows your strength 💗 thank you so much for sharing your story. Im so happy to hear you had a family and finally had control of your own story and wish you nothing but the best!
I came across her book at our local library, great interview, so sad what she went through as a child, all the time lost between her and her sibling and parents.
I love her, she reminds me of my grandmother, but she was a quaker nurse/beekeeper/quilter/historian/biologist/mother of 5...although not at engaged or emotionally intuitive. So this is such an interesting twist on my belated grandmother (who, due to interest in biology, & I was her only blood related granddaughter & I reminded her of her, was determined that I would have kids...and I had my 1st before she passed when I was 36 & was pregnant w my 2nd). I can't say how much I enjoyed this. I love this channel because I converted to quakerism after growing up in a highly controlled & skewed & abusive fundamentalist Baptist church, & now take my kids to a wonderfully loving & enveloping Baptist Church be ause we have no quaker meeting house here, just a few who meet when they get the chance.
Shelise and Patricia, thank you for covering this story. I’m a traditional Catholic, attend Latin mass, and absolutely love my faith that I’ve been part of my whole life. I am also classically-trained, attended Catholic school through college, and attended a top secular school for my master’s program; I’m a trauma-informed therapist. I’ve followed Shelise Ann for a little while now, and am well versed in cults. I was apprehensive to click this video, since Catholicism is often given a bad name by those who have left the Church or those who think they know the Church from their own very valid experiences. Patricia’s story was tragic and there are clear indicators that Sister Catherine has her own dark past and internal insecurities that she unfortunately pushed onto others through control and manipulation. I implore you to see this case and group not as a Catholic cult, although the group tried to be “Catholic,” but as a Cult of Sister Catherine or one zealous and scrupulous religious woman. This group practiced Feeneyism, which is a heresy of the Church and not a teaching. Feeney himself was excommunicated, and therefor not a part of the church. Though they “touted” the faith, her and Father Feeney’s beliefs and teachings do not align with that of the Catholic Church, even that of Traditional Catholics and it really does give a bad name to Catholicism. It enrages me to hear that individuals will use any religion as a cloak for themselves to enact rules and doctrine of their own. What Sister Catherine did to the entire community was abhorrent and no wonder that many of the group fell in disarray and even left the Catholic Church as a direct result of her. We all should be educated on the small groups that come from different religions and understand their true history and where they stand in relation to the church/religion that they claim to be a part of. Shelise, thank you for always taking the time to interview so well. I admire your fully-open nature and how well you can dig into someone’s individual story so that they feel heard and seen through their individual experiences. I do believe that Patricia was/is blessed to be able to have fond memories of her upbringing, to have been able to get out and find herself on Wallstreet and so successful in her own right, to have found great mentors and come out on top of it all. Sister Catherine was her own kind of beast. To force children to refer to their own parents as nuns and “sister” by name is disgusting and such a detriment to their emotional upbringing. The way she manipulated and forced everyone to raise children the way SHE wanted to and in the manner that she did was despicable. None of what she did reflects the teachings of the Catholic Church; very little of what she taught is taught by the Church. What that woman put families and an entire generation of children through is extremely sad, and I truly hope everyone involved, including her own “children” are able to find healing, comfort, and love. I pray that they someday see it wasn’t the Church, but still very much a cult. Catholics and all Christians teach love. We all have free will, the ability to attend or not attend church, the ability to believe or not believe. If any Catholic group or church ever makes anyone feel forced to attend or stay, it truly is not Catholic to the core. Patricia, I am so sorry you and others went through the abuse of Sister Catherine and this group.
Patricia, thank you so much for sharing your experiences. It's such a relief to see someone from a Catholic cult come forward because I know so many who've gone through similar experiences within the Church. The Catholic school I attended for 9-12th grade was cult-y insofar as it had a lot of high control families and really enabled them to perpetuate the most harmful parts of Catholicism. I was lucky enough that my family was not one of those, but I know so many who were. Please never stop doing what you're doing. Your voice makes a such a difference to the world.
Wo! I really appreciate the ending learning this survivor leveraged something from a cruel tyrant who sought to squelch live, connection, and belonging from her life into a way to succeed in business AND in speaking out, doing good, and making a tangible difference in the lives of people her adviser would want to harm… that is chef’s kiss inspiration. It lightens my heaviness and stirs joy. Thank you!
What an amazing story of growing up in a cult and moving on to a great life of success. She is a very intelligent and strong woman. Love her story! Simply Amazing!!! ❤
💝💝💝💝From Angele: I am very much impressed in you, Patricia. How you came out of this cult with such positive thoughts and action, love and an attitude of: "I am not a victim." Thank you for sharing. I am so sorry that you and all the other children went through this experience. Much respect. 💝💝💝💝
As an ex-catholic, I believe Catholicism itself is a form of cultism. They are more subtle in their ways than other full on cults but it's there and it's real and it gets sooo deep if you just dig a little.
Interesting! I'm an ex-Catholic too, and I feel that, at least in Scandinavia, you can live in a very un-cultish way as a Catholic without it being a problem (some old owls of both sexes might remark that you don't go to mass every sunday or say something about people living together without being married, but mostly people won't mind). But the moment you start to take it "too seriously" then it is very easy to fall down into some underlying streams of unhealthy cultish thinking that kind of exist hidden from the more normal version of Catholicism. Yes, I guess it is there in a subtle way, for those who are drawn to it. For me it was a kind of self-radicalizing after I started to read too many old pious books in a time in my life where I was very lonely and also struggled with anxiety and depression. I was looking for Meaning and to feel loved. I was never part of a cult or cultish group inside the Church, nor was I seeking the advice of priests (except the normal confession, and most of them were pretty laid back and not trying to radicalize me at all). It was just me, buying old books from the Catholic bookstore and from convent shops and convent libraries, and buying into unhealthy ideals (making me feel constantly not good enough and guilty) and I bought into this idea that God shows his love by making you suffer, and that you are to accept suffering happily as a gift, and that you should give up any personal dreams or ambitions to seek only God. And I became very harsh to myself, and decided that a lot of what I wanted was "forbidden", and I also believed I was very egoistic and selfish if I didn't put other people's (often selfish) needs over my own even basic needs (like rest or having a real meal). But I basically did this to myself for some (like 9) years until I finally snapped out of it. (I still believe that being free from the ego would be a good thing, I just don't think it can be attained in such a harsh way). One might also end up in friend groups that are unhealthily "pious" and judgemental and strict (they are mostly laughed at by other Catholics, though, and they never appealed to me). And then there are the convents and secular institutes that may or may not be cult-like. Some definitely are, but not to the same extent (some are really bad and some are unhealthy for some people but maybe not for all), and some are probably ok. I was drawn to convent life (especially the strictest ones), but realized I didn't have the health needed to try, which I guess was lucky.
Thank you, Ladies. Patricia was an interesting speaker and her experience was eye-opening. I was not at all familiar with Patricia's group. I was raised in the R.C. church roughly in the same period south of Boston. The church didn't rule my thoughts in any way, probably because my own parents weren't both members. My dad had been raised by strict nuns in the Home for Destitute Catholic Children and had no use for anything R.C. My mom was a working mom in a leather factory and didn't take religion too seriously. Today, I am a very happy atheist.
Thank you for sharing your story, you are truly an inspiration! Your intellect, your spirit, your humour are remarkable ❤. I look forward to reading you books!
Some people are just natural go getters and great storytellers. It’s awe inspiring to see how despite such an oppressive and dysfunctional childhood, her spirit wasn’t broken.
That was riveting, thank you so much. What a blessing that, although many aspects of life a The Center were terrible, you were given an education that sharpened your mind and provided you with some personal qualities others could recognise as worthy and trustworthy. And that you were able to have some transition through your family and connection with your mother while at your first training college, not just flung into 'diet and rape'.
My daughter suffered a great deal of trauma due to a teacher at school. I want to share your story so she knows that others have survived terrible experience only to succeed later. Thank you for sharing.
I’m so fascinated by your story, Catherine! Thank you for sharing. I have so many questions! But I suppose many of them will be answered once I read your book, which I absolutely am going to do. Before you even mentioned it, earlier on in the interview , all I could think was… Gilead. The story of your childhood breaks my heart, though I’m grateful you have some fond memories. You are remarkable, and yes, Lauren Bacall is your doppelgänger. Once again, thank you for sharing your story, I’m so eager to read your book. All my best.
As a mother to a newly turned three year old, I cannot begin to wrap my head around willingly sending my baby away. The confusion and abandonment they must feel, at three they are still very much apart of you! You would think there's a certain motherly drive or instinct that would kick in here, but I guess it's hard to imagine how much control these groups can have over people 😢
I’d love it if you could get a guest from the Catholic residential cult in Indiana: People of Praise. Amy Coney Barrett, from the Supreme Court, is a part of this group.
Absolutely. Those people are crazy. The fact that Amy Coney Bryant is a female member of this cult and is a Supreme Court Justice is extremely unusual. Women in this group are either traditional wifes' having many children or celibate women. Women are taught to be subservient to men.
What a wonderful, amazing, resilient woman. Thanks for her fresh take on growing up in a high control group. I would love to hear more from the people who grew up in this cult.
Gorgeous guest, inside and out. And I really loved the part about how the cult community fell apart with the death of the dictator. So glad I'm subscribed.
I’ve been waiting for this one. It is one of the biggest, longstanding cults running. The stories I heard that my parents went through in school. Then being raised in it, despite that horrific abuse they experienced. You know, if you grew up in the control. It’s important to dig into the pains here. The keepers on Netflix is a great place to start.
That documentary is fantastic! It’s tough to hear about the abuse at times, but it is absolutely gripping, and the women at the center of it are so strong, smart, witty, and just inspiring!
Thank you for sharing this! As a practicing Catholic, it’s so important to bring awareness to the errors of our Faith and other Faiths as well. Bringing this into the light allows for healing for all victims and prevents any more abuse. Thank you to the brave survivors, and I am so so sorry
Thank YOU for being open and understanding to people from other Catholic groups who had a negative experience. Your comments are very validating and I appreciate it!❤️
@ thank you for brining awareness to it. I admire that you have branched out to include all religions. To be honest, I haven’t heard of as many Catholic based cults as I have other denominations, but I am happy
to be educated.
Believe in God the Father, practice the 10 commandments no one needs a middle man. Cults - money.
@@Annmarie-l3y not all religions are cults, and not all cults are religious
I’m an orthodox Christian and totally agree, it’s our job as believers to give these people a voice and talk about things that have went wrong because if we don’t it WILL happen again!
Patricia’s stories about Sister Catherine gave me shivers. I still remember my first grade teacher Sister Mary Dorothy. I am 68 and I still remember the things she did. You could not tell your parents or the Monsignor because you were the one who would have been in trouble.
THAT is abuse of power.... Frightening
It's also pure EVIL!!
Thank you for this program. As a child, I was terrified of nuns. They were all mean and evil... I stayed away from them and would even cross the street to walk on the opposite side of the street so I would not be too lose to them whenever I was out on an errand.
Yeah, well saying anything was counter productive 'cause crossing the path of a nun, worse yet a priest, is met with more disbelief than crossing the path of a pedophile.
@@terryhenderson424 corporal punishment.
This ranks as one of the most fascinating interviews you have done thus far. Patricia is such a lovely, eloquent person. I’m so happy for her success in life.
I grew up in a Catholic-based c*lt and I've been waiting for this interview, because I know I'm not alone. Thank you so much Shelise, Patricia (and the hubby/beautiful baby behind the camera). ❤❤❤
Glad you enjoyed it!
I’ve been waiting for this one too. Catholicism is normalized at an alarming rate. How people ignore the deep wounds and control. It’s not even the off shoot groups, it’s mainstream day to day practices. It needs to be seen until people see it clearly.
@@ReggaeKMThat has not been my experience as a Catholic. What mainstream day to day practices are you referring to? True Catholicism is not a cult.
@@neverenufit is not a cult in the traditional sense bit it is defintiely cutlish. As a former (very devoted) catholic, these are my gripes with the church
-an overabundance of shame for normal behaviors, including sexuality and fibbing. Not all lies are bad and sometimes you need to lie to protect yourself. LGBTQ communities have suffered bc of these policies as well
-supression of women, including but not limited to: prohibiting contraception and abortion even in cases of illness or non-viability, discouraging divorce even in times of ab*se, women cannot really hold positions of power nor do they have a voice in the church even though Jesus advocated for women
-unfettered and unconsequential child ab*se, even though jesus advocated for children
- pastoral reviews that take additional money and punish poor areas yearly
-different messages for rich vs poor areas...if you are poor you shall inherit the earth with your sacrifices bc the rich are evil, if you are rich you are blessed and should be blessing the church and others with the fruits given to you
-on a larger scale, many many hidden and covered up stories of crime commited by members of the church
- financial mismanagement of funds...a few years ago the church almost went bankrupt due to buying properties in high value areas such as aspen and milan
-encouraging soulmates and young people being virgins which creates a culture of people getting married after 6 mo to a year of "knowing" each other which can lead to toxic relationships, esp since you cant divorce.
So, while it is not a high demand religion if you are a casual catholic, it can be. I saw many families suffer bc of catholic beliefs, the worst of which was a family with 9 kids living in the worst poverty I had seen, with teeth rotting out of their heads. They were homeschooled and their parents worked for the church.
@@neverenuf while it is true that Catholicism is not a cult, there most certainly are Catholics who have founded cults.
Omg… I grew up in a big Catholic family literally the town over from Harvard (and now I live in Cambridge) and I’ve never even heard of this group… this is bonkers! What an amazing story, thank you Patricia for sharing!
As a RC, I never did either!
Neither have I. There are these subgroups, devotions, not approved by the church, that people follow blindly. Some of them have even started religious communities that are operational, such as the one featured in this story. One has to be careful, especially the young people.
The moment I opened the video. I knew this woman is different. She is incredibly educated. I admired her.
She’s so great!
Most of the richest & wisest humans are non educated.
She's well spoken.
When I close my eyes and listen to her voice she sounds so much like the late Barbara Walters even in the pace of her speech, at many moments in this wholesome interview it almost sounds like I'm listening to the audible version of her book!
I THOUGHT THE SAME THING! 😅❤❤❤
I kept thinking her voice feels so familiar... The cadence, the Trans-Atlantic vibes, the slight raspiness, the crisp annunciation, and the eloquence of her sentence structure. Totally nailed it. Sounds just like Barbara Walters.
Oh wow, you’re right!
Shelize, please, invite an indigenous person from Canada who’s gone through a residential school. This is the best example of Catholicism acting as a cult
Oh good idea.
We’d absolutely love to. So far in our search, we’ve yet to find someone willing to speak.
@@CultstoConsciousnessI’m not surprised. Canada is still really bad regarding our treatment of indigenous Métis, and Inuit people, so I’m sure there is a lot of ongoing trauma in that respect. Maybe someone would be willing to speak anonymously, or, maybe a child or grandchild of someone who was in a residential school would be willing to discuss the generational impact. I know multiple people who didn’t even realize their grandparent was indigenous or Inuit because that grandparent intentionally hid it from their children in order to try and protect them. Many found out through genetic/ancestral testing/tracing
The old timers in ME sometimes talk about their Indian School days. My next door neighbor went to one, he would say little things sometimes. He liked having food regularly even if it wasn’t tasty. He passed away last year.
@@CultstoConsciousness it might be tricky. The topic is burning in Canada. I’m guessing you will open a can of worms if you start talking abt it!
I attended the morning star camp for girls in the mid 00s ran by the sisters of this order. (Mom was a trad cultist) Today they are a community of victims who know no better than to victimize others, but their beliefs are very dangerous still. I believe they are still active to this day at least in massachusetts at the saint benedict center. Truly awful stuff. Thank you for talking about this, i have never heard anyone speak out about the slaves before.
They are still active, and are spreading across the country with their absurd beliefs
Even as far removed as Patricia's childhood and life experiences seem to be from my own, I'm yet astounded by the insight, encouragement, and even validation that I draw from it. I'm a black male, 34 years of age, gay, born and raised in rural south GA. I'm no stranger to the lasting effects that religious indoctrination can have on a person, especially given that my paternal grandmother and maternal uncle were both pastors of non-denominational, Christian churches. I'm sure you can imagine the internal turmoil that plagues a curious, artistic, gentle-spirited, open-minded, seeker of knowledge like myself, when at every corner, these attributes were met with disdain and disapproval. Nonetheless, the many parallels that I am able to draw between Patricia's personal experience and feeling the radiant self assurance, resilience, and determination that she's been able to retain (as well as her brightly optimistic perspective) have given me an inexplicable surge of hope for the future of my own mental health and emotional well being. I simply could not refrain from commenting in hopes that, if this reaches her, so shall my immense gratitude for the courage, grace, and selflessness exhibited here. I look forward to reading your books. Additionally, this is my introduction to Cults to Consciousness but certainly won't be my last visit. Subscribing was a no-brainer. Lol. I can't wait to explore the rest of your content. Peace and love!
I'm a 20 year old and cult survivor myself (I don't know how you'd refer to yours, but I know mine was a minor cult myself), and I only truly started to heal when my brother introduced me to the Wiccan belief. I had thought I never would want to be near religions ever again because of how badly I was treated, but seeing how Wicca has goddesses who empower women, and knowing my brother who raised me and my mother have been part of it just made me feel like it was natural, just as some feel being atheist is natural or being part of another religion is natural. Until you know yourself more, healing is stunted. I'm glad mine isn't stunted anymore, so I can truly heal, and feel better interacting with the world as a Wiccan woman.
(This isn't me trying to make others be Wiccan, but just relaying my own experiences with healing. If you have questions, feel free to ask!)
❤
INCREDIBLE interview!!! Patricia is so incredibly well spoken, listening to her was like floating on a dream
Yes!! I was going to ask if she is going to narrate her own audiobook, too. Her voice is gorgeous.
Jonathan says it’s like listening to an audiobook! I agree 😁
As someone who identifies as both Roman Catholic and as a member of the LGBTQ+ community, I want to sincerely apologize for the harm that you and your family endured in the name of faith. It’s truly heartbreaking to recognize the injustices that have been done under the guise of religion, and it’s so important that we shed light on these wrongs-not only within our own faith but across all beliefs.
Your story deeply moved me, and I am grateful for the opportunity to learn about your journey after leaving the cult. The work you're doing to support the LGBTQ+ community fills me with hope, and I truly admire your advocacy for acceptance, understanding, and healing. I’m eager to read your books and learn more about your personal experiences and the incredible work you're continuing to do. Thank you for sharing your powerful story and for being an inspiration to so many, including myself.
Patricia your interview was excellent! You are so compassionate about not blaming others but using your past to learn from. You are truly to be admired. Thank you for sharing your story. 🩷
Patricia, if you see this, your interview healed a part of me. You are so eloquent and perceptive. I just ordered the Little Sister audiobook and can't wait to listen! Thank you for speaking your truth. ❤️❤️❤️
Edit: I just finished the last couple of minutes, and as a queer parent who is terrified of my future as an American, I am so proud of and grateful to you for unbelieving what I know you were taught about the LGBTQ community. Had we more people with open and curious minds like yours, we would be in a very different situation. You're such an inspiration!
What a wonderful conversation and a wonderful lady! She is truly inspiring, humble, well spoken and impactful!
I’m getting Handmaid’s Tale vibes so badly… the way the children are brought up, their guardians called Angels
And that sister could be Aunt Lydia
And… she just talked about the show
No wonder she felt so triggered 😢
They had to keep their community secret in order not to be rejected by ordinary, common-sense Catholics who would have seen the whole thing as bonkers. I’m so proud of you for coming through this so well!
Exactly. If you are married you have already rejected a monastic life style. This must be voluntary! No nun or priest can act as if they were the Pope in defiance of legitimate authority! Truly, unless you are educated you will fall victim to insane people!!
I grew up Catholic. In college I went on my Newman Center's retreat and they did Stations of the Cross. They literally beat the guy playing Jesus. It was strips of knotted cloth and didn't break the skin, but his back would have raised red welts. It was seen as an honor to play Jesus and something they prayed about for weeks beforehand. I thought it was so holy at the time. I love so much about the Church and view it as my cultural heritage. However, seeing the dark parts of the Church exposed is healing, and my experience was nothing like this guest's.
Was the group opus dei? An evil cult.
Jd Vance is opus dei, Amy Barrett etc many more
This is one of the best sessions I’ve heard. I can so relate to this, having gone to a French Convent school. She is about the same age. I would love to meet this woman!
Yes! Lauren Bacall! What an interesting story! I hope we get a follow up: more detail on how she adjusted as an adult, met her partner, any trouble raising children, etc.
I am looking forward to reading her books !
Truly everyone can learn something from this interview. Patricia speaks so beautifully about her journey. She has such compassion and holds space for those who are victimized yet also invites them to look forward and create a future of their own. I will be reading her books!
This is my favorite interview. I'm an ex Catholic woman the same age as Patrica. I went to Catholic School but stopped going to church when I got out of High School. I just didn't feel the spirit. Other than Catholic School and Church on Sundays there wasn't religion in our home. It was easy to become a Born Again Christian in Mesa Arizona when my son was born in 1980. I wasn't living around family to find fault with it. It's amazing all the offsets of the Church we hear about these days. We weren't aware of any cults, my guess there're are many more. Patrica told her story in a beautiful, loving way. It would have been so easy to have showed some resentment. I just can't get over how she handled her story. She's a lovely lady and I can't wait to read her books. Thank you for having her on. Please bring her back. ❤
What a remarkable story. I was raised a Catholic in R.I. in a town an hour drive to Boston. By most strict Catholics standards my mother was a likewarm Catholic who married my father who was a non practicing Methodist. My parents sent me to Catholic school for 7 years primarily to get a better education than I would have received in my town's public school system. I had a good experience in Catholic school, no abuse, made lifelong friends, and the priests and nuns were kind to the children. As many Catholic do, I drifted away from the Catholic Church when I etarted to attend public high school. In my mid 20s I met the man who would become my husband who grew up in MA in a town 20 minutes from my home town. My husband was raised by strict Irish American Catholic parents that sent all 4 kids to 12 years of Catholic school, and my MIL actually worked for the bishop of their diocese. When my husband was 8 or 9 his parents signed him up to become an altar boy, and as fate would have it the priest that my husband and his altar boy friends served Mass for was one of the most notorious CSA predators in the diocese. My husband was not SA by this priest but several of his friends were, and he believed he escaped being a victim because his mother worked for the bishop. When my husband turned 18 and went off to college he left the Catholic Church because of the trauma caused to his friends much to the dismay of his parents. When the story finalky broke about CSA predator priest who was convicted and sent to prison and eventually died there, my husband's parents remained mum about this and continued to support and attend Catholic services at their Catholic church. And neither of my husband's parents ever questioned him to see if he was ever harmed by any priest. My husband forgave his parents for turning a blind eye because he realized his parents as their parents before them were indoctrinated into the Catholic cult from the cradle. My husband could not change his parent's Catholic belief system and neither could they change his non Catholic belief system, but thankfully they continued to love each other despite their differences.
There is no way I could stay in contact with any family that stayed and continued to support that kind of pure evil and then not even addressing the trauma he suffered thru the horrid abuse of his friends. They didn’t even ask him? I would have screamed at them , oh by the way I was not SA’d.. but really thanks for asking, then walked away forever
Patricia is such an engaging and articulate storyteller - such a pleasure to listen to.
Amazing and compelling story, Patricia! Thank you for sharing your journey with us! 🥰
What an amazing story! Thanks Shelise for bringing Patricia on your podcast. Both of you are very inspiring women.
Break the silence. Break the cycle.
25:36
It’s so refreshing to listen to someone who speaks without saying “like” or ummmmm.
That is so perceptive of you !! As soon as a speaker starts with “like and Umm or pauses too long , I switch off, for some reason , it grates on my nerves 😂🤣
I feel so so grateful that I got to hear this. Thos was beautifully told. I adore this woman. If she reads this- thank you for blessing me with your story!
This is one of the best interviews you have done yet! I cannot wait to read Patricia's books!!
Wow. What an absolutely incredible woman. Thank you so much, Patricia! As an ex-Catholic having to detangle myself from toxic beliefs, this is absolutely awe-inspiring and gives me a lot of hope for my own future
I was raised in the Roman Catholic church, not in a cult "offshoot" as such, but in a very strict, traditional household. So much of Patricia's story resonates with me. So much to think about and process ... thank you Patricia for sharing your story and Shelise, for your strength and compassion in providing this platform for people to share their stories and learn from one another.
Shalise(sorry if I misspelled) this was the first time I've seen a Catholic based cult on your show. I wish you ALL THE success so more types of people can find you &; trust you because I truly believe there are so many more christian based christian based places that don't truly stand for what God is, which is LOVE. So I can't wait to hear what you get next.
Patricia YouR story and life are truly inspirational, BRAVO, you are the role model I wish my students would be so lucky to find. Thank you for sharing!
I love listening to this lady, I wish her interview were 5+ hours. She is authentic and fascinating. I can't wait to read her books. Thank you for sharing your life!
Patricia, you are what my daughter's and I call, a Badass Broad! Loved this interview! Thank you for sharing!
My word…what did someone do to sister Catherine. I agree, her behaviour certainly does point to some very deep seated trauma in her past. Hurt people, hurt people. I’m so glad to see stories like this shared so more people can see the red flags as they take so many different shapes in the early stages. Amazing story about a remarkable woman.
Thank you, Patricia. I hadn’t heard of this extreme group before. Thanks for sharing your experience. 🌸
I loved listening to Patricia’s story, there were a few parallels with my own but most of all I loved her attitude, it’s so easy to dwell on the past and allow it to rob us of our present too. So happy Patricia has a good life and a family around her 🥰
I throughly enjoyed this interview my grandmother was catholic and from New England the accent brought me back to my childhood growing up in Connecticut. What a strong educated woman a inspiration, thank you for sharing your story even the hard parts and making us feel less alone and spreading awareness ❤️
Shelise, what an amazing interview and what an amazing person Patricia is.
Really enjoyed this. She's a great storyteller, and I especially appreciated having someone older who has decades of experience and perspective to share!
Thank you for sharing. I was in first grade and stopped believing in the Catholic Church. I was😮 told anyone who was not Catholic and died went to hell. My grandmother who was not Catholic was a good person she was not going to hell
The irony is that saying that is literally heretical to say/believe there is no salvation outside the Roman Catholic church🙄 My FIL was told the same thing as a kid because his dad wasn’t Catholic, he was going to hell. How horrible to say such things to kids
Really enjoying this guest. First I’ve Ever heard of this type of group but they all have so many similarities.
One of my favorite guest speakers! I'm looking forward to reading her book!
Forcing families to be monks is insane. For salvation, you can choose either marriage and family life OR monasticism. To force one to be the other is evil. God bless you for speaking out and writing a book about this.
Shelise! I so enjoyed this interview in part because the guest is part of another generation and shared such a unique experience with us! I was especially interested in the education of the adults and yet the religious control the catholic dioceses had on this specific area in Boston and in that time is hard to imagine now but this guest really explains her story and experiences in a very descriptive way that we can relate to her world so well. Thank you for sharing your platform and I look forward to finding her books. I’d be very interested if she did another interview with you, her thoughts on the social costs associated with the Catholic community in Massachusetts and especially Boston. Additionally if she might describe the influence the diocese had upon the higher education system there in Boston; were most professors or faculty involved in the traditional Catholic community there and how that created a specific social milieu in the academia? This is explored in the docuseries The Keepers (Netflix) and I’m intrigued to know her response to that series. Thank you again for your remarkable work!
All such great questions!! I’ll keep them in case we do another episode 🙏
Thank you, Patricia, thank you CtC Team ❤
What a powerful story, what a journey! Thank you for sharing it. Bless for father for his willingness to break the rules, even in "tiny" ways--those ways were huge! Shelise, great questions as always. I'm so glad you invited Patricia onto your show. I look forward to reading Patricia's books.
Immediately went online and purchesed Patricia's book! Hope she will be back🧡
Patricia, you are such a wonderfully articulate lady with such a beautifully warm voice. I was amazed by your story. Your book is on my list of books to buy.
As a believer In Jesus Christ, and a mother of two daughters....this story is just incredibly heartbreaking 😔. This group is the very antithesis of what God calls us to be and do. Patricia you are a literal gem of a woman. So eloquent and poised, yet so much emotion behind every word. Hearing you speak of the little silver linings in your childhood as you dealt with such abuse just shows your strength 💗 thank you so much for sharing your story. Im so happy to hear you had a family and finally had control of your own story and wish you nothing but the best!
Really loving this! She is very articulated and a great story-teller. Also, being Italian, the Catholic element is very interesting to me.
She is so elegant
I came across her book at our local library, great interview, so sad what she went through as a child, all the time lost between her and her sibling and parents.
I love her, she reminds me of my grandmother, but she was a quaker nurse/beekeeper/quilter/historian/biologist/mother of 5...although not at engaged or emotionally intuitive. So this is such an interesting twist on my belated grandmother (who, due to interest in biology, & I was her only blood related granddaughter & I reminded her of her, was determined that I would have kids...and I had my 1st before she passed when I was 36 & was pregnant w my 2nd).
I can't say how much I enjoyed this. I love this channel because I converted to quakerism after growing up in a highly controlled & skewed & abusive fundamentalist Baptist church, & now take my kids to a wonderfully loving & enveloping Baptist Church be ause we have no quaker meeting house here, just a few who meet when they get the chance.
Wow this was such a great interview! She needs to come on again! ❤
Wow! What a wonderful storyteller she is! I really enjoyed this episode and the way Shelise guided the discussion was well done.
Wonderful interview as always. Keep up the amazing work!
Shelise and Patricia, thank you for covering this story.
I’m a traditional Catholic, attend Latin mass, and absolutely love my faith that I’ve been part of my whole life. I am also classically-trained, attended Catholic school through college, and attended a top secular school for my master’s program; I’m a trauma-informed therapist.
I’ve followed Shelise Ann for a little while now, and am well versed in cults. I was apprehensive to click this video, since Catholicism is often given a bad name by those who have left the Church or those who think they know the Church from their own very valid experiences.
Patricia’s story was tragic and there are clear indicators that Sister Catherine has her own dark past and internal insecurities that she unfortunately pushed onto others through control and manipulation.
I implore you to see this case and group not as a Catholic cult, although the group tried to be “Catholic,” but as a Cult of Sister Catherine or one zealous and scrupulous religious woman. This group practiced Feeneyism, which is a heresy of the Church and not a teaching. Feeney himself was excommunicated, and therefor not a part of the church.
Though they “touted” the faith, her and Father Feeney’s beliefs and teachings do not align with that of the Catholic Church, even that of Traditional Catholics and it really does give a bad name to Catholicism.
It enrages me to hear that individuals will use any religion as a cloak for themselves to enact rules and doctrine of their own. What Sister Catherine did to the entire community was abhorrent and no wonder that many of the group fell in disarray and even left the Catholic Church as a direct result of her.
We all should be educated on the small groups that come from different religions and understand their true history and where they stand in relation to the church/religion that they claim to be a part of.
Shelise, thank you for always taking the time to interview so well. I admire your fully-open nature and how well you can dig into someone’s individual story so that they feel heard and seen through their individual experiences. I do believe that Patricia was/is blessed to be able to have fond memories of her upbringing, to have been able to get out and find herself on Wallstreet and so successful in her own right, to have found great mentors and come out on top of it all.
Sister Catherine was her own kind of beast. To force children to refer to their own parents as nuns and “sister” by name is disgusting and such a detriment to their emotional upbringing. The way she manipulated and forced everyone to raise children the way SHE wanted to and in the manner that she did was despicable. None of what she did reflects the teachings of the Catholic Church; very little of what she taught is taught by the Church. What that woman put families and an entire generation of children through is extremely sad, and I truly hope everyone involved, including her own “children” are able to find healing, comfort, and love. I pray that they someday see it wasn’t the Church, but still very much a cult.
Catholics and all Christians teach love. We all have free will, the ability to attend or not attend church, the ability to believe or not believe. If any Catholic group or church ever makes anyone feel forced to attend or stay, it truly is not Catholic to the core.
Patricia, I am so sorry you and others went through the abuse of Sister Catherine and this group.
This was one of the best interviews you have ever done.
The poise, the elegance, the eloquence… Should I say Lady Patricia? What a charming woman. ❤❤❤
I learned a lot of real human resilience despite those given conditions, thank you Patricia !💗🕊️
A compelling story. So glad that Patricia is out and doing well. Thanks, Patricia and Shelise!
This interview just blew me away. I had no idea that the Catholic Church had cults. Ver informative.
The Catholic Church does not have cults.
@@neverenufbreak off groups like this though.
@@neverenufnot only is it a cult it’s a satanic cult! Wakey wakey!
What a remarkable and inspirational women! Thank you so much for sharing your story and I can't wait to read your book.
Patricia, thank you so much for sharing your experiences. It's such a relief to see someone from a Catholic cult come forward because I know so many who've gone through similar experiences within the Church. The Catholic school I attended for 9-12th grade was cult-y insofar as it had a lot of high control families and really enabled them to perpetuate the most harmful parts of Catholicism. I was lucky enough that my family was not one of those, but I know so many who were.
Please never stop doing what you're doing. Your voice makes a such a difference to the world.
Excellent interview!!! ❤❤❤
What an incredible woman, thank you for having her on!
Wo! I really appreciate the ending learning this survivor leveraged something from a cruel tyrant who sought to squelch live, connection, and belonging from her life into a way to succeed in business AND in speaking out, doing good, and making a tangible difference in the lives of people her adviser would want to harm… that is chef’s kiss inspiration. It lightens my heaviness and stirs joy. Thank you!
Unstoppable，is the right word for this amazing woman. 🎉
A pleasure to listen to such an intelligent und beautiful lady
What an amazing story of growing up in a cult and moving on to a great life of success. She is a very intelligent and strong woman. Love her story! Simply Amazing!!! ❤
Patricia you are a remarkable & strong very resilient woman thank you for sharing your story with us ❤❤
One of my all time favorite interview subjects. 💗
I could listen to her forever ❤ so well spoken and such a lovely voice ❤
Wow! This woman had a tremendous story. I could listen to her all day. Great storyteller.👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽❤️
💝💝💝💝From Angele: I am very much impressed in you, Patricia. How you came out of this cult with such positive thoughts and action, love and an attitude of: "I am not a victim." Thank you for sharing. I am so sorry that you and all the other children went through this experience. Much respect. 💝💝💝💝
As an ex-catholic, I believe Catholicism itself is a form of cultism. They are more subtle in their ways than other full on cults but it's there and it's real and it gets sooo deep if you just dig a little.
Agree. Same. Subtle but there in all it’s ways and means. Sigh 😔
Example?
I believe this is true for a lot of religions unfortunately
@@PedrodeUrdymalook up this show’s interview with a man who was in the TradCaths, that specific branch of Catholicism is culty for sure!
Interesting! I'm an ex-Catholic too, and I feel that, at least in Scandinavia, you can live in a very un-cultish way as a Catholic without it being a problem (some old owls of both sexes might remark that you don't go to mass every sunday or say something about people living together without being married, but mostly people won't mind). But the moment you start to take it "too seriously" then it is very easy to fall down into some underlying streams of unhealthy cultish thinking that kind of exist hidden from the more normal version of Catholicism. Yes, I guess it is there in a subtle way, for those who are drawn to it.
For me it was a kind of self-radicalizing after I started to read too many old pious books in a time in my life where I was very lonely and also struggled with anxiety and depression. I was looking for Meaning and to feel loved. I was never part of a cult or cultish group inside the Church, nor was I seeking the advice of priests (except the normal confession, and most of them were pretty laid back and not trying to radicalize me at all). It was just me, buying old books from the Catholic bookstore and from convent shops and convent libraries, and buying into unhealthy ideals (making me feel constantly not good enough and guilty) and I bought into this idea that God shows his love by making you suffer, and that you are to accept suffering happily as a gift, and that you should give up any personal dreams or ambitions to seek only God. And I became very harsh to myself, and decided that a lot of what I wanted was "forbidden", and I also believed I was very egoistic and selfish if I didn't put other people's (often selfish) needs over my own even basic needs (like rest or having a real meal). But I basically did this to myself for some (like 9) years until I finally snapped out of it. (I still believe that being free from the ego would be a good thing, I just don't think it can be attained in such a harsh way).
One might also end up in friend groups that are unhealthily "pious" and judgemental and strict (they are mostly laughed at by other Catholics, though, and they never appealed to me).
And then there are the convents and secular institutes that may or may not be cult-like. Some definitely are, but not to the same extent (some are really bad and some are unhealthy for some people but maybe not for all), and some are probably ok. I was drawn to convent life (especially the strictest ones), but realized I didn't have the health needed to try, which I guess was lucky.
Thank you, Ladies. Patricia was an interesting speaker and her experience was eye-opening. I was not at all familiar with Patricia's group. I was raised in the R.C. church roughly in the same period south of Boston. The church didn't rule my thoughts in any way, probably because my own parents weren't both members. My dad had been raised by strict nuns in the Home for Destitute Catholic Children and had no use for anything R.C. My mom was a working mom in a leather factory and didn't take religion too seriously. Today, I am a very happy atheist.
An amazing spirit with an eye opening story to share. Thank you.
Thank you for sharing your story, you are truly an inspiration! Your intellect, your spirit, your humour are remarkable ❤. I look forward to reading you books!
I could listen to this lady all day! She is a joy.
Thank you for sharing your experience😊
Some people are just natural go getters and great storytellers. It’s awe inspiring to see how despite such an oppressive and dysfunctional childhood, her spirit wasn’t broken.
She is absolutely fascinating! I would love to hear several more of her stories ❤.
That was riveting, thank you so much. What a blessing that, although many aspects of life a The Center were terrible, you were given an education that sharpened your mind and provided you with some personal qualities others could recognise as worthy and trustworthy. And that you were able to have some transition through your family and connection with your mother while at your first training college, not just flung into 'diet and rape'.
Patricia thank you for sharing your story you’re amazing ❤
My daughter suffered a great deal of trauma due to a teacher at school. I want to share your story so she knows that others have survived terrible experience only to succeed later. Thank you for sharing.
Now I know what I will read next. Thank you for sharing this.
I’m so fascinated by your story, Catherine! Thank you for sharing. I have so many questions! But I suppose many of them will be answered once I read your book, which I absolutely am going to do. Before you even mentioned it, earlier on in the interview , all I could think was… Gilead. The story of your childhood breaks my heart, though I’m grateful you have some fond memories. You are remarkable, and yes, Lauren Bacall is your doppelgänger. Once again, thank you for sharing your story, I’m so eager to read your book. All my best.
As a mother to a newly turned three year old, I cannot begin to wrap my head around willingly sending my baby away. The confusion and abandonment they must feel, at three they are still very much apart of you! You would think there's a certain motherly drive or instinct that would kick in here, but I guess it's hard to imagine how much control these groups can have over people 😢
What an incredible and beautiful soul this lady is. Thank you for sharing her story ❤
I found this interview very enlightening thank you
I met Sr Ann Mary when she was very elderly. She passed away fairly recently. I'm happy to hear how she affirmed her students.
I’d love it if you could get a guest from the Catholic residential cult in Indiana: People of Praise. Amy Coney Barrett, from the Supreme Court, is a part of this group.
Absolutely. Those people are crazy. The fact that Amy Coney Bryant is a female member of this cult and is a Supreme Court Justice is extremely unusual. Women in this group are either traditional wifes' having many children or celibate women. Women are taught to be subservient to men.
Scary..
What a wonderful, amazing, resilient woman. Thanks for her fresh take on growing up in a high control group. I would love to hear more from the people who grew up in this cult.
Wow she's such an inspiring person. And i thank her dad he looks like a very smart person
Gorgeous guest, inside and out. And I really loved the part about how the cult community fell apart with the death of the dictator. So glad I'm subscribed.
This is my favorite interview.
I’ve been waiting for this one. It is one of the biggest, longstanding cults running. The stories I heard that my parents went through in school. Then being raised in it, despite that horrific abuse they experienced. You know, if you grew up in the control. It’s important to dig into the pains here. The keepers on Netflix is a great place to start.
That documentary is fantastic! It’s tough to hear about the abuse at times, but it is absolutely gripping, and the women at the center of it are so strong, smart, witty, and just inspiring!
Opus is an evil cult also. Jd Vance, Barrett, etc are opus dei
Such a fascinating story. True strength in our inner selves! Thank you for sharing!