I’m not accusing you of hypothetically being judgmental; I’m merely using your comment to illustrate the social, secular dimension of the mental hold that the Church has on it’s more faithful adherents.

It’s alright, I should probably have been clearer. 1950s Yorkshire is essentially Victorian London with looser child labour laws, fewer cheeky cockney chimney cleaners and more flat caps.

I grew up in Ireland in the 1980s and 1990s, and as a consequence it always surprises me when people think of nuns as anything other than abusive tyrants.

I think a lot of problems your mother faced were products of the time, plus it seems hers was a more cloistered order.

Wondering how many of the comments will be a version of yours: “your mother’s experience is likely unrepresentative. Instead of listening to her story, let me tell you about these other awesome nuns I know.”