The monks and the psychiatrist By
Ronald
Singleton
Benedictine prior Lemercier thought
So he called in The psychiatrist
a
Father Gregoire he was going mad.
psychiatrist.
sorted him out. Lemercier was most impressed. He considered that the benefits of Freudian analysis should be bestowed upon the other monks. called in a woman psychiatrist, Professor Frida Zmud, to 'confront monks with the problems of soon
Father
sexuality'.
*he group therapy sessions were a Sreat success. Many monks left and are now married. Those who stayed
^aPpily benefited father een '
"e
enormously, according
Lemercier.
Their faith
to
had
greatly strengthened. sessions had been under way two
years when the monastry?at Cuernavaca, Mexico?was visited in August 1963 by Swiss Abbot-Primate Benno
Gut. The abbot was surprised to find the monks sitting discussing sex with a
'forceful, striking woman'. But the abbot tarried. And found he
in favour of the experiments. The Vatican was not. It sent out an American Benedictine priest, Father Odo Zimmerman, to see what was
was
going
on.
Father Zimmerman's first report was full of enthusiasm for the psychiatric sessions. The Vatican sent him back to the for second thoughts. monastery Father Zimmerman's enthusiasm remained unabated.
a visit Lemercier was ordered to enter a monastery in Belgium. He refused and appealed against the order. The case went to the Pope, who has put the 54-year-old prior on trial in Rome. The Church court never sees the defendant. It sends officials to see him. The defence counsel is known unofficially as the Devil's Advocate. The judges?two Italians and a Scot ?are said to be on the point of despair. They are having to discuss Freud and sex in Latin. Meanwhile, back in the Mexican monastery, the 25 remaining monks are still enjoying their twice-weekly sessions with Professor Zmud.
But to
afterwards, during
soon
Rome,
?
Father
Reprinted from the Daily Mail 27
Ronald
Singleton
Benedictine prior Lemercier thought
So he called in The psychiatrist
a
Father Gregoire he was going mad.
psychiatrist.
sorted him out. Lemercier was most impressed. He considered that the benefits of Freudian analysis should be bestowed upon the other monks. called in a woman psychiatrist, Professor Frida Zmud, to 'confront monks with the problems of soon
Father
sexuality'.
*he group therapy sessions were a Sreat success. Many monks left and are now married. Those who stayed
^aPpily benefited father een '
"e
enormously, according
Lemercier.
Their faith
to
had
greatly strengthened. sessions had been under way two
years when the monastry?at Cuernavaca, Mexico?was visited in August 1963 by Swiss Abbot-Primate Benno
Gut. The abbot was surprised to find the monks sitting discussing sex with a
'forceful, striking woman'. But the abbot tarried. And found he
in favour of the experiments. The Vatican was not. It sent out an American Benedictine priest, Father Odo Zimmerman, to see what was
was
going
on.
Father Zimmerman's first report was full of enthusiasm for the psychiatric sessions. The Vatican sent him back to the for second thoughts. monastery Father Zimmerman's enthusiasm remained unabated.
a visit Lemercier was ordered to enter a monastery in Belgium. He refused and appealed against the order. The case went to the Pope, who has put the 54-year-old prior on trial in Rome. The Church court never sees the defendant. It sends officials to see him. The defence counsel is known unofficially as the Devil's Advocate. The judges?two Italians and a Scot ?are said to be on the point of despair. They are having to discuss Freud and sex in Latin. Meanwhile, back in the Mexican monastery, the 25 remaining monks are still enjoying their twice-weekly sessions with Professor Zmud.
But to
afterwards, during
soon
Rome,
?
Father
Reprinted from the Daily Mail 27
