Little sister by Patricia Walsh Chadwick

In the early 1960's, when teen girls screamed and swooned at the mention of the Beatles, when the hippie counter culture challenged the world at every turn, and when war protests churned up powerful  emotions, 18 year old "little sister" Patricia Chadwick had never watched television, used a phone, or read a newspaper.  She was living in Massachusetts under the strict rule of Father Leonard Feeney.

Little Sister is her story, but also the story of how so many people get swept away with the magnetism of a charismatic leader.  The Catholic Church excommunicated Leonard Feeney for failing to support evolving doctrine, and for continuing to preach standards no longer held by the church.  A following of acolytes, firmly set against change in practice and philosophies, joined Feeney in his new endeavor, the establishment of an alternative Catholic order called The Slaves of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

The name says it all.  Practitioners were indeed slaves; families were separated, all worked for the good of the group, often without proper nutrition and rest.  Public humiliation and private beatings were the norm. Yet, for some unexplained reason, there was unconditional acceptance of Feeney's outrageous rules.

More often than not, we hear the stories of cult members who are stolen away in the night by worried parents, and locked away with a deprogrammer.  Or we hear of a person who, for whatever reason, saw the light, and planned an elaborate escape and reentry in normalcy. Chadwick was different. All female children in the group were groomed to become nuns within the order, but Chadwick's libido got her a ticket out.  Her innocent flirting was too much for the church leaders and she was sent on her way with no understanding of the outside world.  This is a strong survival story told  in riveting detail without self pity or hatred.  

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