March 30, 2020
Stories of our youth from Susan Buettner.
I spent more years being taught by nuns and Franciscan brothers than civilians. Every Friday we elementary school children were marched across the parking lot to the church so we could go to confession. One Friday, I was in 2nd or 3rd grade and one of the first ones to enter a confessional. Having a sensitive conscience, I had a list of sins to confess!
One of my sins was that I had given my younger brother a broken pen in exchange for something he had that I wanted. The priest asked me if I was sorry and I said “Not really.” He then asked if I was going to do it again and I said “Probably.” Bad move! The penance I received was lengthy and by the time I got back to class all 29 of my classmates stared at me as I took my seat. I was clearly quite a sinner!
I am the woman I am today thanks to those teachers. They set boundaries and gave me the guidance I didn’t get at home.
There was right and there was wrong and they made very sure we knew the difference. God was ALWAYS watching and we were NEVER alone. We just knew the nuns had a direct line to God. Fear was a tool and they used it very effectively.
God bless those dedicated and long suffering men and women, especially the priests who had to patiently listen to the sins of children.
Submitted by Susan Buettner