Divine Echoes

Built in 1881, the Good Shepherd Convent in Cork was the site of an orphanage and a Magdalene laundry until the late 1970s.

Three main buildings - a home, convent, and orphanage - have been in a derelict condition since a serious fire in 2003.

The laundry building was among a number of buildings that were destroyed in that fire.

Magdalen Asylums grew out of the "rescue movement" in Britain and Ireland the 19th century, which had as its formal goal the rehabilitation of women who had worked as prostitutes. It has been estimated that around 30,000 women were admitted during the 150-year history of these institutions, often against their will. As the phenomenon became more widespread, it extended beyond prostitution, to unmarried mothers, developmentally challenged women and abused girls, even young girls who were considered promiscuous and flirtatious. They were given new names, spent all their time in silence and were lost in the system forever.

Women got up about 5 in the morning, went to Mass, had breakfast, started work and then went to bed about 7 at night. The choice of work was no accident. They were called "Magdalenes", or "penitents". By scrubbing all day in the laundries, they were supposed to wash away their sins along with the stains on the laundry of the orphanages, churches, prisons and even the local butcher shop.

The income from their labor put a roof over their heads, food on their plates, and financed any other ventures the nuns might be involved in. Besides washing all day, every "Magdalene" needed to pray out loud for her sins. The work was very hard. You'd have to hand-wash – scrub. You'd have no knuckles left. Ironing – you would be burnt. It was relentless slave labour.

The Church have publicly apologized for this scandalous treatment but still families are having difficulty in finding out about their relatives.

LITTLE NELLIE
The Good Shepherd Convent and the adjoining cemetery in the convent grounds are known by many throughout the world because of a little four year old girl called Little Nellie of Holy God. Her real name is Nellie Organ.

Orphaned, little Nellie spent a year in the convent before she died due to illness. She had whooping cough when she arrived and it was also discovered that she had a spinal injury which was later found out to have been caused when the family's child-minder dropped her as a baby. She also had tuberculosis and caries, a rotting disease of the gums and jaws.

Nellie is famous for her outstanding love of Jesus in the Eucharist. A Jesuit, Fr Bury was giving a retreat in the convent and visited Nellie's bedside each day. He realized that Nellie, although only four years of age, had reached the age of reason. Fr Bury asked her, "What is Holy Communion?" She answered, "It is Holy God." Fr Bury asked her what would happen when she would be allowed to receive Holy Communion. She answered, "Jesus will rest on my tongue and then he will do down into my heart." One could scarcely find a more beautiful description for receiving Jesus in Holy Communion. During the retreat Fr Bury realized that Nellie, although only four years and three months, met all the criteria necessary to receive Holy Communion. And at that time children had to wait until the age of twelve to receive Jesus in Holy Communion. Fr Bury heard her confession and contacted the bishop of Cork for permission to give her Holy Communion. The bishop agreed. She was dressed in white and taken down to the convent chapel for her first Holy Communion. This is what Mother Francis said of Nellie receiving Holy Communion,

At the moment of her First Communion, which she received in a transport of love, Nellie's features shone as if the presence of the great light in her heart reflected itself in her face. Yes, those who saw Nellie then are well convinced that the child's appearance was not at all ordinary. This phenomenon was seen more particularly at her other Communions because, after the first, she was taken almost immediately out of the chapel and there were only a chosen few who had the happiness to witness the transformation which took place. Then Nellie had not only a countenance more recollected, an attitude more pious than she customarily had, but an extraordinary radiance."

From the day of her First Holy Communion the odor from Nellie's mouth caused by the rotting of her gums and jaws ceased. Less than two months after receiving her First Holy Communion Nellie died on Sunday 2nd February 1908 ages 4 years, 5 months and 8 days and was buried in St Joseph's Cemetery in Cork. Eighteen months after her death permission was granted to have Nellie's remains transferred to the Good Shepherd Convent Cemetery and upon opening her grave her body was found to be incorrupt. Her body was fresh with no sign of the wasting disease she had at her death.

I am lead to believe that the Roman Catholic Church is soon to make Nellie a Saint.

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