back to article Who needs 600 friends when you're a bride of Christ?

A Spanish nun has been kicked out of her closed religious order after clocking up 600 friends on Facebook. After 35 years closeted at the 700-year-old Santa Domingo el Real convent in Toledo, Maria Jesus Galan is back living with her mum, and has declared she rather fancies visiting New York and London. The convent reportedly …

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  1. Winkypop Silver badge
    Flame

    Proof *

    FB is the devil's work!!!!

    * as much as the RC Church understands evidence.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Thumb Up

      nobody expects

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tym0MObFpTI&feature=related

  2. Mike Hanna

    Hypocrisy

    Did the iPenance App get a papal thumbs up a few weeks ago? So iPhones are good, but FB is bad...

  3. Anonymous Coward
    Jobs Horns

    Quote

    "Nuns. No sense of humour."

    The Kurgan

    1. Monkey Bob
      Megaphone

      Quote v2.0

      "NUNS! NUNS! REVERSE! REVERSE!"

      Father Jack

      1. lawndart

        says:

        Well those 88mm AA Nuns can make short work of a Priest.

        1. Elmer Phud

          Lent

          As can Sister Assumpta (who can also make short work of a large amount of chocolate)

          1. LaeMing
            Coat

            Faith can move mountains.

            She's a big strong girl.

  4. moonface

    600 true friends better than 1 invisible friend.

    "Dominicans are known for their focus on education."

    Also known for their inhumane toture. Just ask the Cathars....second thoughts you can't because they killed them all off.

    1. Oninoshiko
      Joke

      true friends?

      we are talking about farcebook here...

  5. James 5

    Cathars...

    The Catholic church ....

    "What remained of the city was razed by fire. Arnaud wrote to Pope Innocent III, "Today your Holiness, twenty thousand heretics were put to the sword, regardless of rank, age, or sex." (on the taking of Carcassone in 1209 - from Wikipedia).

    Who cares what this murderous organisation or it's representatives think?

    1. NogginTheNog
      FAIL

      Seriously??

      Are you trying to judge an organisation based on something that was done EIGHT HUNDRED years ago??!

      What were YOUR ancestors doing at the time then? All sweetness and light?

      It was a very different, very BRUTAL, world back then - to try and apply today's morality to it is just idiotic.

      1. Vladimir Plouzhnikov

        Re: Seriously??

        Don't be inconsistent - why can't you judge an organisation which claims its morality is based on teachings from 2000 to 5000 year old on events that happened merely 800 years ago?

        1. The Indomitable Gall

          @Vladimir Plouzhnikov

          "why can't you judge an organisation which claims its morality is based on teachings from 2000 to 5000 year old on events that happened merely 800 years ago?"

          Because the hierarchy of the church is composed of human beings, and the corruption of the clergy during the so-called Holy Roman Empire is well documented and accepted both within and outside of the church.

          Changes caused by the era include the introduction of celibacy for priests (to avoid dynastic empire building and misappropriation of funds), a ban on clergy taking most positions of public office (effectively separating church and state) and the reform of the doctrine of "papal infallibility" from "the pope's always right" to applicability in vastly more restricted circumstances.

          If you're going to try to judge the catholic church "in its own terms", you need to know what those terms are first, otherwise no-one's going to give any serious consideration to your argument.

          1. Vladimir Plouzhnikov

            @The Indomitable Gall

            Firstly, you are making an assertion that I don't know the terms of reference which constitute your organisation's philosophy. Maybe I do, maybe I don't - my question is agnostic to the underlying facts and only deals with the logic of the debate.

            Secondly, you are trying to argue that the deeds of some human beings at some time in the past should be disregarded, while the writings of other human beings at some other time in the past should be accepted when forming an opinion of your organisation. This arbitrary selection of evidence invalidates your argument.

            1. This post has been deleted by its author

              1. longbeast
                Happy

                The title is required, and must contain letters and/or digits.

                "It's good to see people referring to the Roman Catholic Church as an organisation as distinct from any personal means towards spiritual fulfilment."

                Sorry to be harsh here, Chuts, but spiritual fulfilment is not anything good or meaningful if it means uncritical faith and the worship of a hypothetical being.

                Personal development begins with seeking truth, regardless of which organisations you associate with.

      2. Graham Marsden
        FAIL

        "Idiotic"???

        "It was a very different, very BRUTAL, world back then - to try and apply today's morality to it is just idiotic."

        Yet there are those from the church who want to apply the morality of two thousand or more years ago to the world today!

      3. moonface

        judge an organisation

        I don't think anyone is judging the the modern organisation of the Domincans! Just saying it's founder Domingo Félix de Guzmán was not exactly a "Saint" going by modern day standards.

        ALL I Know for certain is my ancestors were probably Catholics and certainly not Cathars.

      4. Anonymous Coward
        Alien

        re:Seriously??

        >>Are you trying to judge an organisation based on something

        >>that was done EIGHT HUNDRED years ago??!

        I think on the basis that the organisation in question promotes living a life style popular a couple of millenia ago, I think it is justified.

        Aliens - because they probably exist, somewhere, unlike the mythical big man.

      5. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        which explains...

        ...why said organisation applies morality from 'back then' to today.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          I only came here ...

          to get away from the Israel-Hamas conflict on another page.

          http://forums.theregister.co.uk/forum/1/2011/02/18/bahrain_internet_disruption/

          I never knew how exciting IT could be, until I discovered The Reg.

      6. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Brutal world

        It is only because some people don't pretend that whatever is the "done thing" at the time is OK that anything improves. For example, some people didn't think slavery was acceptable even in societies where it was the norm. There were people *before* women got the vote who thought they should have it - otherwise they still wouldn't.

        Maybe, just maybe, James 5 was not applying today's morality, but his own ... what's that thing called? Human decency.

        In fact it is organisations like the Catholic Church that apply the morality of the day. They do whatever they think will be acceptable to enough people that they can get away with it. So if brutal mass murder is normal they'll do it. If it isn't they'll condemn it.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Badgers

      indeed

      We're much more civilised today than the Catholics of 1200AD.

      We use the word "terrorists" instead of "heretics".

      Instead of an imaginary friend, we have imaginary WMDs. We are so much more advanced, don't you know?

      When we go rampaging around, killing people, it's for a good cause. Or votes, or oil.

      We give our allegiance to Science rather than the Christian God and this has brought so many benefits, one of which means that when we go to war, very few of our own people die and lots more of our enemies die, even those not yet born at the time of our attacks.

      Mind you, it isn't surprising that we are willing to sacrifice the unborn children of our enemies. We sacrifice almost 200,000 our own on the altar of adult's rights and lifestyle choice *every year* in the UK alone. We do the Cathar slaughter 10 times every year using our children as Cathars. That's over fifty 9/11's-worth of dead babies. It's ok though because we agreed between ourselves that it is ok and wrote it down on a bit of paper. I'm sure the worshipers of Moloch didn't do that.

      Sorry, were we talking about murderous organisations and brutal societies?

      I'm sure religion is the problem. All hail Science and Democracy! See how much we've changed since the middle ages!

  6. Wize

    Well, at least there is...

    ...one less brainwashed member of a cult.

  7. Joseph Haig

    Symptom or cause? Or, perhaps, not even connected.

    "Sr Maria's expulsion does appear to be a result of internal strife, rather than any Church position on Facebook."

    So she (a) used Facebook and (b) got kicked out of the convent, but there is no clear indication about what the relation between (a) and (b) is? And I thought El Reg was read by people with a scientific mind-set. (Perhaps global warming is caused by a lack of pirates after all)

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Thumb Up

      Halleluia

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCFCeJTEzNU&feature=related

  8. trydk
    FAIL

    Sr = Señor not Señorita

    Always the stickler, I read "Sr" as the (former) nun's "title", but to the best of my knowledge, "Sr" is the abbreviation of "Señor". So, unless she has had gender reassignment or been quick to get married after being expelled from the convent, I would expect her to be a señorita and thus "Srta" -- in case she has been married, she should be "señora", "Sra".

    I might, obviously, be completely off on this and "Sr" meaning something completely different -- and appropriate -- in this context, thus making an arse of myself! (That would certainly not be the first time ;-)

    1. Anomalous Cowherd Silver badge

      "Sister", perhaps?

      Quite common for nuns, so I'm told

    2. Sabine Miehlbradt
      Welcome

      Easy one

      Sr == Sister

      You're welcome.

    3. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Sr = Sister

      now call me Dr.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Dr

        That means you owe money, doesn't it?

    4. Anonymous Coward
      WTF?

      I must admit that I read "Sr"

      As "Sister" in this context.

      Frankly though, who cares?

    5. Anonymous Coward
      Headmaster

      Asked and arsed

      Sr. would be Sister

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Thumb Up

        Yes

        I think you're right. Sr couldn't possibly be an abbreviation for anything else.

    6. D@v3

      Pure speculation

      but while reading, I interpreted Sr as Sister. eg Sister Mary....

    7. Gerardo Korndorffer
      Pirate

      Actually you are right

      Sr. stands for "Señor" which would translate as "Sir", "Dear Sir" = "Estimado Señor", aprox.

      for a nun it would "Sor"

      Regards

      (The pirate flag as we need more pirates to avoid global warming )

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Sr = Sister

        The author uses English-language honorifics

    8. Vincent Ballard
      FAIL

      You got one of the gender mistakes

      In addition to this gender reassignment, the saint after whom the convent is named has been feminised. He should be Santo Domingo el Real.

      1. John F***ing Stepp

        Saint big num then?

        Or is that joke too old.

  9. Anonymous Coward
    Coat

    Could be said to be a bad habit...

    Coat for obvious reasons as is the anon!

  10. el.motar
    Alien

    The right form of address for nuns me thinks, is Sor. whatever.....

    No comment.....

  11. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Back to Latin masses, then?

    "the Pope issued a warning to social-networking Catholics not to trivialise or dilute the message of Christianity"

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      indeed

      they are working on this - lots of enthusiasm for the old Latin mass from all these recent converts (plus those who were always opposed to Vatican 2); yet another thing p*sing off those cradle catholics who haven't moved elsewhere yet.

  12. Anonymous Coward
    Linux

    Bride of Christ?

    "It's complicated"

  13. Anonymous Coward
    Coat

    I wonder how many times she got poked?

    I wonder how many times she got poked?

  14. Vladimir Plouzhnikov

    Undoubtedly

    In a short period of time the expelled sister will learn to regard what has happened to her as a miraculous blessing...

  15. YumDogfood

    Time heals

    Give it up on the ancient feuding people, I'm all for multiculturalism! For instance I'm *just* starting to get uses to all those Roman/Frenchy/Viking sorts hanging around these Isles. It does add a bit of colour to the place you know.

    Y Cymro.

    PS: I really don't mind them but hey do often reek of garlic and drink that awful alcoholic red stuff made from some some bizarre small squishy fruit clumps. As for not believing in lots of gods that you can actually see (sun,rock,plant,animal,sky) and only in one invisible one, Well, It might impact the hut prices around here (its already at two goats and a hen!) Thats all I'm saying, you know.

    / tongue, cheek, coat.

  16. Anonymous Coward
    Happy

    Do you think we can get the Scientologists in the same way? :)

    Hail Xenu!

  17. Martin Huizing
    Joke

    Last I heard...

    ...she tried to sell her virginity on eBay.

  18. JaitcH
    FAIL

    The pope doesn't have to communicate with God - he thinks he IS god.

    Always grabs me when the church mentions 'talking with God' as if you needed a microphone. I thought He could read minds.

    Having grown up on a Sunday diet of American bible thumpers, I only for laughter at the patter they come out with. Some communication.

    A bunch of thumpers have some 500,000 watt medium & short-wave transmitters beaming their 'message' across the water to the heathen in China and VietNam. The only problem is that most listeners use FM so all that energy is wasted! I have never ever seen an AM radio for sale in VietNam, come to think of it.

    Won't work in North Korea either as they use wire-line rediffusion to keep re-tunable receivers out of the hands of the population.

    Some communicators the churches aren't.

  19. ted frater

    bride of christ?

    As a bride of christ, its rather unlikely that the marriage was properly consumated.,unless the mother superior did it with a dildong.So it would makeit easy for the convent to expell her without the need for a long and expensive divorce proceeding.

    The marriage would just be anulled.?

    1. moonface

      Embarrassing In-law to the bride of Christ.

      The Catholic consummation thing always makes me laugh! Especially when taking into account the father in law going around consummating relationships, even when he wasn't married.

  20. Doug Glass
    Go

    Damn!

    Er, sorry ... Darn. I just pray to God when I need to (and I need to) and everybody else be damned. Er, well ... be darned.

  21. angled
    FAIL

    website not updated?

    You can still you facebook-like the convent's page: http://www.dominicos.org/familia-dominicana/monjas/federacion-de-santo-domingo/monasterios/toledo

  22. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    bless you :D

    it's a shame El reg dont allow inline video

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUU514SXt0s&feature=related

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DloCrXU3koY&feature=related

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-laOjvN0gY&feature=related

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UY5sZPU32s

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GV_A7YeOhfs&feature=related

    do NOT watch this one if your easily offended or a real nun etc

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7XzcGnUCI0&feature=related

  23. Anonymous Coward
    Grenade

    My ancestors?

    "What were YOUR ancestors doing at the time then? All sweetness and light?"

    Not in the slightest. Probably slaughtering Romans etc that dared to breach the wall. :o)

  24. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    How do you solve a problem like Maria?

    [I can't believe nobody has used that title yet.]

    Here's wishing her a happy and full new life outside the convent. Hopefully one that doesn't revolve around Facebook and Twitter.

    P.S. When she buys stuff on the internet, she should keep in mind the doctrine of PayPal infallibility.

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