A new “original and groundbreaking book” written by a former catholic nun and teacher from Bedford is diving into the history, future and psychology of the Catholic church, to help try and understand the challenges it faces today.
Pauline Webb, 85, was born in Birmingham at a time when educating girls was not a priority, and even though she attended a local grammar school she did not take exams.
While working at a local factory she attended night school and studied for her O-levels independently and then accepted for teacher training in Birmingham.
After qualifying and teaching for a few years that she decided that her path in life was to join a French religious congregation, where she studied French and Philosophy for a year before returning to study English at the University of Sheffield.
Now, her book Sin, Sex and Psychology – the Catholic Church on the Couch looks at the issues that the Catholic Church has faced in recent times.
It explores what is happening within the church from the perspective of a devout Catholic, who is questioning and challenging age-old certainties and modern problems facing the church today.
Pauline also looks at how the church could become relevant in the 21st Century through psychology and philosophy.
Pauline came to Bedford when she taught English at the Convent School on Bromham Road.
She left the sisterhood in her 40s but carried on teaching at St Thomas Moore Upper School, and during this time she took an advanced course in Psychodynamic Counselling.
She has also studied Freud extensively, who has been a major influence on her life and work, and has worked as a counsellor herself and also trained student counsellors.
Pauline lived in Great Barford for many years but now lives in Bedesman’s House, part of the Bedford Citizen’s Housing Association (BCHA).
Marie Taylor, Chief Executive of BCHA has been fascinated by Pauline’s story “Like many older people Pauline has a great story to tell and is still sharing her interesting ideas and beliefs with people of all ages.”
