#blessed creatures

Sometimes I like doing research into fields that aren’t biology and my latest on the history of priests and marriage in the Catholic Church has turned up some interesting stuff. Apparently Pope Pius IX actually encouraged the Roman Catholic Church to gather up women to serve as concubines for priests and it was some secret society level shit. Just when I thought they couldn’t top building secret underground tunnels to connect priest and nun living quarters, I find this. Keep in mind, this wasn’t just a single church or a few wayward priests, this went all the way to the top and all over the world. Here are some interesting tidbits:

Pope Pius IX created this system of a “substitution for marriage” due to the high amount of homosexual priests and (surprise!) sexual misconduct with altar boys because priests can’t marry and had no other sexual outlet. His solution: get unwitting women to be concubines instead.

Along with the expected good looks and absence of disease, women were also selected based on their gullibility, obedience, and wealth. (The last quality was because they were still required to give money to the church like any other churchgoer and disobedient members paid extra as part of their punishment.)

They were essentially lied to by the priests who claimed things such as it being a sacred duty, that priests were holy men so it was actually pleased God, and they often invoked the Virgin Mary in explaining their duties. This was accompanied by mock ceremonies and rituals to confuse the women and make it seem super legit and not at all shady, lifetime-of-sexual-slavery horseshit.

Carefully circulated books were written regarding the practices of the confraternity so that all participating members had a uniform system. As part of the code, Fathers were called “F.s” and the women had the title of “Blessed Creatures” or “B.C.” in papers.

They also had insignia, handshakes, and signals so that priests from abroad could recognize them, even in public. (This is one of the most interesting parts for me because they get crafty.)

They were required to service any and all clergymen who visited them, called for them, or whom they met at the church before or after mass. 

And, of course, all of this confraternity business was to be kept secret and B.C.s had to be entirely obedient on the pain of persecution and death.

Sources (It’s 1:30 am and I’m feeling lazy, so I’m using links rather than proper citation. Sue me.)