Those babies could not be properly buried in a Catholic cemetery with Catholic funeral rites because they were bastard children, and poor.
With Catholicism in Ireland, especially western Ireland, there were no exceptions. It was all or nothing. Those bastard babies were conceived in sin and could not enter Heaven because of that. Their souls would reside in Limbo.
It's sick, twisted, and cruel, but that's how the Church dominated life and society in western Ireland. It was a bleak existence of deprivation.
Keeping shames hidden was a signicant motivation behind the Catholic Church sex abuse scandal in Boston. They lacked the emotional capacity and the moral clarity to admit that transgressions had occurred. The Church hierarchy's fear of public shame and disgrace motivated it to do immoral things that caused more harm and suffering.
For old-school shanty Irish Catholics, silence was preferred over shame.
Why do you think so many persons with substance abuse disorders are shanty, Irish Catholics? Being poor and Catholic from western Ireland was akin to being subhuman. That's why the Irish were so expendable - to be conscripted into the Union Army and to die building the railroads. They had no value as human beings. And that had been passed down through subsequent generations.
Catholicism for those of poor, western Irish descent was a completely different experience than those whom were wealthy or from other countries.
Catholicism is western Ireland was a moral oppressor, akin to morality police in Saudi Arabia and Iran. It was also an institution to keep the poor in their place, serving the Church and the landlords.
So to hear that 800 dead, poor Catholic children, conceived out of wedlock, in western Ireland, were disposed in a septic tank is not shocking for someone of poor (shanty), western Irish Catholic descent. It's sad and ungodly. These won't be the last babies' remains that will be found hidden in shame. Chances are that there are improperly disposed babies' remains hidden among many older Catholic mothers homes and convents.
If you were poor, and Catholic in western Ireland, there was no such thing as White Privilege. The BLM folks are ignorant of that.
@Smokin Joe ,
@DefiantMassRINO You are both incorrect. There is nothing in Canon Law that says an illegitimate child can be denied baptism in the Catholic Church. I refer you to Canon 849-877 Some key points: 852/2 the parents of an infant to be baptized and those who are to undertake the function of sponsor are to be instructed properly on the meaning of this sacrament and the obligations attached to it. The pastor personally or through others is to take care that the parents are properly instructed through both pastoral advice and common prayer, bringing several families together and, where possible, visiting them.
864 Every person not yet baptized and only such a person is capable of baptism.
867§2. An infant in danger of death is to be baptized without delay.
Can. 868 §1. For an infant to be baptized licitly:
1/ the parents or at least one of them or the person who legitimately takes their place must consent;
2/ there must be a founded hope that the infant will be brought up in the Catholic religion; if such hope is altogether lacking, the baptism is to be delayed according to the prescripts of particular law after the parents have been advised about the reason.
§2. An infant of Catholic parents or even of non-Catholic parents is baptized licitly in danger of death even against the will of the parents.
Can. 870 An abandoned infant or a foundling is to be baptized unless after diligent investigation the baptism of the infant is established.
Can. 871 If aborted fetuses are alive, they are to be baptized insofar as possible.
THE PROOF AND REGISTRATION OF THE CONFERRAL OF BAPTISM
§2. If it concerns a child born to an unmarried mother, the name of the mother must be inserted, if her maternity is established publicly or if she seeks it willingly in writing or before two witnesses. Moreover, the name of the father must be inscribed if a public document or his own declaration before the pastor and two witnesses proves his paternity; in other cases, the name of the baptized is inscribed with no mention of the name of the father or the parents.[/i]
On a personal note, my parents were Godparents to a cousin born out of wedlock. Now because pf a "fear of scandal" it was a private baptism with just my parents and cousin present.
As an asude, I am not sure about burial for still born children, how that would be handled.
