I had not reacted to Sister Jesme’s Amen ‘cos it was not worth reacting to. The book has no literary value – at least that’s what I think. It’s a very pedestrian forgettable piece except for the sleaze and scandal about convents. To tell you the truth, the book bored me to death.
I’m glad that the Nuns and the Church did not ask for the book to be banned. I’m glad that the Catholics did not go on a book-burning spree. The truth is, the book is not worth the trouble.
So, why do I choose to write about it now?
Well, The Hay Festival is happening in Trivandrum. A few of my friends who attended it called to find out from me if it was true if all nuns were liars and lesbians or practicing heterosexuals.
They told me that Sr. Jesme, in her talk, said something to the effect that all nuns lie in both sense of the word. 1. They utter falsehoods and 2. they are lying with someone or other all the time. It is to this that I am reacting.
Strange that a person who was a nun for 30+ years should come out with something like this. Does it mean that she was doing this for three decades?
Regarding the book Amen- There may be some truth in it. There may not be any truth. I do not know. But common sense tells me that every organization has a bad apple or a few bad ones. But to say that the entire bunch is rotten is to miscarry truth.
Now, I have a reason for sticking up for the nuns. I am a beneficiary of the service they have been traditionally rendering to society.
All my education – from Baby class to Masters - was in convents. They were a great influence on me in my formative years. (I guess I owe my prudishness to this influence J.)
I learnt a lot from them, and I’ve had to unlearn some of what I learnt from them too. But the gains are greater – the loss, negligible.
The education they imparted to me gave not only knowledge and skill, but wisdom too.
They taught me the virtues of love and forgiveness.
They taught me to value human life, human rights and human dignity.
They taught me that honesty is a virtue that cannot be compromised, no matter what.
They taught me to stand firm in the right , and to ask God for light to see the right.
They tried to make a disciplined human being out of the total disorganized person that I was. They succeeded enough in this effort so as to enable me to get on with this business called life without much hassles.
I know that I’m not the most virtuous person on earth or the best specimen of our species. Those who know me will agree wholeheartedly to this admission. I do fall. Often. But each time, the values the nuns imparted to me and which I have internalized, set afoot a correction that, I hope, has stemmed me from stooping to irredeemable depths.
Isn’t all this reason enough for me to stand up for the nuns?
And I have always been most comfortable with most of them.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m not implying that those I am not comfortable with are liars and lesbians and highly libidinous people, as Sister Jesme claims. Just as I am comfortable with some human beings and not with some, so too with the nuns.
The point I’m trying to make is nuns are human beings. And you find all types.
They too fall like all human beings. They too try to correct themselves like all human being do, though their benchmark, which is unrealistically high, makes the task difficult for them. It makes the fall appear greater – and our criticism too.
But then who are we to judge?
Enough that they contribute substantially to the well being of human beings.
Enough that their level of commitment to the service of mankind is very high.
Enough that society has benefited hugely from them.
One rotten apple does not make the whole bunch rotten.
Yes one rotten apple dosent make the old bunch bad. But conscientiousness lies in the guts and the will to acknowledge that ,there is this one rotten apple in the midst.That the laity and the officialdom have not done well about. Look at the cover ups in the West by the highest authority of the Catholic church!!
ReplyDeleteI have not read the book per se, but went through the synopsis. This reminds me of the book "Laja" written by Tasleema Nasreen, which I read.. The book is a narration of what would have happened or can happen in a bigoted Muslim society . The same can happen in a fanatical Hindu country as well. But the poor author was hounded by the urchins who swear in the name of Islam and God. Fortunately Catholics have moved much from the depths of bigotry and fanaticism they were in, in the middle ages.
I m also a beneficiary of the convent education and was nurtured by the Nuns in my early formative age.I do always acknowledge that and gratitude is in me.
What I feel that we must accept is that when the iconoclasm happens we must not feel peeved and deny the inner facts that triggered that.Why do we elevate and give an aura of infallibility to the person ? After all, human fallacies and short comings will haunt each of us.To deny and force to believe that the rot cannot happen in the house of God is closing ones eyes and wishing it is dark. Let us accept there are rotten apples and pick them out and cleanse the tree so that more rot dosent set in, if it has not happened by now.
The mentioned book Amen may have been a creation of frustration and experience bitter, or we can even think it as rubbish. But dose that deny the rotten apple or apples dosent exist?
I haven't read that book either. But I guess, a lot of people tend to 'generalize'! So let's ignore their ignorance :)
ReplyDeleteAnd I understand what you mean. I've been convent-educated myself and have met many wonderful nuns - kind and gentle, warm and caring, leading by example.
With all due respect, I dont know why you wasted your writing skills on something which is not even worth mentioning.Inadvertently, someone might read that book, because yu mentioned it!
ReplyDeletekpj, not having read the book i'll reserve my opinion on it. but i am with you that the nuns do a great service to the community around them. their very presence has helped many people in a positive way. not all my experiences were great either but looking back the good overwhelms the bad.
ReplyDeleteI have read the book Amen. Interestingly, the first time I heard about the book was from a senior priest who was vehemently critical of its author and its publishers. Within moments I bought a copy of its original edition from the D C Book Stall at Ernakulam and read it.
ReplyDeleteThe book, I found, highlighted the jealousies in her convent and the machinations and court intrigues among them. There was a sexual overtone also in the descriptions. To be honest, I found nothing unrealistic or glaringly untruthful in the book. The book could pass as the plausible story of a nun.
Generalizations
In this context, one should not expect uniform culture among different congregations under the churches. Nor could one expect uniform culture among different convents belonging to the same congregation. It is possible that some convents consistently exhibit an elite culture while some others do not. My cousin joined one very well reputed congregation but had to come out because of alleged ill treatment of her by other nuns. She said the last in the series of cruelty she suffered from her jealous peers was that a vessel containing boiling wax was thrown at her by some nun in a fit of anger. Her father was furious that she was telling a lie as reason for leaving the convent. And he sent her back much against her will and much against the entreaties of her mother and siblings. In two months’ time, he received a telegram that his 30-year-old daughter was no more. The father did not consider it necessary to investigate. Her body was buried in the convent graveyard somewhere in Shillong. She was a popular figure in her school days in Ernakulam and was a good leadership material. Her teachers (nuns) at her convent school organized a prayer meeting which was attended by a huge crowd. But no one knew the events that led to her untimely death.
Someone like the Women’s Commission in Kerala would generalize this and jump into the conclusion with an I-told-you-so attitude. Look at the alacrity and relish with which the Commission came into a premature conclusion when a young nun committed suicide in a Kollam convent!
However, granting this human proclivity to jump into some devoutly wished conclusion, let me state here that things happen in different convents from time to time. The ecclesiastical authorities have to sit up and face realities realistically and take corrective courses instead of straightaway shooting the messenger, like they are shooting Jesme in this case.
Look at the pedophilia cases in the West. When its first straws in the wind appeared in Boston in the 1950’s, everyone dismissed them are aberrations to be ignored. “Don’t generalize these little things.” And what happened eventually is everyone’s knowledge.
Incidentally, ecclesiastical authorities are using this “don’t generalize” argument rather too often these days.
My suggestion to Madam Kochuthresiamma and other intelligent people is that they should give some space to people like Jesme who show some guts to come out with complaints; and my advice to church and convent officials is that they need to make comprehensive investigations in their own long term interests instead of straightaway consigning them to eternal damnation.
Sorry, Kochuthresiamma for agreeing with you but in part.
I have read the book Amen. Interestingly, the first time I heard about the book was from a senior priest who was vehemently critical of its author and its publishers. Within moments I bought a copy of its original edition from the D C Book Stall at Ernakulam and read it.
ReplyDeleteThe book, I found, highlighted the jealousies in her convent and the machinations and court intrigues among them. There was a sexual overtone also in the descriptions. To be honest, I found nothing unrealistic or glaringly untruthful in the book. The book could pass as the plausible story of a nun.
Generalizations
In this context, one should not expect uniform culture among different congregations under the churches. Nor could one expect uniform culture among different convents belonging to the same congregation. It is possible that some convents consistently exhibit an elite culture while some others do not. My cousin joined one very well reputed congregation but had to come out because of alleged ill treatment of her by other nuns. She said the last in the series of cruelty she suffered from her jealous peers was that a vessel containing boiling wax was thrown at her by some nun in a fit of anger. Her father was furious that she was telling a lie as reason for leaving the convent. And he sent her back much against her will and much against the entreaties of her mother and siblings. In two months’ time, he received a telegram that his 30-year-old daughter was no more. The father did not consider it necessary to investigate. Her body was buried in the convent graveyard somewhere in Shillong. She was a popular figure in her school days in Ernakulam and was a good leadership material. Her teachers (nuns) at her convent school organized a prayer meeting which was attended by a huge crowd. But no one knew the events that led to her untimely death
Someone like the Women’s Commission in Kerala would generalize this and jump into the conclusion with an I-told-you-so attitude. Look at the alacrity and relish with which the Commission came into a premature conclusion when a young nun committed suicide in a Kollam convent!
However, granting this human proclivity to jump into some devoutly wished conclusion, let me state here that things happen in different convents from time to time. The ecclesiastical authorities have to sit up and face realities realistically and take corrective courses instead of straightaway shooting the messenger, like they are shooting Jesme in this case.
Look at the pedophilia cases in the West. When its first straws in the wind appeared in Boston in the 1950’s, everyone dismissed them are aberrations to be ignored. “Don’t generalize these little things.” And what happened eventually is everyone’s knowledge. Incidentally, ecclesiastical authorities are using this “don’t generalize” argument rather too often these days.
My suggestion to Madam Kochuthresiamma and other intelligent people is that they should give some space to people like Jesme who show some guts to come out with complaints; and my advice to church and convent officials is that they need to make comprehensive investigations in their own long term interests instead of straightaway consigning them to eternal damnation.
i was at the hay festival covering it for my paper. genuinely creative people too were there. Sister Jesme i missed.
ReplyDeletemadam, what i feel is that religion comes to us only when we are free of all confusions. for some people confusions never cease. am i right?
thanks for the responses.
ReplyDeletei do not question the veracity of her experiences and her right to react or write. what surprised me was the invitation she got to the hay festival - a literary festival. guess i am outdated when i say the work has no litt value, and that literature has to conform to certain norms and standards. after all we live in times when the cannonical approach is frowned upon.
But all i meant was, it just couldn't hold my interest.
it could be a well crafted one in malayalam. i dont know - and much has been lost in translation. quite possible.
@ p venugopal
it depends on how you define religion, dont you think? what is religion? spiritualtiy, rituals, institutionalised faith?
11:18 AM, November 20, 2010
what do i think of spirituality, rituals and institutionalised faith? i take no positions, ma'am. look at us people all around us. we are at different levels of undestanding what IS. some of us may need rituals and institutionalised faith to prop us up and these have their roles and purposes. these may be step by step progression to spirituality, the understanding of Truth. what i meant (and feel deep within) is that being a nun or a priest in the institutionised way will not make one spiritual. confusions remain. one has not yet come out of the basic cravings of the flesh and the ego.
ReplyDeletei quote from the Buddha's teachings, as brought out in Pali by his disciples:
"From ignorance spring body, speech and mind.
From body, speech and mind springs consciousness.
From consciousness spring the names and forms of objects.
From the names and forms spring the six senses of seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, touching and thinking.
From the six senses spring contact with objects.
From contact springs desire.
From desire spings attachment.
From attachment springs birth.
From birth spring old age, death, grief, pain and despair.
In this manner the whole mass of suffering in the world originates."
sister so-and-so, whom i have not read, need not be a person who had found her way out of the the above-mentioned chain of causation. she knows nothing about spirituality.
I am not the alumnus of a church-run school/college, but I believe that the contribution that the church and the missionaries have does to education in India is huge. They have also instilled a sense of value in the youth.
ReplyDeleteThis is not to say that there are no bad eggs. There may be some, as in every segment of society, but that exception does not make it the rule.
I have not read Nalini Jameela's (auto)biography. I do not intend to read it either. I believe that it has no literary value. Does it have any other (Social or anthropological, for instance) value? I do not know.
I have nor Amen, nor do I intend to. I did not listen to her speech, but someone who did, told me she is working on her next book, on her being the Bride of Jesus. My decision on whether to read it or not will depend on the reviews by persons I trust, but it is unlikely that I may be impelled to read it.
Label me old-fashioned, but I think none except those with a prurient mind can read such stuff. I would rather give it a wide berth.
I have read Amen with interest and admire the bravery of Sr Jesme in writing and publishing it. It is not a literary work, and was not intended to be one but just a whistle blower account of some of the happenings in convents. I have a post in my blog draft file about the book. Your post encourages me to publish it soon.
ReplyDeleteI landed on your blog via a web search for sister Jesme. I had just finished reading her book and wanted to know more about the reactions after the book was published.
ReplyDeleteI am disappointed in your analysis of the book. You made a statement that "The book is not worth reaction to". Really? Your justification was that it had no literary value. But your blog does not seem to be about literature. You seem to be writing about contemporary issues. Given the surging influence of the church in Kerala I found the book to be very worthy of a reaction. The book was not written as a literary piece. It is an autobiography. You are, knowingly or unwittingly, using a standard practice of erecting a straw man. You say that it is a forgettable piece except for the sleaze and scandals about nuns. I thought pretty much the whole book was about the sleaze and scandals. What else was there?
Maybe the reason for your outlook is that your whole education was in convents. You say about nuns: "The education they imparted to me gave not only knowledge and skill, but wisdom too. They taught me the virtues of love and forgiveness. They taught me to value human life, human rights and human dignity. They taught me that honesty is a virtue that cannot be compromised, no matter what. " Didn't you know that these are all what a basic education is supposed to inculcate, be it a convent school or a government school? Don't you think these are all attributes of education and not anything specific to nuns? I did not study in a convent school, but I felt that I too got all the good things that you got from your convent schools.
Although you appear as a virtuous person, some of the statements in your blog bring your credibility into question. You wrote: "The Hay Festival is happening in Trivandrum. A few of my friends who attended it called to find out from me if it was true if all nuns were liars and lesbians or practicing heterosexuals.". So you have friends who are attending Hay festival who are gullible enough to believe that all nuns are liars and lesbians? And your friends got this impression from reading Amen? Maybe it was another straw man you set up, but it forced me to think whether or not one can indeed judge a person by the friends he/she keeps.
best
-Dileep