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Portrait of Maria Monk

Maria Monk

(1816–1849) Nun

24 quotes in 167 categories

Maria Monk was a nun, best known for Awful disclosures of Maria Monk.

Quick Facts About Maria Monk

Born: June 27, 1816
Died: January 1, 1849
Profession: Nun
Notable works: Awful disclosures of Maria Monk

About Maria Monk

Maria Monk was a Canadian woman whose book Awful Disclosures of Maria Monk, or, The Hidden Secrets of a Nun’s Life in a Convent Exposed (1836) claimed to expose systematic sexual abuse of nuns and infanticide of the resulting children by Catholic priests in her convent in Montreal. The book is considered by scholars to be an anti-Catholic hoax.

Biography source: Wikipedia

Quotes by Maria Monk

Others too would occasionally entertain and privately express such doubts; though we all had been most solemnly warned by the cruel murder…

Doubt

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My parents were both from Scotland, but had been resident in Lower Canada some time before their marriage, which took place in…

Canada

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Some of the priests from the Seminary were in the nunnery every day and night, and often several at a time.

Day and night

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All around me insisted that my doubts proved only my own ignorance and sinfulness; that they knew by experience they would soon…

Doubt

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We were constantly hearing it repeated, that we must never again look upon ourselves as our own; but must remember, that we…

Devoted

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I must be informed, that one of my great duties was, to obey the priests in all things; and this I soon…

All things

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The Bishop, as I have remarked, was not very dignified on all occasions, and sometimes acted in such a manner as would…

Occasions

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The day on which I received confirmation was a distressing one to me.

Confirmation

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Unfortunately, I was not wise enough to listen to her advice, and hastily married. In a few weeks, I had occasion to…

Advice

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A number of girls of my acquaintance went to school to the nuns of the Congregational Nunnery, or Sisters of Charity, as…

Acquaintance

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The manufacture of wax candles was another important branch of business in the nunnery.

Business

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On the day, therefore, when I went to the church to be confirmed, with a number of others, I suffered extremely from…

Church

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I often remembered also that I had been told, that we shall have as many devils biting us, if we go to…

Biting

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Great dislike to the Bible was shown by those who conversed with me about it, and several have remarked to me, at…

Bible

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So far as I know, there were no pains taken to preserve secrecy on this subject; that is, I saw no attempt…

Children

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Before I took the veil, I was ornamented for the ceremony, and was clothed in a rich dress belonging to the Convent,…

Belonging

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I have, I think, afforded every opportunity that could be reasonably expected, to judge of my credibility.

Credibility

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Priests, she insisted, could not sin. It was a thing impossible. Everything that they did, and wished, was of course right. She…

Duty

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We were kept at work, and permitted to speak with each other only on such subjects as related to the Convent, and…

Convent

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I was born at St. John's, where they lived for a short time.

Born

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I have hardly detained the reader long enough on the subject, to give him a just impression of the stress laid on…

Attention

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She gave me another piece of information which excited other feelings in me, scarcely less dreadful. Infants were sometimes born in the…

Always

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Standing near the door, we dipped our fingers in the holy water, crossed and blessed ourselves, and proceeded up to the sleeping-room,…

Blessed

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I really believed that the priests were acquainted with my thoughts; and often stood in great awe of them. They often told…

Awe

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