Naming religious orders?

cooeedownunder · Jan 7, 2011

I wasn’t sure where to put this, as I’m not writing for the Christian market, but my current WIP has a MC, who is a nun. Yeah, I know, big challenge that one

My story is set in 1966 and at this time the Sisters of Saint Joseph of the Sacred Heart, who were founded in South Australia in 1866 by an Australian woman Mary MacKillop, and an English priest Reverend Julian Woods, ran a hospital in Sydney.

My story is set in this hospital. But as some actions taken by the Sisters might not appear in the best light, I’m wondering if I should avoid naming the Order and possibly even the hospital?

Mary MacKillop was declared a Saint in 2010, and the Sisters of Saint Joseph of the Sacred Heart have spent generations living and working with the poor and although I think during the period I’m writing about they acted generally in the boundary’s of the time, and only hindsight could possibly show some actions in a bad light, others were certainly unethical and would have breached the law even at that time.

I’m curious what anyone thinks.

Deleted member 42 · Jan 7, 2011

I would imagine whatever works for you in your own head, but I would absolutely invent names.

cooeedownunder · Jan 7, 2011

My charachters are fictional - Is that what you meant? Or invent the Order?

Zelenka · Jan 7, 2011

Does the story actually revolve around that particular order or Mary McKillop herself (we actually covered the story a while ago, btw, since her ancestors were Scottish - somewhere on www.stv.tv/news there'll be a wee video of the piece). If so then it might seem odd to change the names. In that case I'd maybe put a note at the beginning just to say that you don't intend any disparagement towards the current order and what they were doing was consistent with the beliefs and ethics of the time.

If it just had to be a religious order, and the historical background isn't integral, I would say just make it up. What you could always do is create a fictional character similar to Mary McKillop if you still needed that sort of story for the order's foundation.

cooeedownunder · Jan 8, 2011

Interesting.

I guess I've reached a cross road and that's why I'm asking this question. I have a facination with the fact this Order was not an enclosed religious, like say, the Carmelites - and I'm intriqued with the entire story of how they came to be and how they lived.

If I picked a different hospital, it would have been a different Order of nuns, and it might not have been important to me, but it must be this hospital for a variety of reasons. My main plot isn't about the Order, but adoption in Australia in a period unique to us, where 30,000 children were adopted in a very brief time.

That said, somehow, I've ended up with a nun being one of two MCs, and I guess, maybe what I need to know is how many orders are not enclosed? I see my nuns story as running parelle to the main plot - and possibly that they are inseperable.

Deleted member 42 · Jan 8, 2011

cooeedownunder said:
My charachters are fictional - Is that what you meant? Or invent the Order?

I'm sorry to be confusing--I mean in your own head you can model the order and characters and hospital on the real one, but invent an order, and create a name for the hospital, and consider making up a town that is in all respects identical to the real one, but has a different name.

cooeedownunder · Jan 8, 2011

Thanks for the thoughts.

TheWordsmith · Jan 16, 2011

Okay. Let me see if I've got this straight. You are wanting to write about the inception of the specific order but not to tread on any toes in the process? That's a bit touchy if you want to truly follow the birth of the order, particularly in light of the questionable practices of the 1960's. Question. Did the actions in the '60's actually take place or are these, like the characters, purely fictitious? If true, then you have nothing to lose by presenting the facts, even in a work of fiction. If, however, they are completely made up, then I would suggest you manufacture a new order of nuns.
In the United States, btw, there are many non-cloistered orders where the nuns roam the streets and are almost impossible to recognize because they no longer wear 'uniforms'. Even the Dominicans, who were always known for their 'penguin suits', wear 'normal' street clothes.

cooeedownunder · Jan 16, 2011

Thanks for your thoughts. Appreciated. Charchters are fictional but some of the incidents described happened, and I'm not really writing about the Order as such, so will probably just make up a name.

Lyra Jean · Jan 16, 2011

If the incidents you are describing actually happened you could always include them and then add an author's note explaining what you changed and what happened. I see this in a lot of historical fiction. Albeit it is mostly in YA historical. But if it really happened and it's been documented as happening I don't see how you could get in trouble but then I'm not a lawyer.

cooeedownunder · Jan 16, 2011

Lyra Jean, although I haven't completely made up my mind yet, that is probably exactly what I will do. There was a government inquiry here a few years back, so it's documented.

But after the comments received and some thought, I guess to persecute one group of nuns, of which there were many Orders involved, for what society created and the government allowed I don’t think would achieve anything – although part of me wanted to keep where I have located my story as true to the story as possible – but unless, which I think is out of my scope and reach for this story, I was also going to bring in disrepute by name certain agencies that were also involved – it wouldn’t be a balanced story anyways.

Naming religious orders?

cooeedownunder

Grateful for the day

Deleted member 42

cooeedownunder

Grateful for the day

Zelenka

Going home!

cooeedownunder

Grateful for the day

Deleted member 42

cooeedownunder

Grateful for the day

TheWordsmith

practical experience, FTW

cooeedownunder

Grateful for the day

Lyra Jean

Two years old now.

cooeedownunder

Grateful for the day