In Part 1, Patricia explains how the Catholic cult came about, how it went from a meeting place for Catholic students to a way of life governed by increasingly draconian rules that separated children from their parents, siblings and friends with harsh punishments. Patricia tells how she battled the injustices of the institution and found freedom.
In the opening lines of Patricia’s book ‘Little Sister’ Patricia writes, “Until the age of eighteen, I had never read a newspaper nor perused the pages of a magazine. I had never eaten in a restaurant nor shopped in a grocery store. I had never bought any clothes or cosmetics or a single item that could be called my own. I had never heard of Elvis Presley or Frank Sinatra, Marlon Brando, or Elizabeth Taylor. I had never watched television nor made a phone call. I did not know how to dance.”
In part 2, Patricia talks about her life post the centre, how she adapted to life in the outside world, her ascent of the corporate ladder to become one of the most well-known and sought after investors on Wall Street at a time when women were considered secretary material at best. She discusses with great honesty and candour some horrific experiences she had to live through and how, despite trauma, prejudice and adversity, she learned to forgive, succeed and thrive.
