She was partly persuaded by the priest to believe that he could not
sin, because he was a priest, and that anything he did to her would
sanctify her; and yet she seemed doubtful how she should act. A priest,
she had been told by him, is a holy man, and appointed to a holy
office, and therefore what would be wicked in other men, could not be
so in him. She told me that she had informed her mother of it, who
expressed no anger nor disapprobation, but only enjoined it upon her
not to speak of it; and remarked to her, that as priests were not like
other men, but holy, and sent to instruct and save us, whatever they
did was right.
I afterward confessed to the priest that I had heard the story, and had
a penance to perform for indulging a sinful curiosity in making
inquiries; and the girl had another for communicating it. I afterward
learned that other children had been treated in the same manner, and
also of similar proceedings in other places.
Indeed, it was not long before such language was used to me, and I well
remember how my views of right and wrong were shaken by it. Another
girl at the School, from a place above Montreal, called the Lac, told
me the following story of what had occurred recently in that vicinity.
A young squaw, called la Belle Marie,(pretty Mary,) had been seen going
to confession at the house of the priest, who lived a little out of the
village. La Belle Marie was afterwards missed, and her murdered body
was found in the river. A knife was also found covered with blood,
bearing the priest's name. Great indignation was excited among the
Indians, and the priest immediately absconded, and was never heard from
again. A note was found on his table addressed to him, telling him to
fly if he was guilty.
It was supposed that the priest was fearful that his conduct might be
betrayed by this young female; and he undertook to clear himself by
killing her.
These stories struck me with surprise at first, but I gradually began
to feel differently, even supposing them true, and to look upon the
priests as men incapable of sin; besides, when I first went to
confession, which I did to Father Richards, in the old French church
(since taken down), I heard nothing improper; and it was not until I
had been several times, that the priests became more and more bold, and
were at length indecent in their questions and even in their conduct
when I confessed to them in the Sacristie. This subject I believe is
not understood nor suspected among Protestants; and it is not my
intention to speak of it very particularly, because it is impossible to
do so without saying things both shameful and demoralizing.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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