A readers sent me a link to the following video which I think precisely chronicles the point at which the infamous Benedictine Sisters of Erie, PA went bad. You can tell this is an older video not just from the presence of Ed Sullivan, but they are actually still wearing habits.
28 comments
I just looked at the monastery’s current photo directory, and out of about 100 entries, I didn’t see a single Sister under the age of 35. That is truly sad.
Why would you subject us to such horror!
mrp,
I beg to differ with you. I viewed their photo directory a few minutes ago. I seriously doubt that there is a sister among them who is under the age of 50! I agree with you, what a sad state of affairs 🙁
I just mouth vomited…. “some ones dying my Lord” indeed!
Horrid!!
Eerie.
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
I was wondering where I could find a video clip fo the famous “Sisters ’66” fundraising musical.
I wish Sr. Joan would tell us which of them was her.
From the Ed Sullivan Show Episode Guide:
902. Rolling Stones / Petula Clark / Allan Sherman
First aired: 1/15/1967
–The Rolling Stones – “Ruby Tuesday” & “Let’s Spend Some Time Together” (censored version of “Let’s Spend the Night Together”).
–Petula Clark – “Elusive Butterfly” & “Color My World”
–Allan Sherman (stand-up comedian)
–The Muppets (Kermit plays the piano & sings) – Following the sketch, Jim Henson comes out to greet Ed.
–Allan King (stand-up comedian) – routine about family members
–Sisters of St. Benedict (Nuns from Erie, Pennsylvania; a.k.a. Sisters ’67) – sing a show tune medley: “It’s A Lovely Day,” “Consider Yourself” & “Kumbaya”
–The Michael Bennett Dancers – do a clog dancing routine
–The Monroes (balancing act from Madrid, Spain)
…
So the sisters sang
“It’s a Lovely Day” (by Irving Berlin, 1950?),
“Consider Yourself” (from “Oliver”) and
“Kumbaya”
They appeared after Kermit the Frog and Petula Clark who did not, apparently, sing “Downtown.”
Oh, the memories!
This was also the time of “The Singing Nun.”
The Erie Sisters were sooooo cool.
What maniac allowed that shameful display on TV?
I’m sorry. I consider myself a traditionalist Catholic, and I definitely think the dumbing down of the Catholic culture over the years has been a bad thing, but I also think that some of the finger-pointing, like that seen her, can be a little hysterical. Yes, these are a group of sisters singing Kumbaya on television. Is it the greatest moment for the Church? No. Is it the downfall of Western Civilization? Its not that either. Get over it. All this finger pointing does little to build up the Church.
Hey, I’ve watched Bing Crosby movies. Sisters did fundraising musicals all the time!
*considers dubiousness of historical info*
Okay, maybe only in Hollywood and NYC. 🙂
But really, this was something that churches did do. Usually it focused more on parishioners and kids’ party pieces, but there were always musical presentations and often in real theaters. Fr. McGivney (founder of the Knights of Columbus) was kept very busy overseeing his parish theatrical productions, and the ones done by various guilds. Performances show up in Kathleen Norris’ stories of parish life back in the early 1900’s, too.
Is it the greatest moment for the Church? No. Is it the downfall of Western Civilization? Its not that either.
Here’s the thing, Michael: what sisters sing in the privacy of their cloister and what they sing on national TV are two very different things. Appearing on the Ed Sullivan show, they are not just nice Catholic ladies relaxing with popular music; they are the public face of a Catholic Church that no longer takes herself seriously, leading viewers inevitably to wonder why they should either.
Kumba-Yuck!
No, say it ain’t so! You just made reality out of my recent daily grouch “What are we supposed to do? All hold hands and sing Kumbaya?” I didn’t know any of our nuns actually DID that on national t.v.!!! (Ok, they’re not standing on a mountain, holding hands, but Ed Sullivan?)
“Is it the downfall of Western Civilization?”
That’s debatable. I’m sure those nuns had every good intention–they didn’t know that our faith would get Kumbayahed to death.
But, as for The Singing Nun, she gave lots of CHILDREN songs to sing to Jesus and also gave us the lifelong patronage of St Dominic who is so loyal as to never forget the children who sang to him. Plus, it helped us with our French. I have no doubt that Sr Sourire and St Dominic are good friends!
I found this when I googled “Sr Sourire”
“The Tragic Story of Belgium’s Singing Nun
“In a wonderfully poetic prose, Florence Delaporte brings the true story of Soeur Sourire to the public. Born Jeannine Deckers in 1933, her life comes to an end by her own hand in 1985.”
http://dachadwick.homestead.com/soeursourire.html
May she rest in peace.
How many people making “end of the world” comments are old enough to have actually watched this on Ed Sullivan?
Don’t forget Bing Crosby (e.g., Bells of St. Mary’s) had already brought the notion of “Catholic Minstrel” to the American Public in 1945.
The post-World War II period was the first real opening of general American Culture to Catholicism as something other than a despised superstition of a minority of backward immigrants (e.g., Irish).
Bing, JFK, The Singing Nun, and yes, even Sisters ’67, brought the Catholic Church into the homes of your average (Protestant) American not as the evil Church of Cardinal Richelieu, or the Counter-Reformation (as protrayed in Foxe’s Book of Martyrs), or the “Two Babylons,” and so much anti-Catholic tripe that came with all the immigrants from England, and Germany (founding Pennsylvania). Catholics were finally tolerable members of American Society, if not charming and amusing. Maybe like all those Jewish entertainers, or Negroes (Catholics were often lumped with these other groups for mistreatment.)
No, this time of American history, and the public appearances of “nice” Catholics like these sisters, should not be scorned by conservatives 40 years later who did not understand the broad, general anti-Catholic feeling of American culture up to that time.
These are our Good Will Ambassadors to Mr. & Mrs. WASP-American in the 1960’s.
[I was actually more astounded at realizing how old the Rolling Stones and Kermit were–having appeared with Ed Sullivan in January 1967!]
And more than all of them put together was the the impact made by Bishop Sheen. “Life Is Worth Living” drew up to 30 million TV viewers per week.
In response to Romulus, I don’t necessarily disagree with what you are saying, but I think I agree more with Old Zhou: we are judging these ladies through the eyes of our experience today rather than the culture of the time. The Church was so vilified by the Protestant culture that it could have done good for the Church’s image. Who knows. My real point wasn’t whether or not I thought such “concerts” were good, my point is simply what Jesus says in the Gospels about not pointing out the speck of wood in your brother’s eye, lest you miss the plank in your own. I think there is a lot wrong with liberalism in the Church today. I agree with most of the readers here–that’s why I tend to read good blogs like this that share a traditional, orthodox Catholic mindset. I just get sick of some of the self-righteous fingerpointing sometimes and just want to tell people to lay off and take a good look at themselves first. We have no idea what inspired these nuns to make the tv appearance, so we shouldn’t judge. It gets us nowhere but feeling bitter, and it certainly doesn’t help us to understand them. that’s all.
By the way, I hate Kumbaya too. I don’t want to hear it at mass…but its still not the end of the world! Every now and again, we need to hit the “common sense” button and just chill out…these nuns are not the root of all that’s wrong with the Catholic Church today.
Speaking for myself only, I wasn’t talking about the destruction of Catholic culture or anything like that. I just hate “Kumbaya”, and those nuns don’t have the vocal talent to make it remotely interesting (not that there is anyone out there who can).
My question was quite serious: how does such an awful song, so badly performed, get on national television?
Because there was still a certain popularity to “cuteness.” Also on Ed Sullivan, there were regularly featured choirs of foreign children, seemed all to be Asian, who would sing songs in English, usually show tunes, and it was obvious that they had no idea what they were singing –
“Ah wahnt tooo beeee hoppy, but ah cawnt bee hoppy….”
And people said “awwwwww.”
People thought these nuns were “cute” and “peppy” because they were authority figures who did bouncy things.
Public tastes were REALLY different. It’s hard to explain.
Good point, Therese. The era’s pop culture really was overflowing with cuteness, as much as Japan’s is now.
Puppets were plentiful on TV (Rowlf; Topo Gigio; Kukla, Fran, & Ollie) and — I shudder to recall it — mimes were considered entertainers.
Even the Today Show had a chimp mascot on the set (J. Fred Muggs).
Who out here is old enough to have seen…?
I remember seeing Neil Diamond for the first time on the Ed Sullivan Show. Singing “Holly Holy”. I liked it but I still have no idea what he meant by it. Talk about change. On Ed Sullivan he wore jeans and played an acoustic guitar. No glitter, no spangles.
And then there was that mouse. He was my favorite. Topo—–Gigio (sp?). I watched it all on my Grampa’s brand new, incredible, COLOR t.v.
Hear,hear Michael!!! I could not agree with you more. After all, can you think of a cheaper or easier target? For shame that this was posted at all.
Oh and BTW Old Zhoe,I take exception to your comment “…and so much anti-Catholic tripe that came with all the immigrants from England, and Germany…” That’s a very hasty generalization. There are many English and German Catholics in N.A.
flashback …
It was the mid 70’s. I was away at college, and one of those rebellious kids just teetering on the edge of agnosticism. But somehow, I made it to Sunday evening Mass. Father had just gotten a perm and was feeling very groovy. During the homily, he had us all stand up, hold hands and sing … you got it … Kumbaya.
Years later, that memory starts my nervous tic all over again.
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First, came the aweful modern hymns and out went Latin
Then came the pant suits and out went the veils
Finally, the day arrived and we have
Sr. Joan Chittister
Boy, have the Benedictine Sisters taken a bizarre journey or what?
Someone’s taking off the habit, Lord, Kum ba ya Someone’s leaving the order, Lord, Kum ba ya
Someone’s closing down the Convent, Lord, Kum ba ya
Oh, Lord Kum ba ya