Is $34.5 Million Enough for Ireland's Magdalene Victims?

What do you think of the Irish government's announcement yesterday that it would provide the estimated 770 living victims of Catholic Church-run Magdalene laundries at least $34.5 million to compensate them for their months and years, even decades of forced labor?

In remarks to former Magdalenes, Justice Minister Alan Shatter apologized to the women and said he hoped they would accept the government's compensation plans as "a sincere expression of the state's regret for failing you in the past, its recognition of your current needs, and its commitment to respecting your dignity and human rights as full, equal members of our nation."

Here's some related information:

Ireland to pay $45 million to Catholic laundry workers (CBS News)

Irish Cillini and Magdalene Laundry Panel with Linda Evangelista, Toni Maguire, Mari Steed, Gerry Regan

'The Magdalene Sisters' Hits America's Shores

 

Tags: Faith, Magdalenes

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indeed Mari, you are going back a while methinks. A lot of things were different in the 6th century. Maybe we should never have given up human sacrifices either.

Maybe every Irish person over the age of thirty should sue their parents for abuse through the wooden spoon.

Perhaps rather than return to the 6th century religion in Ireland, I could suggest that we actually go forward.  I know any hope of priest ridden (literally) Ireland embracing the 21st century is unrealistic.  How about the 20th?  How about accepting the ideas, A. that women are equal to men, and 2. that our bodies belong to ourselves, and not the catholic church.  That would be a fine start.

I'd actually be okay with human sacrifices, Rónán. The world is overpopulated as it is. And no one's suing anyone. Nor is any of this over a simple whack on the bottom with a wooden spoon. We're talking slavery, torture and abuse here. The government and the religious were simply asked to step up to the plate, acknowledge their wrongdoing, and provide for restorative justice. One has done so, the other has not.

Another philosophy of O'Dom:    TWO WRONGS MAKE A RIGHT!

These were our better educated people back then and long before. They needed to be doing and teaching the opposite of what they taught, and which has rolled right on down to our present times; where I have heard and seen it all within  the Church walls.

Dickens, in his time, was not like everyone else, did not march to whatever the sentiment was or to whatever he was told.  He thought and worked hard for the people, like many are doing today and have done in recent years. 

It doesn't make some people happy to see the days of robot Catholics disappear.

I admit that I still pray due to over four decades of habit.   But if people like O'Dom and Fire and Brimstone are the models to getting to heaven,  I have no desire to be with them---to get there.

@ Gael sin mar a bhíonnn. Ireland is full of peasants, priests and pixies. Thats who we are. Maybe the Church is waiting for women to be given equality in secular society first.

The peasants have overthrown the Lords, and even the pixies are getting rarer.  It's the priests who have held the people in thrall, and have held back progress, since the first black robed charlatan arrived on Irish shores.

there is no need for any human sacrifices- there will be a good harvest this year anyway.

@ Mari the taxpayer will foot the bill or will the government get EU funding for the compensation package? When this kicks in public opinion may turn against the survivors. I can just imagine seeing yet another  new tax on my payslip.  

The church also does a lot to help the poor but a lot of people are now wary about donating spare cash as they are not sure how it will be used.

A few disgruntled Paddies will not bring the church to its knees. The church and state are powerful organs which can sidestep any obligations.

Now, Ronan, you are talking good sense.

Compensation for some Magdalene Laundries victims to be paid before Christmas http://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/compensation-for-...

Less than 45,000 each.  A price on each head, but depending on years of service might be as little as a few thousand a year of service.

And not one thin dime from the prince of Rome, in his ermine gowns and golden palaces.  How gullible and slavish can the Irish be? 

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