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Little Sister: A Memoir
They promised her heaven, but there was no savior. Imagine an eighteen-year-old American girl who has never read a newspaper, watched television, or made a phone call. An eighteen-year-old-girl who has never danced—and this in the 1960s. It is in Cambridge, Massachusetts where Leonard Feeney, a controversial (soon to be excommunicated) Catholic priest, has founded a religious community called the Slaves of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The Center's members—many of them educated at Harvard and Radcliffe—surrender all earthly possessions and aspects of their life, including their children, to him. Patricia Chadwick was one of those children, and Little Sister is her account of growing up in the Feeney sect. Separated from her parents and forbidden to speak to them, Patricia bristles against the community’s draconian rules, yearning for another life. When, at seventeen, she is banished from the Center, her home, she faces the world alone, without skills, family, or money but empowered with faith and a fierce determination to succeed on her own, which she does, rising eventually to the upper echelons of the world of finance and investing. A tale of resilience and grace, Little Sister chronicles, in riveting prose, a surreal childhood and does so without rancor or self-pity.
326 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 2, 2019
107 people are currently reading
6485 people want to read
About the author
Patricia Walsh Chadwick
2 books111 followers**LITTLE SISTER - available April 2, 2019**
www.patriciachadwick.com
Patricia Walsh Chadwick's unorthodox upbringing - in an excommunicated Catholic commune - is the subject of her first book, a memoir entitled, LITTLE SISTER. From her infancy in 1948, when she was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts
until the age of 17, she and the nearly 100 members of the community, including her parents and four younger siblings, lived a life shielded from the outside world - without television, radio, newspapers or any exposure to the events of the day. She, together with the 38 other children born within the community, were being raised to dedicate their lives to God, rejecting family, marriage or children of their own. As she matured into her mid-teen years and experienced a number of innocent crushes on the men within the community, she was deemed unfit, and at the age of 17, she was banished from her home and for the first time she faced the world, devoid of family, money, advice or the opportunity to attend college.
From that inauspicious beginning, Patricia began the long trek of her career, starting as a receptionist in the Boston office of Ladenburg, Thalmann, a brokerage and investment banking firm. By dint of sheer determination, she worked her way up the corporate ladder. For nine years, she attended college in the evening, graduating Summa Cum Laude from Boston University's Metropolitan College, with a degree in Economics.
Moving to New York in 1975, she capitalized on the opportunities in the fanancial world, eventually becoming a Global Partner at Invesco. Along the way, she develolped a passion for the opera, theater and global travel.
In her fifties, Patricia embarked on a second career, as an expert witness and a corporate board director, allowing her the flexibility to raise her twin children.
Today, in addition to her board work, Patricia dedicates much of her time to pro bono activities. She sits on the advisory board of Boston University's Metropolitan College and she chairs the advisory board of Elon University's Love School of Business. She is also a member of the board of The Glimmerglass Festival in Cooperstown, New York and the Bruce Museum in Greenwich, CT.
For more than twenty years, Patricia has been dedicated to mentoring inner city girls in the Catholic schools in New York City. Today she sits on the advisory board of Partnership Schools and Our Lady Queen of Angels School in East Harlem where she works with middle school girls whose motto is: Dare to hope, promise and dream.
In 2016, Patricia co-founded and is the CEO of Anchor Health Initiative, a company that provides primary care to the LGBTQ community in Connecticut.
She is married and lives in Connecticut with her husband. They have a daughter in graduate school and a son who works in Manhattan.
www.patriciachadwick.com
Patricia Walsh Chadwick's unorthodox upbringing - in an excommunicated Catholic commune - is the subject of her first book, a memoir entitled, LITTLE SISTER. From her infancy in 1948, when she was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts
until the age of 17, she and the nearly 100 members of the community, including her parents and four younger siblings, lived a life shielded from the outside world - without television, radio, newspapers or any exposure to the events of the day. She, together with the 38 other children born within the community, were being raised to dedicate their lives to God, rejecting family, marriage or children of their own. As she matured into her mid-teen years and experienced a number of innocent crushes on the men within the community, she was deemed unfit, and at the age of 17, she was banished from her home and for the first time she faced the world, devoid of family, money, advice or the opportunity to attend college.
From that inauspicious beginning, Patricia began the long trek of her career, starting as a receptionist in the Boston office of Ladenburg, Thalmann, a brokerage and investment banking firm. By dint of sheer determination, she worked her way up the corporate ladder. For nine years, she attended college in the evening, graduating Summa Cum Laude from Boston University's Metropolitan College, with a degree in Economics.
Moving to New York in 1975, she capitalized on the opportunities in the fanancial world, eventually becoming a Global Partner at Invesco. Along the way, she develolped a passion for the opera, theater and global travel.
In her fifties, Patricia embarked on a second career, as an expert witness and a corporate board director, allowing her the flexibility to raise her twin children.
Today, in addition to her board work, Patricia dedicates much of her time to pro bono activities. She sits on the advisory board of Boston University's Metropolitan College and she chairs the advisory board of Elon University's Love School of Business. She is also a member of the board of The Glimmerglass Festival in Cooperstown, New York and the Bruce Museum in Greenwich, CT.
For more than twenty years, Patricia has been dedicated to mentoring inner city girls in the Catholic schools in New York City. Today she sits on the advisory board of Partnership Schools and Our Lady Queen of Angels School in East Harlem where she works with middle school girls whose motto is: Dare to hope, promise and dream.
In 2016, Patricia co-founded and is the CEO of Anchor Health Initiative, a company that provides primary care to the LGBTQ community in Connecticut.
She is married and lives in Connecticut with her husband. They have a daughter in graduate school and a son who works in Manhattan.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 122 reviews
September 12, 2019
A poignant, thoughtful, eye-opening, powerful memoir. More thoughts to come.
I received a complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
I received a complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
September 12, 2022
Little Sister: A Memoir is the story of a childhood I found to be dreadfully, emotionally destructive. When Patricia's parents join a cult called the Slaves of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, she is soon separated from her parents and forbidden to speak to them. It was excruciating reading of the abuse innocent children had to endure in the name of religion and I started doing some skimming. Patricia (renamed Anastasia) bristled against the community’s many rules, although she obeyed them for the most part. When, at seventeen, she was banished from the Center, she faced the world alone, without skills, family, or money but empowered with a fierce determination to succeed on her own.
Patricia later writes: “Happiness is finding peace, joy, and inspiration in the array of things one does in life. It is also moving on from what cannot be undone.” She has amazingly managed to look back on her childhood fondly. I find myself completely unable to forgive the leaders of the Center and I hope I will someday forget the details.
Honestly, I have no idea how to rate this book. Would I read it again? No. Would I recommend it to my friends? No. (My friends are as overly-sensitive as I am!) Was it informative? Yes. Did I like the last part of the book? Yes. I guess I will rate it 4 stars because of its success in making me so upset!
Patricia later writes: “Happiness is finding peace, joy, and inspiration in the array of things one does in life. It is also moving on from what cannot be undone.” She has amazingly managed to look back on her childhood fondly. I find myself completely unable to forgive the leaders of the Center and I hope I will someday forget the details.
Honestly, I have no idea how to rate this book. Would I read it again? No. Would I recommend it to my friends? No. (My friends are as overly-sensitive as I am!) Was it informative? Yes. Did I like the last part of the book? Yes. I guess I will rate it 4 stars because of its success in making me so upset!
February 1, 2019
I have known Patricia Chadwick for over twenty years, but her intimate story of triumph was unknown to me until recently. I had the privilege of reading an advance copy of LITTLE SISTER and clearly saw the friend I know but also saw an individual who chose to be happy even in difficult and oppressive circumstances. She found solace in small things during those times which enabled her to not lose sight of herself. Her book is of hope and thanksgiving, not fear and loathing. Patricia crafted a path that led to salvation and refused to use malice as a tool. This book uplifted, inspired, and astounded me.
August 11, 2019
Wow. What can I say? What a page turner!
Very heartfelt and compelling. Patricia distills a decades long set of events centered around a very complex belief system into a fascinating personal memoir. The book is comprised of many short chapters which lead her readers through the book without overwhelming or confusing them. This seemingly 'simple' solution is quite effective allowing the reader to finish the book rather than getting bogged down in too many details.
My family was associated with this group. I actually went to school there in the mid to late 60s. We were some of the first non-Center children allowed 'in.' Patricia's memoir sheds more light on my family's religious and political belief systems, something I've struggled to understand and reconcile over the years.
I've studied quite a bit about cults. Though Patricia deliberately shies away from labelling this group as a cult, I certainly would do so. However, where is the fine line between a cult and extreme fanaticism? After my family left association with the Center due to a move across country, they continued practising extreme radical Catholicism.
Patricia seeks grace, love and forgiveness as well as an intellectual understanding of the complexities of humanity in the group. She highlights Sr. Catherine Clarke's controlling actions. However, I hold the other adults accountable as well. And... I loved being at the Center. However, a child's eyes can be quite different from an adult's.
As there were quite a few adult and children members, of course, there are quite a few personal versions of this story. Thank you Patricia for opening up this vulnerable part of your life. I'm sure it was quite difficult to write on many levels.
Very heartfelt and compelling. Patricia distills a decades long set of events centered around a very complex belief system into a fascinating personal memoir. The book is comprised of many short chapters which lead her readers through the book without overwhelming or confusing them. This seemingly 'simple' solution is quite effective allowing the reader to finish the book rather than getting bogged down in too many details.
My family was associated with this group. I actually went to school there in the mid to late 60s. We were some of the first non-Center children allowed 'in.' Patricia's memoir sheds more light on my family's religious and political belief systems, something I've struggled to understand and reconcile over the years.
I've studied quite a bit about cults. Though Patricia deliberately shies away from labelling this group as a cult, I certainly would do so. However, where is the fine line between a cult and extreme fanaticism? After my family left association with the Center due to a move across country, they continued practising extreme radical Catholicism.
Patricia seeks grace, love and forgiveness as well as an intellectual understanding of the complexities of humanity in the group. She highlights Sr. Catherine Clarke's controlling actions. However, I hold the other adults accountable as well. And... I loved being at the Center. However, a child's eyes can be quite different from an adult's.
As there were quite a few adult and children members, of course, there are quite a few personal versions of this story. Thank you Patricia for opening up this vulnerable part of your life. I'm sure it was quite difficult to write on many levels.
January 30, 2019
Little Sister is an utterly fascinating memoir of a woman who was raised in Catholic cult, completely sequestered from the exterior world of 20th century American life. Dressed in plain clothes, with no exposure to television, magazines, movies and fast food, Patricia Chadwick grew up as though in an earlier era. That might seem to be a positive, but there was a far more sinister aspect to the goings-on of the adults in this sect—both in their dealings with the world outside their gates, and in their treatment of the children inside of them. That Patricia Chadwick escaped to be the well adjusted, bright and involved adult she turned out to be is nothing short of a miracle. I highly recommend this book!
June 24, 2019
Thank you to GetRed PR, Post Hill Press, and Patricia Walsh Chadwick for sending me a free finished copy of Little Sister, which is out now.
This book was very interesting. There are definitely many layers to this story, and it was kind of like an onion. I feel like I can't talk about this book without also discussing a little bit of my religious background. I grew up as a Christian, but the only time I really remember going to church was on Easter. When I was 10, I started going to a non-denominational Christian church, which I attended for a few years by myself (none of my other family members went with me). I stopped going to church around the time I was 15, and that lasted until I was about 22. Eventually, I met my now husband, who happens to be Catholic. He was "born and raised" Catholic, attending parochial schools from kindergarten through senior year of high school. He also comes from a big family (nine children to be exact). When I first met him and we were getting to know each other, I, like many others, had my preconceived notions of what it meant to be Catholic. My two main thoughts about Catholics were they had a lot of kids and a lot of rules. Although our religious backgrounds differed, I still found myself falling in love with this guy, and I assumed we would figure "the religion thing" out. As we started sharing our lives with each other and spending time with each other and each others' families, I began to fill like something was missing from my life. That missing link, for me, was religion. At the age of 24, I converted to Catholicism. For me, it has been a saving grace in my life, and I am very thankful to have found it. My husband and I were married in a Catholic ceremony, and we are now raising our children in the Catholic faith.
Patricia's parents start out with a desire to raise their children in the Catholic faith, and that is how they become a part of this religious group that eventually turns into a cult. Part of this story shows what happens when people use religion as a means to increase their power. It also shows the affects of what happens when people blindly follow a zealous religious leader. It seems as if the parents often felt backed into a corner, and of course, the kids didn't really know any different. I thought it was fascinating to read about the different aspects of Patricia's life behind the red fence. It was also interesting to see the progression of the religious group into a very secluded world and the tactics that were used to keep them from going out into the real world. Perhaps one of the most heartbreaking aspects was the abuse that the children suffered at the hands of those who were supposed to be protecting them and watching out for them. I also thought it was sad that the children were forced to move away from their parents, and that the parents relinquished that role in the lives of their children. The way that the Feeneyites lived seemed similar to the way the Amish live- it is very minimalist and void of anything worldly. It was also interesting to see the way that Patricia experienced the real world for the first time as a teenager, and then how her parents and family eventually came back together. I think it would be hard not to bear any resentment towards the parents, but it seemed like she and her family were able to overcome that experience. If you are looking for a good memoir, I would definitely recommend picking this one up!
This book was very interesting. There are definitely many layers to this story, and it was kind of like an onion. I feel like I can't talk about this book without also discussing a little bit of my religious background. I grew up as a Christian, but the only time I really remember going to church was on Easter. When I was 10, I started going to a non-denominational Christian church, which I attended for a few years by myself (none of my other family members went with me). I stopped going to church around the time I was 15, and that lasted until I was about 22. Eventually, I met my now husband, who happens to be Catholic. He was "born and raised" Catholic, attending parochial schools from kindergarten through senior year of high school. He also comes from a big family (nine children to be exact). When I first met him and we were getting to know each other, I, like many others, had my preconceived notions of what it meant to be Catholic. My two main thoughts about Catholics were they had a lot of kids and a lot of rules. Although our religious backgrounds differed, I still found myself falling in love with this guy, and I assumed we would figure "the religion thing" out. As we started sharing our lives with each other and spending time with each other and each others' families, I began to fill like something was missing from my life. That missing link, for me, was religion. At the age of 24, I converted to Catholicism. For me, it has been a saving grace in my life, and I am very thankful to have found it. My husband and I were married in a Catholic ceremony, and we are now raising our children in the Catholic faith.
Patricia's parents start out with a desire to raise their children in the Catholic faith, and that is how they become a part of this religious group that eventually turns into a cult. Part of this story shows what happens when people use religion as a means to increase their power. It also shows the affects of what happens when people blindly follow a zealous religious leader. It seems as if the parents often felt backed into a corner, and of course, the kids didn't really know any different. I thought it was fascinating to read about the different aspects of Patricia's life behind the red fence. It was also interesting to see the progression of the religious group into a very secluded world and the tactics that were used to keep them from going out into the real world. Perhaps one of the most heartbreaking aspects was the abuse that the children suffered at the hands of those who were supposed to be protecting them and watching out for them. I also thought it was sad that the children were forced to move away from their parents, and that the parents relinquished that role in the lives of their children. The way that the Feeneyites lived seemed similar to the way the Amish live- it is very minimalist and void of anything worldly. It was also interesting to see the way that Patricia experienced the real world for the first time as a teenager, and then how her parents and family eventually came back together. I think it would be hard not to bear any resentment towards the parents, but it seemed like she and her family were able to overcome that experience. If you are looking for a good memoir, I would definitely recommend picking this one up!
February 15, 2021
Little Sister is one of the fastest non-fiction I’ve read in a while. This poignant memoir of Patricia is a story am sure most of can never relate to and yet stories as this very much exist even today. She narrates her experience growling up in a “cult” like community led by Leonard Feeney, an excommunicated Catholic priest and Sister Catherine who form St.Benedict Center during the mid 20th century. Patricia’s parents and her siblings become a part of this community which initially is like one big happy blended family that prays together, has their meals together and look out for each other but this soon turns into a nightmare of sorts by the people in power. Families are torn apart forcing the parents to stay away from their own children, couples asked to disown their marriage vows and lead a celibate life and so on. Few incidents were so heart wrenching it almost made me mad at her parents for the difficulties ensued from their one stupid decision to follow faith blindly without weighing in the interest of their children.The story before and after her stint in the center is what shapes the overall personality of the author and it was powerful and inspiring. But one thing that was a huge takeaway for me was the author’s forgiving nature in the face of everything she had to endure at such young age and yet to gracefully emerge out without harboring anger or resentment. A must read.
This quote from the book seemed perfect to describe this memoir -
𝘏𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘦 , 𝘫𝘰𝘺, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘢𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦. 𝘐𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘰 𝘮𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘯 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘰𝘯𝘦.
This quote from the book seemed perfect to describe this memoir -
𝘏𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘦 , 𝘫𝘰𝘺, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘢𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦. 𝘐𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘰 𝘮𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘯 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘰𝘯𝘦.
August 28, 2019
This book was such a strong nonfiction read! Following the author from her childhood through early adulthood in a very strict sect of Catholicism (see: cult), this book is written in a way that helped to showcase the bonds that occurred in the sect alongside the horrors the author had to face, both internally and externally. While some may read this and still wonder how an entire family could possibly find themselves in the situation, those people need to keep an open mind to not only the time period this all occurs in but also realize that everyday people can be led to any situation if their beliefs and emotions are preyed upon as they were here.
I enjoyed that this book made sure to get the point across that this family loved each other. The parents never wanted to put any of their children in harm's way and when they finally came to the realization they were doing so, they did their best to remove themselves from the situation. The book is great at painting a picture of the surroundings the sect lived in and their day to day life without making it dry for the reader. Being a Massachusetts native myself, I had no idea that this ever occurred even though I devour information about cults. I am now motivated to educate myself about the Feeneyites and hopefully visit the locations featured within the book in real life at some point.
I highly recommend this book to people that would like to add to their nonfiction reads but have trouble finding the right books. It is a quick and extremely interesting read and, again, the writing is exquisite. It is not overly heavy on the religion aspect by any means, instead choosing to put family and the author finding her own way in life at the forefront.
I enjoyed that this book made sure to get the point across that this family loved each other. The parents never wanted to put any of their children in harm's way and when they finally came to the realization they were doing so, they did their best to remove themselves from the situation. The book is great at painting a picture of the surroundings the sect lived in and their day to day life without making it dry for the reader. Being a Massachusetts native myself, I had no idea that this ever occurred even though I devour information about cults. I am now motivated to educate myself about the Feeneyites and hopefully visit the locations featured within the book in real life at some point.
I highly recommend this book to people that would like to add to their nonfiction reads but have trouble finding the right books. It is a quick and extremely interesting read and, again, the writing is exquisite. It is not overly heavy on the religion aspect by any means, instead choosing to put family and the author finding her own way in life at the forefront.
October 15, 2019
A fascinating true story of love that endures.
July 11, 2019
When I received this copy of Little Sister: A Memoir I was immediately intrigued. I very much enjoy biographies and memoirs, especially those of people I have no prior knowledge of. You can learn so much from them and this was certainly the case with Little Sister.
You are taken back in time as Patricia Walsh Chadwick feeds you her life story, quite different than most that begin near Harvard. What that starts out seeming like any other family of the time, who's days revolve around work, church and children, steadily takes steps to what many might call "a cult" but those on the inside, as is often the case, saw it very differently. Chadwick leads you down her path, her memories, her experiences at the hands of an excommunicated Catholic priest and a violent, power hungry nun. The family she thought she knew was removed to some extent and replaced with a larger extended family with strict rules, secluded away from the prying eyes of society. Can you even imagine not knowing The Beatles? Or worse, claim to not care for them?
Secrets were made, people disappeared and yet Chadwick found the strength to not only start a life away from all she knew, but to thrive in a "man's world." The secrets of her past only start her journey of making her life her own, not only in the business world, but as a mother, spouse and friend.
I was fascinated by this account and finished the memoir feeling very inspired and in awe of her drive and ability to forgive. I believe fans of Frank McCourt and Helen Forrester would devour this story of religion, family, survival and love.
You are taken back in time as Patricia Walsh Chadwick feeds you her life story, quite different than most that begin near Harvard. What that starts out seeming like any other family of the time, who's days revolve around work, church and children, steadily takes steps to what many might call "a cult" but those on the inside, as is often the case, saw it very differently. Chadwick leads you down her path, her memories, her experiences at the hands of an excommunicated Catholic priest and a violent, power hungry nun. The family she thought she knew was removed to some extent and replaced with a larger extended family with strict rules, secluded away from the prying eyes of society. Can you even imagine not knowing The Beatles? Or worse, claim to not care for them?
Secrets were made, people disappeared and yet Chadwick found the strength to not only start a life away from all she knew, but to thrive in a "man's world." The secrets of her past only start her journey of making her life her own, not only in the business world, but as a mother, spouse and friend.
I was fascinated by this account and finished the memoir feeling very inspired and in awe of her drive and ability to forgive. I believe fans of Frank McCourt and Helen Forrester would devour this story of religion, family, survival and love.
March 24, 2019
This remarkable autobiography by Patricia Walsh recounts how about 15 years of her childhood, across the 1950s and ‘60s, were spent in communal living inside a Catholic cult led by a charismatic Jesuit priest, Fr Leonard Feeney, and his henchwoman, the dreaded "Mother Catherine" who ran the cult with an iron fist (which Patricia and many other children often felt during cruel beatings). From public beginnings at the St Benedict Center in Harvard Square, Cambridge, MA. in the 1940s, to the move in the early '50s to communal living in a compound of buildings a few blocks away, and then finally in 1958 to a country farm in upstate Massachusetts, the cult became more and more austere, more and more monastic, and more and more unnatural for a young girl separated from her parents by rigid rules, while the parents themselves were separated by artificial vows of celibacy. This enthralling mystery story sees Patricia finally free herself at age 18 to begin a more normal, successful and accomplished life.
Why such a cult,and why such a hold on its educated members in the middle of the 20th century? These were not the kool-aid-swilling lemmings of the Jonestown cult in Guyana in 1978, nor the hippie, pot-head dropouts and commune dwellers of 1960s America. These were academics and intellectuals and students from Boston College, Harvard and Radcliffe who made a spiritual and intellectual commitment to a fanatical priest who was excommunicated by the Vatican and Boston's Cardinal Cushing in 1949 for preaching a doctrine of "No Salvation Outside the Church”, which was anathema to a church that, in the lead up to Vatican II, was trying to be more ecumenical. Feeney was also virulently anti-semitic, both in private and public speeches, blaming the Jews for killing Jesus, and lambasting other religions for being "pious frauds". And yet he was still able, by strength of personality and mesmerising oratory, to keep his very intelligent devotees in line to the point of enforcing an unnatural lifestyle that was bad for marriages and bad for families, but allegedly more "holy" and true to the faith..
Little Sisters is really one woman's perspective on a multi-faceted sociological phenomenon involving many different families, children and other adults, and I finished this book thinking about Rashomon, and how there must be many other different perspectives waiting to be disclosed by other surviving residents of the cult which might differ in focus and emphases from Patricia Walsh's.
Nevertheless, this is a fascinating and important record of a young girl's fight to retain some sense of identity and self-worth inside a 20th century cult that was hell-bent on destroying personal identities for the sake of a kind of religious idealism that wanted to sacrifice individual personality to groupthink and a perverted notion of Catholic faith.
This is a beautifully written memoir that reads like a screenplay, with short, 2-3 page chapters detailing critical or dramatic events, and I would not be surprised if it were picked up for a movie.
It is also a chilling reminder of the power of group conformity and self-delusion; Patricia Walsh has done us all a favor by reminding us in 2019 of the threat posed by ideological sub-groups in society with their own private agendas which are inimical both to social justice and the welfare of children.
My final takeaway from this fascinating story is that, when it comes to raising children, there's no place like home!
Why such a cult,and why such a hold on its educated members in the middle of the 20th century? These were not the kool-aid-swilling lemmings of the Jonestown cult in Guyana in 1978, nor the hippie, pot-head dropouts and commune dwellers of 1960s America. These were academics and intellectuals and students from Boston College, Harvard and Radcliffe who made a spiritual and intellectual commitment to a fanatical priest who was excommunicated by the Vatican and Boston's Cardinal Cushing in 1949 for preaching a doctrine of "No Salvation Outside the Church”, which was anathema to a church that, in the lead up to Vatican II, was trying to be more ecumenical. Feeney was also virulently anti-semitic, both in private and public speeches, blaming the Jews for killing Jesus, and lambasting other religions for being "pious frauds". And yet he was still able, by strength of personality and mesmerising oratory, to keep his very intelligent devotees in line to the point of enforcing an unnatural lifestyle that was bad for marriages and bad for families, but allegedly more "holy" and true to the faith..
Little Sisters is really one woman's perspective on a multi-faceted sociological phenomenon involving many different families, children and other adults, and I finished this book thinking about Rashomon, and how there must be many other different perspectives waiting to be disclosed by other surviving residents of the cult which might differ in focus and emphases from Patricia Walsh's.
Nevertheless, this is a fascinating and important record of a young girl's fight to retain some sense of identity and self-worth inside a 20th century cult that was hell-bent on destroying personal identities for the sake of a kind of religious idealism that wanted to sacrifice individual personality to groupthink and a perverted notion of Catholic faith.
This is a beautifully written memoir that reads like a screenplay, with short, 2-3 page chapters detailing critical or dramatic events, and I would not be surprised if it were picked up for a movie.
It is also a chilling reminder of the power of group conformity and self-delusion; Patricia Walsh has done us all a favor by reminding us in 2019 of the threat posed by ideological sub-groups in society with their own private agendas which are inimical both to social justice and the welfare of children.
My final takeaway from this fascinating story is that, when it comes to raising children, there's no place like home!
August 13, 2022
No doubt this was a fascinating book, well-written. The horrors of growing up in a cult, with abusive Catholic nuns, separated from your parents, having to call them Sister and Brother, being beaten with a hose, having a regimented life as a VERY young child - military-like, enforced silences, on and on - Chadwick doesn’t shy away from the truth.
That Chadwick was eventually kicked out of the cult and that her entire family (4 siblings and her parents) eventually left was a relief. That they reunited and remained close and put their past behind them was also a happy part of the book.
But here’s what bothered me: that the author remained close and respectful to people with whom she grew up and that she saw everyone except the head of the cult as victims. They are or were bigots, hypocrites, and violent tattle-tales that caused tiny children to be beaten. They are or were emotionally disturbed - all of them. That doesn’t mean they were all evil - people can be manipulated - but a little exploration into the psychology of people who behaved in this manner would have helped make this book more digestible.
Here’s another thing that bothers me: I can’t believe the author and her family never really suffered from having been separated from their parents for their entire childhood. There’s a stiffness and formality in the ending that, in my mind, reveals a lot of denial. Or perhaps the author just chose to focus on the goodness of the family reunion, which, in that case, makes the aftermath of the story less than honest. You don’t come out of this kind of horror and everything is just peachy. Sorry, no.
Last: she lost her dislike of Jews because she met one who entertained Santa and another who made fun of his childhood Orthodoxy??? What??? This is HIGHLY disturbing. She decries blaming Jews for killing Jesus, an event 2,000 years old. Well, here’s a thought: the Romans did it? And doesn’t Christianity believe Jesus have his life and had to die? Ugh on this part, awful.
That Chadwick was eventually kicked out of the cult and that her entire family (4 siblings and her parents) eventually left was a relief. That they reunited and remained close and put their past behind them was also a happy part of the book.
But here’s what bothered me: that the author remained close and respectful to people with whom she grew up and that she saw everyone except the head of the cult as victims. They are or were bigots, hypocrites, and violent tattle-tales that caused tiny children to be beaten. They are or were emotionally disturbed - all of them. That doesn’t mean they were all evil - people can be manipulated - but a little exploration into the psychology of people who behaved in this manner would have helped make this book more digestible.
Here’s another thing that bothers me: I can’t believe the author and her family never really suffered from having been separated from their parents for their entire childhood. There’s a stiffness and formality in the ending that, in my mind, reveals a lot of denial. Or perhaps the author just chose to focus on the goodness of the family reunion, which, in that case, makes the aftermath of the story less than honest. You don’t come out of this kind of horror and everything is just peachy. Sorry, no.
Last: she lost her dislike of Jews because she met one who entertained Santa and another who made fun of his childhood Orthodoxy??? What??? This is HIGHLY disturbing. She decries blaming Jews for killing Jesus, an event 2,000 years old. Well, here’s a thought: the Romans did it? And doesn’t Christianity believe Jesus have his life and had to die? Ugh on this part, awful.
July 11, 2019
This is not the most well written book, nor is it evenly interesting. But the middle section, the bulk of the book, gives a fascinating peek into the author’s life when her family joined a cult. It’s a lifestyle I struggle to fathom - physical and emotional abuse, systematic severing of family ties, the removal of individual agency, the imposition of a culture of surveillance, and a cult leader who clearly did not live by the rules imposed on the majority. All this left me shaking my head. I was also left wanting more - especially about her parents decision to join and then remain with the cult, and about the author’s adjustment to life in the outside world when she was evicted while the rest of her family remained within .
July 23, 2019
As a lapsed Catholic with many, many years of Catholic school in my past, I was excited to win this book in a Goodreads giveaway. It is a true, fascinating autobiography of a woman who spent her first 18 years in a fundamentalist, "Roman Catholic" (I put this in quotes because the founder was excommunicated) "cult." It is written in a very readable format- short chapters make it a quick but absorbing read. It's a valuable illustration of what can happen when religious zealotry goes wrong. It was particularly interesting to learn that the founding members of this group were brilliant students from Harvard and Radcliffe, and to see how how even such intelligent individuals can end up sacrificing their own values (and children) for the sake of charismatic leaders.
April 22, 2019
A Catholic “Educated.” In both there is forgiveness and anger. Although I agree Catherine Clark is the main culprit, I was surprised at the pass she gives Father Feeney. No surprise that the Church did.
Her ability to forgive her parents speaks toward her philosophy of grace. However, the book doesn’t convey how well educated, sophisticated people such as her parents and the other members could abandon their children and NO ONE knew what these 39 children were subjected to? A difficult but informative read.
Her ability to forgive her parents speaks toward her philosophy of grace. However, the book doesn’t convey how well educated, sophisticated people such as her parents and the other members could abandon their children and NO ONE knew what these 39 children were subjected to? A difficult but informative read.
March 26, 2019
This is an almost unbelievable account of highly educated people in the US in the mid twentieth century being drawn in and controlled by a religious cult that separates parents from children. Patricia Chadwick's memoir is true. It is a compelling, tightly written story, of the triumph of love over fear and repression.
A great read!
A great read!
January 29, 2021
Patricia's journey was truly engaging to me because cult like culture has also always been something that really piques my interest.
Reading Little Sister truly brought so many thoughts and emotions as we get a glimpse into her childhood growing up in the devout catholic community outside of Boston. Patricia's honesty in her experience of this time with her faith, family and community is shocking and eye opening. I enjoyed the beautifully written story about overcoming everything you never thought you would. Written as a narrative timeline with short chapters and pictures throughout really added a personal intimate aspect. Patricia really endured some hardships that no child should have to experience and the story is such an inspiring one that she is so courageous to share.
Reading Little Sister truly brought so many thoughts and emotions as we get a glimpse into her childhood growing up in the devout catholic community outside of Boston. Patricia's honesty in her experience of this time with her faith, family and community is shocking and eye opening. I enjoyed the beautifully written story about overcoming everything you never thought you would. Written as a narrative timeline with short chapters and pictures throughout really added a personal intimate aspect. Patricia really endured some hardships that no child should have to experience and the story is such an inspiring one that she is so courageous to share.
July 10, 2019
A fascinating story of what happened when a few very religious Catholics, based originally at Harvard University, endeavored to be the best possible Catholics they could imagine. Sadly, they evolved and became a cult. Children were separated from parents, spouses were separated from each other and the whole group was separated from the church and society. As other reviews stated, this memoir is told in a very balanced way. It is a powerful journey taken by seemingly intelligent and capable people who took an idea to an unhealthy extreme. Without a solid succession plan, when the leaders passed on, the idea and the group fell apart. This is a story told from first hand experience and a worthy read.
September 9, 2022
From her birth in 1948 until she graduated high school, Patricia Walsh Chadwick lived a cult existence among Feenyites, followers of a defrocked Boston Catholic priest and his female cohort whose overzealously bigoted and draconian dictates made her life a nightmare.
Told in very short chapters that basically recounted personal experiences chronologically, Chadwick's narration realistically captured the child's state of mind at various ages giving readers gut-wrenching perspectives of what she endured. Her voice poignantly revealed the confused fear each new rule engendered to her and the other children who were removed from parental care when they attained the age of three. This included being renamed, enduring prolonged periods of silence, and being ruled by "Angels," adult monitors who also spied upon and punished them. Sometimes painful to read, Chadwick's writing nevertheless made it impossible not to be emotionally invested with this little girl as the years passed.
Yet when she was expelled from the group to earn her own livelihood, her voice became flat and pedestrian as circumstances seemed to improve for her at an exponential rate.
More problematic was the revelation that her family then all left the group to join her where they picked up a life of success with a family dynamic just too abnormally intact. Additionally, the parents never adequately explained why they put their children and themselves through this hellishly aberrant experience.
While her ultimate message of love towards her family- despite their unhealthy past- concludes the memoir, it lacks the sense of honest emotion the first half conveys, leaving a cynical aftertaste.
Told in very short chapters that basically recounted personal experiences chronologically, Chadwick's narration realistically captured the child's state of mind at various ages giving readers gut-wrenching perspectives of what she endured. Her voice poignantly revealed the confused fear each new rule engendered to her and the other children who were removed from parental care when they attained the age of three. This included being renamed, enduring prolonged periods of silence, and being ruled by "Angels," adult monitors who also spied upon and punished them. Sometimes painful to read, Chadwick's writing nevertheless made it impossible not to be emotionally invested with this little girl as the years passed.
Yet when she was expelled from the group to earn her own livelihood, her voice became flat and pedestrian as circumstances seemed to improve for her at an exponential rate.
More problematic was the revelation that her family then all left the group to join her where they picked up a life of success with a family dynamic just too abnormally intact. Additionally, the parents never adequately explained why they put their children and themselves through this hellishly aberrant experience.
While her ultimate message of love towards her family- despite their unhealthy past- concludes the memoir, it lacks the sense of honest emotion the first half conveys, leaving a cynical aftertaste.
February 20, 2019
I couldn't put this book down - absolutely fascinating. When I first heard about Patricia and her life, my jaw hit the floor - I couldn't believe it! Even though Patricia's story is hard and at times heartbreaking, she has lived an incredible life. Her strength and determination are inspiring. I was completely captivated by this book and cannot recommend it enough.
January 29, 2019
This memoir is entirely riveting, where you find yourself drawn into the rarefied world of a devout and uncommon Catholic community, where real family bonds are tested and where your life is not your own. This book comes at an important time, when extremism and religious zeal is rampant and so very hard to comprehend. This book is about finding what is truly sacred.
Patricia Walsh Chadwick's story guides the reader through her remarkable life experience from childhood to young adulthood, with joy, gravity and honesty. Her experience of faith, family and community will leave you in utter shock. I could not stop wanting to know..."How will this end?!" A not to be missed memoir!
Patricia Walsh Chadwick's story guides the reader through her remarkable life experience from childhood to young adulthood, with joy, gravity and honesty. Her experience of faith, family and community will leave you in utter shock. I could not stop wanting to know..."How will this end?!" A not to be missed memoir!
July 2, 2019
My fascination with extremist religious sects only grew deeper after reading this book. Mary Pats journey through life is one that is told beautifully in her memoir. I read this book in 48 hours because I really had a hard time putting it down. The astonishing treatment of children, abuse of marriage, and plain atrocities against human rights that happened at the hand of Feeney and his hen geo men are absolutely disgusting. The fact that Mary and her family made it out one by one and remained an intact unit was the one thing that gave me limitless hope while reading. It’s a painful story of childhood and lost adolescence; but a beautiful story about overcoming everything you never thought you could.
July 8, 2019
Fantastic read! This is one of those "I really need to go to sleep but just ONE more chapter!" (lol) books. Well structured, beautifully written and I learned so much because I had never heard of the "Feeneyites" or any of these stories - super fascinating and hats off to Patricia for sharing with us so honestly & openly!
March 5, 2023
I just love a book where the girl is strong and courageous! She continues to be that woman !
March 15, 2021
A cult, a rebel, a success story.
February 9, 2019
I was fortunate to read an advance copy of Patricia Chadwick’s book and could not put it down. Little Sister is a thoroughly engrossing account of a childhood that was deprived of the traditional joys of carefree experiences, family bonds and freedom. Chadwick’s memoir is a fascinating look into how Father Leonard Feeney was able to maintain a religious cult for over two decades, attracting highly intelligent individuals and their families to live in an isolated community outside Boston, totally cut off from the world. Even more remarkable is Chadwick’s bravery and ability to get herself out and ultimately live a happy and successful life. The book will inspire its readers with a sometimes painful and other times hopeful story of a young woman’s faith and determination to break free and to ultimately live a life devoid of anger or bitterness about her past.
July 1, 2019
What an incredible story!
July 18, 2019
Little Sister is a gripping story of a childhood spent removed from the care of parents, but not their love. It is a simultaneously haunting and affirming story of how the unconditional love a parent feels for a child transcends space and time. Patricia Chadwick’s triumph from her unorthodox childhood illustrates her profound resiliency and spirit of the heart.
February 13, 2021
I for one felt very moved by this Little Sister A Memoir. Chadwick is so insightful when it comes to telling her life story. Everything that happens to her is very eye opening from being separated from her parents at such a young age to being forced out of the community she grew up in and was most accustom to.
Then to finding her bearings once she was forced out. Chadwick is truly remarkable. The group of people she was surrounded by were really intelligent but pretty easily manipulated by their religion and people who thought differently about their religion. All the healing that had to be done in that community and families reconnecting.
The photographs set a tone for the entire book. I very much enjoyed this memoir, I highly recommend this book.
Then to finding her bearings once she was forced out. Chadwick is truly remarkable. The group of people she was surrounded by were really intelligent but pretty easily manipulated by their religion and people who thought differently about their religion. All the healing that had to be done in that community and families reconnecting.
The photographs set a tone for the entire book. I very much enjoyed this memoir, I highly recommend this book.
June 23, 2019
a great book! God bless you for doing this!
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