| CARDINAL NEWMAN FROM THE LIGHT INTO THE DARKNESS |
| Edward Stapleton - 1973 |
| tWhen I first came to Cardinal Newman my family had just moved to Luton from London, and before that Dublin. My experience in Catholic school in London had been very positive. There I expereienced Christianity in practice. Unfortunately this was in vast contrast to what was being practiced at Cardinal Newman. The physical punishment that was meted out at Cardinal Newman, ranging from caning for minor infractions to being thrown across the classroom for not moving fast enough, was trivial compare to the emotonal and spiritual damage many students experienced at the hands of the faculty |
| The faculty's misplaced rage was expressed through sadistic and humiliating scenarios. Like the businessman who comes home and kicks the dog when he has had a bad day, the faculty used the students as punching bags to release their own feelings of anger. Whether or not they wanted to teach and be around children was irrelevant. One felt that somehow they had wound up somewhere they didn't want to be, and someone was going to pay -- and that turned out to be the students. |
| After leaving Cardinal Newman and moving to America, I used my school experiences as a catalyst for the music I was creating with my band. On our first album we did a song I wrote entitled "Cardinal Newman". It was very cathartic to hear it being played on the radio and, when we performed live, having an audience sing along with you. |
| "Cardinal Newman is my Savior ... SS treatment early in the morning Religious instruction with Christian guilt While they pray on bleeding knees They will suck your will until it's dry Catholic school with prison bars Catholic school with prison bars Will you punish me now and then? Make me do what you want Force your beliefts down my throat Make a killing once a week Catholic school with prison bars Catholic school with prison bars Cardinal Newman is my Savior" |
| My experience at Cardinal Newman left an indelible mark on me. I became a devote atheist for many years. My anger at the Church and its' practices has subsided to some degree, but it has only been through the study of Eastern philosophy that I have been able to set aside some of my disillusionment and distain. I now can separate those who claim to be Christian from those who really practice the faith. |
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