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Title: Awful Disclosures

Containing, Also, Many Incidents Never before Published Author: Maria Monk

Release Date: May, 2005 [EBook #8095]

[Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule]

[This file was first posted on June 14, 2003]

Edition: 10

Language: English

Character set encoding: ISO-Latin-1

*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK AWFUL DISCLOSURES ***

Produced by David Moynhan, Lee Dawei, Marvin A. Hodges, Charles Franks and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team.

[Note from the etext editor: The original page scans used to create this text were illegible in places; the notation [illegible] has been used in the text to indicate these places. Additionally, Chapter XIV was missing from both the table of contents and the book; presumably this is a printing error as opposed to an actual missing chapter.]

AWFUL DISCLOSURES,

By

MARIA MONK,

Of the

HOTEL DIEU NUNNERY OF MONTREAL.

Containing, also, Many Incidents Never Before Published.

PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION.

This volume embraces not only my “Awful Disclosures,” but a continuation of my Narrative, giving an account of events after my escape from the Nunnery, and of my return to Montreal to procure a legal investigation of my charges. It also [illegible] all the testimony that has been published against me, or every description, as well as that which has been given in confirmation of my story. At the close, will be found a Review of the whole Subject, furnished by a gentleman well qualified for the purpose; and finally, a copious Appendix, giving further particulars interesting to the public.

I present this volume to the reader, with feelings which, I trust, will be in some degree appreciated when it has been read and reflected upon.

A hasty perusal, and an imperfect apprehension of its contents, can never produce such impressions as it has been my design to make by the statements I have laid before the world. I know that misapprehensions exist in the minds of some virtuous people. I am not disposed to condemn their motives, for it does not seem wonderful that in a pure state of society, and in the midst of Christian families, there should be persons who regard the crimes I have mentioned as too monstrous to believed. It certainly is creditable to American manners and character, that the people are inclined, at the first sight, to turn from my story with horror.

There is also an excuse for those who, having received only a general impression concerning the nature of my Disclosures, question the propriety of publishing such immorality to the world. They fear that the minds of the young, at least, may be polluted. To such I have to say, that this objection was examined and set aside, long before they had an opportunity to make it. I solemnly believe it is necessary to inform parents, at least, that the ruin from which I have barely escaped, lies in the way of their children, even if delicacy must be in some degree wounded by revealing the fact. I understand the case, alas! from too bitter experience. Many an innocent girl may this year be exposed to the dangers of which I was ignorant. I am resolved, that so far as depends on me, not one more victim shall fall into the hands of those enemies in whose power I so lately have been. I know what it is to be under the dominion of Nuns and Priests; and I maintain, that it is a far greater offence against virtue and decency to conceal than to proclaim their crimes. Ah! had a single warning voice even whispered to me a word of caution—had even a gentle note of alarm been sounded to me, it might have turned back my foot from the Convent when it was upon the threshold! If, therefore, there is any one now bending a step that way, whom I have, not yet alarmed, I will cry beware!

But the virtuous reader need not fear, in the following pages, to meet with vice presented in any dress but her own deformity. No one can accuse me of giving a single attraction to crime. On the contrary, I intend my book shall be a warning to those who may hereafter be tempted by vice; and with the confidence that such it will prove to be, I commend it to the careful examination of virtuous parents, and am willing to abide by their unbiased opinion, with regard both to my truth, my motives, and the interest which the public have in the developments it contains.

I would now appeal to the world, and ask, whether I have not done all that could have been expected of me, and all that lay in my power, to bring to an investigation the charges I have brought against the priests and nuns of Canada. Although it was necessary to the cause of truth, that I should, in some degree, implicate myself, I have not hesitated to appear as a voluntary self-accuser before the world. While there was a hope that the authorities in Canada might be prevailed upon to bring the subject to a legal investigation, I travelled to Montreal in a feeble state of health, and with an infant in my arms only three weeks old. In the face of many threats and dangers, I spent nearly a month in that city, in vain attempts to bring my cause to a trial. When all prospect of success in this undertaking had disappeared, and not till then, I determined to make my accusations through the press; and although misrepresentations and scandals, flattery and threats, have been resorted to, to nullify or to suppress my testimony, I have persevered, although, as many of my friends have thought, at the risk of abduction or death.

I have, I think, afforded every opportunity that could be reasonably expected, to judge of my credibility. I have appealed to the existence of things in the Hotel Dieu Nunnery, as the great criterion of the truth of my story. I have described the apartments, and now, in this volume, have added many further particulars, with such a description of them as my memory has enabled me to make. I have offered, in case I should be proved an impostor, to submit to any punishment which may be proposed—

even to a re-delivery into the hands of my bitterest enemies, to suffer what they may please to inflict.

Now, in these circumstances, I would ask the people of the United States, whether my duty has not been discharged? Have I not done what I ought—to inform and to alarm them? I would also solemnly appeal to the Government of Great Britain, under whose guardianship is the province oppressed by the gloomy institution from which I have escaped, and ask whether such atrocities ought to be tolerated, and even protected by an enlightened and Christian power? I trust the hour is near, when the dens of the Hotel Dieu will be laid open—when the tyrants who have polluted it will be brought out, with the wretched victims of their oppression and crimes.

CONTENTS

*

CHAPTER I.

Early Life—Religious Education neglected—First School—Entrance into the School of the Congregational Nunnery—Brief Account of the Nunneries in Montreal—The Congregational Nunnery—The Black Nunnery—The Grey Nunnery—Public Respect for these Institutions—Instruction Received—

The Catechism—The Bible

CHAPTER II.

Story told by a fellow Pupil against a Priest—Other Stories—Pretty Mary—Confess to Father Richards—My subsequent Confessions—Left the Congregational Nunnery

CHAPTER III.

Preparations to become a Novice in the Black Nunnery—Entrance—

Occupations of the Novices—The Apartments to which they had Access—

First Interview with Jane Ray—Reverence for the Superior—Her Reliques —The Holy Good Shepherd, or nameless Nun—Confession of Novices CHAPTER IV.

Displeased with the Convent—Left it—Residence at St. Denis—Reliques—

Marriage—Return to the Black Nunnery—Objections made by some Novices—

Ideas of the Bible

CHAPTER V.

Received Confirmation—Painful Feelings—Specimen of Instruction received on the Subject

CHAPTER VI.

Taking the Veil—Interview afterward with the Superior—Surprise and horror at her Disclosures—Resolution to Submit CHAPTER VII.

Daily Ceremonies—Jane Ray among the Nuns CHAPTER VIII.

Description of Apartments in the Black Nunnery, in order.—1st Floor—2d Floor—The Founder—Superior’s Management with the Friends of Novices—

Religious Lies—Criminality of concealing Sins at Confession CHAPTER IX.

Nuns with similar names—Squaw Nuns—First visit to the Cellar—

Description of it—Shocking discovery there—Superior’s Instructions—

Private Signal of the Priests—Books used in the Nunnery—Opinions expressed of the Bible—Specimens of what I know of the Scriptures CHAPTER X.

Manufacture of Bread and Wax Candles carried on in the Convent—

Superstitions—Scapularies—Virgin Mary’s pincushion—Her House—The Bishop’s power over fire—My Instructions to Novices—Jane Ray—

Vaccillation of feelings

CHAPTER XI.

Alarming Order from the Superior—Proceed to execute it—Scene in an upper Room—Sentence of Death, and Murder—My own distress—Reports made to friends of St. Francis

CHAPTER XII.

Description of the Room of the Three States, and the pictures in it—

Jane Ray ridiculing Priests—Their criminal Treatment of us at Confession—Jane Ray’s Tricks with the Nuns’ Aprons, Handkerchiefs, and Nightgowns—Apples

CHAPTER XIII.

Jane Ray’s Tricks continued—The Broomstick Ghost—Sleep-walking—Salted Cider—Changing Beds—Objects of some of her Tricks—Feigned Humility—

Alarm—Treatment of a new Nun—A nun made by stratagem CHAPTER XV.

Influencing Novices—Difficulty of convincing persons from the United States—Tale of the Bishop in the City—The Bishop in the Convent—The Prisoners in the Cells—Practice in Singing—Narratives—Jane Ray’s Hymns—The Superior’s best Trick

CHAPTER XVI.

Frequency of the Priests’ Visits to the Nunnery—Their Freedom and Crimes—Difficulty of learning their Names—Their Holy Retreat—

Objections in our minds—Means used to counteract Conscience—Ingenious Arguments

CHAPTER XVII.

Treatment of young Infants in the Convent—Talking in Sleep—Amusements —Ceremonies at the public interment of deceased Nuns—Sudden disappearance of the Old Superior—Introduction of the new one—

Superstition—Alarm of a Nun—Difficulty of Communication with other Nuns

CHAPTER XVIII.

Disappearance of Nuns—St. Pierre—Gags—My temporary Confinement in a Cell—The Cholera Season—How to avoid it—Occupations in the Convent during the Pestilence—Manufacture of War Candles—The Election Riots—

Alarm among the Nuns—Preparations for defence—Penances CHAPTER XIX.

The Priests of the District of Montreal have free access to the Black Nunnery—Crimes committed and required by them—The Pope’s command to commit indecent Crimes—Characters of the Old and New Superiors—The timidity of the latter—I began to be employed in the Hospitals—Some account of them—Warning given me by a sick Nun—Penance by Hanging CHAPTER XX.

More visits to the imprisoned Nuns—Their fears—Others temporarily put into the Cells—Reliques—The Agnus Dei—The Priests’ private Hospital, or Holy Retreat—Secret Rooms in the Eastern Wing—Reports of Murders in the Convent—The Superior’s private Records—Number of Nuns in the Convent—Desire of Escape—Urgent reason for it—Plan—Deliberation—

Attempt—Success

CHAPTER XXI.

At liberty—Doubtful what to do—Found refuge for the night—

Disappointment—My first day out of