Souperism facts for kids

Souperism was a challenging situation during the Irish Potato Famine. Some Protestant groups offered food to starving children. But there was a condition: the children also had to receive Protestant religious lessons.

This practice caused a lot of anger and sadness. Many Catholic families had to make a very hard choice. They could either let their children starve, or send them to these schools to get food and learn about a different faith. People who accepted food in exchange for religious instruction were sometimes called "soupers" or "jumpers." Their neighbors might say they "took the soup."

Even though Souperism didn't happen everywhere, the idea of it had a big and lasting impact on how people remembered the Famine. It made some people suspicious of all aid from Protestants, even those who helped without trying to change anyone's religion. The fear of being called a "souper" might have even stopped some starving Catholics from going to soup kitchens, because they worried about betraying their faith.

What Was Souperism?

One well-known example involved Reverend Edward Nangle. He started the Achill Mission Colony in the 1830s. During the Famine, he decided to give food to children in his schools. This led to many more children wanting to join. Because of this, some people accused Edward Nangle of "buying souls."

However, Souperism was often more complicated. Not all non-Catholics made religious conversion a condition for food. Several Anglican leaders, like the Anglican Archbishop of Dublin, Richard Whately, spoke out against the practice. Many Anglicans set up soup kitchens that did not try to convert anyone.

The Quakers, for example, focused only on helping people. Their soup kitchens were purely about charity. They were never linked to Souperism. Because of this, Quakers are still highly respected in Ireland today. Many Irish people remember them by saying, "They fed us in the famine."

Some reported Souperist practices included serving meat soups on Fridays. This was a problem because Catholic rules at the time said people could not eat meat on Fridays.

How People Reacted

People who were seen as "soupers" were often avoided by their own communities. Catholic priests strongly spoke against them in church. Sometimes, British soldiers even had to protect "soupers" from other Catholics.

The Lasting Impact of Souperism

The idea of Souperism became a common theme in stories and books about the Famine. This might have made people think it happened more often than it really did. Experts agree that the *fear* of Souperism was very real. They also say that the practice did happen. But there is little proof that it was widespread across the country.

Because of the strong feelings in the 1840s, stories from that time might not be completely accurate. Much of what people believe about Souperism is based on how it was *seen*, rather than the full truth. The popular idea of "soupers" has often overshadowed the good, unbiased help given by truly charitable groups.

How Charities Were Affected

One result of the strong feelings around Souperism was that many charities changed how they operated. To avoid being criticized or caught in arguments between Protestants and Catholics, some charities decided to help only people of their own religion.

For example, in Dublin, Mercer's Endowed Boarding School for Girls taught "girls of respectable Protestant parents." The Magdalen Asylum helped "Protestant women." On the other hand, St Joseph's Reformatory School for Catholic Girls taught Catholic girls. The Catholic Rotunda Girls Aid Society helped unmarried Catholic mothers.

Some people, like Barret, who wrote a guide to Dublin charities, were upset by this. She saw "wasteful overlapping of work." She asked charities to work together to give more help overall. However, she herself ran a charity for "the very young children of the industrious Protestant poor." The reasons for this disorganization were not just about religion. It was also because charities often didn't want to work with each other.

By 1913, "souper" became a general insult. It was sometimes used against very religious Catholics. For instance, a priest near Macroom was against informal dances. A group of dancers then called his informants "soupers."

See also

In Spanish: Soparismo para niños