Filmed in Sydney, the film was set in a Catholic convent in the 1960s, the fictional Santu Spiritu School for Girls. The plot dramatised the Second Vatican Council (1962-5), with Rome loosening old traditions and rites. From his election in 1958, Pope John XXIII moved fast in modernising the Church, right in the middle of the social and political changes charging throughout most western nations. Consider the radical events then: civil rights, Vietnam, rock-n-roll music, tv in every household, women’s liberation, abortion and divorce: all were explored.
Conformity was out and almost everything was up for discussion: hierarchy, traditional structures, relationship between knowledgeable priests and subservient believers, what was expected of religious men and women, and their clothes. Soon the Latin Mass said by a priest in full regalia with his back to the congregation, was replaced by a language and practice that worshippers could understand and share. Of course these changes shook a lot of Catholic communities to the core. Monasteries and convents were at the forefront.. and then the schools.
Clockwise from top left: Josephine Byrnes, Brenda Fricker, Sandy Gore,
Lisa Hensley, Melissa Thomas, Naomi Watts and Kym Wilson.
What stood out in the series? In contrast to other TV dramas, Brides of Christ’s characters were not defined primarily by their relationships with men. This was about women, created by and starring talented female writers, producers and actors.
And the miniseries retained its ambiguity. It was able to criticise and rebuke the practices of the Church (i.e its moneyed, male hierarchy and its stand on birth control) and at the same time genuinely convey the spiritual and communal warmth of these nuns and their religious fervour. While Sister Catherine and Sister Paul viewed Vatican II as a chance to modernise the church, their older colleagues, Sister Agnes and Sister Philomena, fought to conserve existing Catholic teachings and practices. Facing intense pressure from the church’s male hierarchy, Mother Ambrose had to keep the peace.
But I am not a Christian and I couldn’t understand how the nuns were living/working in a medieval-type institution, yet they were creating very independent-thinking girls. [That was the paradox I still need to question, now that the episodes are streaming on Stan]. The series suggested that the girls, taught by nuns, were largely happy to be there and understood they were getting a top quality education. But as the nuns were very modern and liberal, and committed to a broad religious education, didn’t the young nuns themselves wonder how they would balance the contradictory impulses! There was enough turmoil within the Catholic Church in Rome and the world, so I had imagined the young nuns might have felt unsupported in their big issues.
Perhaps support between the nuns was the key issue. For women who had sworn to celibacy for the rest of their lives, and saw their own families rarely, human connections within the convent seemed to be the best way for individuals to deal with their personal struggles. While many nuns struggled with clashes between their sacred vows and inner desires, thank goodness the film’s view of the nuns was more honest than I had expected.
Some reviewers disagreed with me eg Hell Burns. Sister Philomena, for example, had lived a quiet, powerless life and suddenly she was being thrust into a world that she didn’t really understand, with a body that she didn’t want to reveal. Perhaps Philomena joined the seminary straight out of school and didn’t know how to evolve emotionally. Or perhaps she didn’t want to have to be mature.
And the miniseries retained its ambiguity. It was able to criticise and rebuke the practices of the Church (i.e its moneyed, male hierarchy and its stand on birth control) and at the same time genuinely convey the spiritual and communal warmth of these nuns and their religious fervour. While Sister Catherine and Sister Paul viewed Vatican II as a chance to modernise the church, their older colleagues, Sister Agnes and Sister Philomena, fought to conserve existing Catholic teachings and practices. Facing intense pressure from the church’s male hierarchy, Mother Ambrose had to keep the peace.
But I am not a Christian and I couldn’t understand how the nuns were living/working in a medieval-type institution, yet they were creating very independent-thinking girls. [That was the paradox I still need to question, now that the episodes are streaming on Stan]. The series suggested that the girls, taught by nuns, were largely happy to be there and understood they were getting a top quality education. But as the nuns were very modern and liberal, and committed to a broad religious education, didn’t the young nuns themselves wonder how they would balance the contradictory impulses! There was enough turmoil within the Catholic Church in Rome and the world, so I had imagined the young nuns might have felt unsupported in their big issues.
Perhaps support between the nuns was the key issue. For women who had sworn to celibacy for the rest of their lives, and saw their own families rarely, human connections within the convent seemed to be the best way for individuals to deal with their personal struggles. While many nuns struggled with clashes between their sacred vows and inner desires, thank goodness the film’s view of the nuns was more honest than I had expected.
Some reviewers disagreed with me eg Hell Burns. Sister Philomena, for example, had lived a quiet, powerless life and suddenly she was being thrust into a world that she didn’t really understand, with a body that she didn’t want to reveal. Perhaps Philomena joined the seminary straight out of school and didn’t know how to evolve emotionally. Or perhaps she didn’t want to have to be mature.
Other reviewers believed young Catholics always carried with them the indoctrination of Catholicism for life. [Give me a child till he is 7 years old, said St Ignatius Loyola, and I will show you the man.] So although I didn’t notice this myself, the show might have provided a vehicle for the grief felt viewers who couldn’t express their individuality in their own lives.
Looking back, I DID know the Catholic Church formally ordered that IVF would never acceptable in 1987. So when we saw Brides in 1991, would have infertile Catholic couples have resolved their pain and accepted a life without children? Not at all! Perhaps that was why not all Catholic men approved of the series.
And consider 2,000 years of tradition Vs the thrill of reform and dialogue. For some, the openness was exciting, for others terrifying.
Meanwhile the world outside the convent was rapidly changing too. There were cheap and safe birth control options that could greatly improve the lives of the working classes. There were migrants, changing our cities. Everyone worried about conscription to the Vietnam war and early feminism was teaching women they have brains, bodies and choices. No wonder I indentified so strongly with the young women in this great tv series.
**
This week The Australian’s journalist Bernard Salt was reminiscing about his most memorable teachers. He wrote that 50 years ago, in St Thomas School in Terang, Sister Andrew would regale the class with stories of her life before entering the convent and her passion for dancing. Her class was always ecstatic.
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19 comments:
I always feel uncomfortable discussing flaws in religions other than my own Judaism. As I have grown older I have become more cynical about religious practices in general. I am steeped in the culture of my religion but struggle with religious observance.
I have never seen Brides of Christ and, sadly, it doesn't seem to be available in the UK.
CLICK HERE for Bazza’s limply lacking Blog ‘To Discover Ice’
Brenda Fricker, an Irish Catholic, said she was very keen to star in the series. She understood growing up in Ireland and how important Vatican II was, so she was particularly interested in the lives of the nuns in that era.
bazza
I thought the entire series was sensitively handled. When different opinions cropped up, as they certainly did, the goal was to show how equally dedicated Catholics faced up to major changes in a changing world. If I had not valued the series, I most certainly would have not written it up... for the very reason you referenced.
By the way, you can see most of episodes in youtube.. well worth doing.
Student
Brenda Fricker was a perfect actress for the role, yes! And more than that, the fact that most of the actresses fondly recalled loving the nuns who taught them in their school days was important to the viewers.
You're right it is on You Tube and I've started on episode one with the fiery preaching.
My favourite Aussie TV was A Place to Call Home. A bit soapy but hugely enjoyable.
Hello Hels, That doesn't sound exactly like my kind of program, but I suppose that each calling, "job", or area of interest has some people that it suits perfectly, but for others would be a disaster. The nuns I have met in real life (often at Catholic college libraries) have all been charming, but we didn't have deep discussions about their inner life and so forth.
--Jim
oh I remember watching this and loving it . I think that Catholic women's orders were a refuge from what was in the 60s and before a very male dominated world where women were the servants of society in childbearing and caring . Here women could stretch themselves intellectually and determine the way in which they lived their lives within a structure yes, but without the social expectations of marriage and children , probably a baby every 18 months . To me the release from the tyranny of childbirth was the main reason for their ability to actually develop and maintain an intellectual life and build highly professional and effective structures . Men still ran the show in the hierarchy of the church but the orders were very independent and men were kept at arms length and understood their peripheral role in running the orders.
I can remember feeling slightly ill at the concept of BRIDES of Christ . It still makes me feel off to consider the only valid relationship between a presumably male god was for him to have multiple brides. Its as if that was the only valid relationship between men and women which I think says a lot about the times. I hope young people watch this and particularly the ones who believe we don't need feminism anymore !!!!
bazza
I don't think Australia does comedy particularly well, and Scandinavian noir might not be hugely popular either. But we do family and community dramas very well indeed.
Parnassus
Understood.
Catholics accounted for 26% of the Australian population, and were particularly dedicated in schools, hospitals, old age homes, churches etc etc. So it was very important for me to understand their views and behaviours, especially when Australia was going through a decade of rapid change. I would still like to learn more.
mem
a female inlaw of mine loved her work as an assistant nurse and was very upset when her husband said she had to give up the job in order to have dinner on HIS table each night at 6PM. Yet she did it.. because that is what her husband ordered back in 1962!
So the question is: did the novice nuns really know they were giving up (eg companionship, sexual pleasure, their own home, children etc) and what they were gaining (intellectual freedom, professional skills, religious devotion etc)? In my experience, most 18-20 year olds greatly overestimate their own maturity :(
I'm not familiar with the TV series from 1991. I don't recall having seen any movie or documentary on nuns, but I do remember well being with three(3) nuns on a train in Italy for more than an hour. They were sitting next to me in complete silence. Whenever they exchanged a word it was done in whisper.
I appreciate the educational and humanitarian work done by nuns along history,though I think the price - personal sacrifice - is too high.
Nowadays ,though I'm God fearing, I don't favor any organized form of religion. I think organized religion, politicians, and money, are among the greatest sources of evil in the world.
DUTA
it is an ongoing question, isn't it? Adults can make decisions all through their lives to work to improve their family, their community or the globe. But bankers, politicians, real estate agents, insurance brokers and dictators make more money and tend to give less of their time to starving children in Africa.
Nuns on the other hand earned next to nothing and tried to make the world a better place for their pupils or patients. I realise some religious, men and women, made terrible mistakes (eg sexual abuse and beatings) over the decades, but mostly their intentions had been honourable.
It was a wonderful piece of tv at the time and you have reminded me of things I've not thought about for years. Assuming mid 60's, post Vatican II, I don't think the Catholic Church was as socially advanced as is suggested. Until at least the late 60's even into the 70's Catholic schools were terribly and strictly religious. My then friend was told to not talk to boys through a cyclone wire fence lest she become pregnant. Possible, I suppose. All you need to know about A girl's Catholic schooling sixties Melbourne has been written by Elisabeth at https://www.sixthinline.com/ Not all bad, but not a lot of good.
Andrew
I heard this story today at lunch, just about as stupid as when your friend was told not to talk to boys in case of pregnancy. A lad was finishing high school in a religious Jewish high school and was thrown out of his parents' congregation because he went to a religious Jewish youth movement! Why? Because girls also went to the same youth movement ggggrrrr
Thanks for the reference to Sixth In Line. I will check in out while I am still doing a lot of thinking about Brides of Christ.
I think Germaine Greer was quite fond of her Catholic Girls school education because it was a more female led experience . That seems so weird now but in the days when men definitely ruled the world it was relevant . Now they are on much shaker ground although hanging on like crazy .
mem
yes! Germaine Greer said she was hugely grateful to have had a Catholic education with a strong emphasis on faith. She wrote that her religious education opened the door to culture, history, a sense of universality, an understanding of the rich heritage of faith in different societies. And to an acceptance that in every life there will be sorrow and suffering, to which one must show courage in the face of such trials. Just as the saints did.
She said the nuns who taught her sowed the seeds of an early feminism in her.
Now I would love to know if the nuns in those Melbourne Catholic schools felt the same devotion and success.
Boa tarde minha querida amiga. Não conheço essa série. Parabéns pelo seu trabalho maravilhoso.
Luis
I imagine the issues about Vatican Two, Catholic schools, committed nuns and ambitious students were even more important in Catholic-majority nations like Brazil. Well worth having a look.
Informative blog! it was very useful for me.Thanks for sharing. Do share more ideas regularly.
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