Day: Jul 22, 2019

Last week I met what I call a Christ like ATHEIST, although he himself and many other atheists might not be comfortable with the term Christ like atheist.

I’m sure MMM will have something to say about that?

This good atheist is a barman in a local hostelry I occasionally visit for Sunday lunch.

His name is Peter.

He has always made his atheism clear to me – but always in a very friendly manner. In fact we joke with each other as atheist and bishop.

But he did something really good and honourable recently.

His pride and joy is his long hair and pony tail.

When I met him last week I was shocked – he had a very, very tight hair cut.

I asked him what happened his hair.

He told me that he had donated it to a charity that makes wigs for cancer patients. The minimum hair length they accept is 17 inches.

What a wonderful and generous action – to sacrifice something you love so dearly – to help another human being going through probably the worst time of their lives.

Its a perfect example of how religious people do not have a monopoly on goodness and generosity.

In fact many church goers have little or no goodness about them at all.

It also shows that atheists are just as capable as religious people of having a strong moral and ethic as religious people – and are just as capable of doing great good in the world.

Peter did his good deed for another human being – and not for God.

Of course I believe in God – and in the end atheists will be just as welcome, if not more welcome, in “heaven” as religious people.

There is a massive difference between SPIRITUALITY and RELIGION.

“GOD WANTS SPIRITUAL FRUITS – NOT RELIGIOUS NUTS”

WITH SO MUCH IN THE NEWS ABOUT CLERICAL SEXUAL ABUSE PEOPLE FORGET THAT ABUSE BY THE CLERGY GOES FAR DEEPER THAT JUST SEXUAL ABUSE.

THERE IS WIDESPREAD NON SEXUAL CLERICAL ABUSE BY PRIESTS AND BISHOPS.

Things like:

Bishops and priests using large sums of diocesan and parish money for their own needs and desires.

An example would be the circa £4 million spent by Noel Treanor on his Belfast palace.

Bishops and priests abusing their authority over other clerics and lay people.

An example would be the sacking of the two very loyal elderly lady sacristans in the Pro Cathedral in Dublin.

Priests visiting the homes of elderly devout Catholics and coveting antiques and other property.

There was a famous case of this in Down and Connor with the now deceased Father Michael Coppinger. He used to covet antique clocks and furniture belonging to elderly ladies. And when the old lady tried to say “Ill leave it to you in my will” he would answer “There is no guarantee that you children will honour that” and nearly always left with the coveted item. 

Priests visiting elderly ladies regularly and getting them to leave the priest their house and/or money in their will and in some cases copper-fastening this by providing the lady with sexual favours.

This has happened and is still happening all over Ireland. Mourne Man Michael told us of how one of his aunts did something similar.

A priest visiting elderly widows and getting them to take their money out of the post office or bank and giving it to them as an interest free loan – and never returning the money to the old lady or the family.

Father Vincent McKinley of St. Peter’s in Belfast, who had a serious gambling addiction was at this in my time there.

Priests verbally abusing parishioners on the telephone, at the presbytery door or in schools or churches.

We heard on this blog that the PP of Magherafelt, John Gates, was capable of sending old ladies home in tears.

Priests physically assaulting parishioners and others. I have heard many cases of this and indeed as I said recently I was beaten up in St Peter’s presbytery.

Priests making jokes about peoples troubles and even disabilities

Priests bullying school principals and teachers.

Priests giving jobs to family and friends in schools and overlooking the best qualified candidates.

Priests being persistently absence from their parishes – the work one day a week syndrome.

Priests living their whole lives in a spirit of cynicism.

Priests having out of control drinking, drug taking and gambling addictions.

Priests embedded in clericalism and regarding themselves as superior to all others.

Priests using parishioners for money, holidays, expensive meals out – and never returning the compliment.

Maybe readers will come up with other examples.

These are the ones I have experienced and that come to mind at the time of writing.