Philomena Lee to get the red carpet treatment in Limerick

[me b zola]

The Fitzgerald Bible Bruff award is a new award that has been instigated by Bruff Heritage Group in recognition of the connection between the Fitzgerald bible and Bruff, and the role it played in the Fitzgerald Kennedy family.

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Ms Lee, 82, is receiving the award for her work in setting up the Philomena Lee Project which helps adopted people find their birth parents. The project also campaigns for a change in legislation which will given adopted children the right to access their original birth certificate. She has previously been awarded the Eleanor Roosevelt Award in the Unites States for her project.

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Philomena, which stars Dame Judi Dench and Steve Coogan, tells the tragic yet often uplifting true story of Ms Lee who was forced to give her infant son up for adoption in 1952 when she was just 19. Her lifelong search to trace her son Anthony, who was effectively sold to an American couple by the convent where she lived after giving birth, was initially turned into a book and was then adapted for cinema.

The last high profile guest at the Thomas Fitzgerald Centre was Caroline Kennedy, the daughter of the 35th president of the United States of America, John Fitzgerald Kennedy. She visited Bruff in the summer of 2013 to see where her ancestors, the Fitzgerald family, came from. The Fitzgerald family bible which was brought to the US from Bruff was used in the inauguration of John Fitzgerald Kennedy in 1961, confirming Bruff’s close links to the Fitzgeralds.

~more @ link~
http://www.limerickleader.ie/news/philomena-lee-to-get-the-red-carpet-treatment-in-limerick-1-6769479

I really, really loved that film. It exposed the reality of forced adoptions of the Baby Scoop Era which most people want to ignore and pretend didn't happen. It happened to my mother here in the States, and it happened to millions of women.

But I thought what made the film exceptional was that it addressed the emotional complexities of it all. The only person in her son's life who knew that he was searching for his mother was his husband. Countless people who were "close" to Philomena's son had no idea.

The film also did a wonderful job in showing how the shame continued to haunt Philomena, like countless other mothers of loss. It showed how she had to work through all of the emotional knots in order to work through the courage to find him.

If you care about women's issues, then please watch this film, and then watch it again.


Congratulations Philomena!

[randys1]

1. Loved that movie, as well. Love her. I was a catholic forever growing up, school, etc

Knowing how bad they were now, makes me sick.

[me b zola]

2. The Catholic Church was a major player in forced adoptions, but not the only church

My mother is Catholic, and my adoptive family was deeply devoted to the Catholic Church. I have left the Church for several reasons, but I still feel deeply connected to it.

As horrible as the Catholic Church was, particularly in Ireland towards women, the larger issue is of course the shaming and subjugation of women. We still shame women. Today we shame them if they are poor and tell them that they are selfish for wanting to parent their own children!

The Catholic Church needs to answer for their crimes, but that alone will not bring justice for millions of women. Sunlight is the best disinfectant, and we need women to tell their own stories to throw the shame off of us and onto those who would shame us.

[me b zola]

3. So for all of the talk of supporting women on this site, when it comes to real issues; silence

[frogmarch]

4. Well done, Philomena Lee!

I’ve lost the link, but I read that the Irish government has paid the surviving “Magdalene girls” for back wages, but that the Catholic Church has done nothing for them and doesn’t acknowledge any wrongdoing on its part.

I loved the movie, but I was disappointed to learn that in reality Philomena didn’t go to the U.S. with Martin Sixsmith.

[Starry Messenger]

5. That makes me teary,

the film was devastating. I'm so glad her life is being celebrated.

[beam me up scottie]

6. I loved that movie.

Blubbered like a baby. And I thought about you, me b zola.

Thank you for posting this uplifting thread.


--- For all the victims.

[me b zola]

7. Thank you for recognizing all of the other unspoken women and their children who were victims

This is feminist history, even if modern "feminists" want to ignore it. I have a sense of urgency knowing that these mothers of loss are dying off, and no one but us activists know their stories.

Last year (or was it the year before?) Australian government issued a formal apology for the forced adoptions that occurred there. But that quickly they are attempting to soften adoption rules to allow more questionable adoptions to go forward. Ugh.

Canada is struggling with making right adoption abuses, but like many other nations, the market forces are dominating the discussion.

In the US we are making some advances, but this is a culture of consumerism, and every step forward is hard fought.

Thank you for caring, I would like to think that every feminist would care, but, lol, I really don't know much.

[beam me up scottie]

9. You're welcome.

This is an ugly history but women need to be aware of it.

I gave your thread a heads up in the A&A group, several fans of Philomena post there.

Let's keep it kicked.

[StevieM]

10. I would hate to see Australia fall backwards on adoption reform.

In recent years they have become a leader in the movement to change the system.

It saddens me that so many women who regard themselves as feminists seem to be totally indifferent to birth mother grief or the reality of coerced adoptions. The narrative of savior APs is deeply ingrained in our society and our culture.

I also worry about the story getting lost after all the BSE survivors are gone.

[bettyellen]

8. Wow, has no idea Philomena did this. Good on her!

[StevieM]

11. Great news!! I wish everyone would see the movie Philomena. (eom)