Salford church leader voluntarily steps down after concerns raised about what he knew about ‘sexual abuse’ of a teenager by a priest
Second priest steps down from duties at Servite church on Bury New Road
BY DAMON WILKINSON, NEAL KEELING Manchester Evening News.
Our Lady of Dolours RC Church, Bury Old Road, Kersal, Salford(Image: Google)
A prominent member of a Catholic religious order in Salford has voluntarily stepped down from his duties after concerns about what he knew about a colleague’s ‘grooming and sexual abuse’ of a young woman.
Father Vincent Coyne
The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse was told that Father Vincent Coyne, who is prominent figure in the Servite Order was present, but not involved, when Father Peter Conniffe began grooming a 15 year-old girl.
Father Coyne has now stepped aside voluntarily while the Catholic Servite Order investigates.
Earlier this year the Manchester Evening News revealed that Father Conniffe had pleaded for forgiveness from the woman who he had ‘sexual activity’ with when she was a teenager.
Father Conniffe, formerly priest at Our Lady of Dolours in Kersal, Salford, apologised to the woman in a letter seen by the M.E.N.
He was investigated by police after the woman – who met him after going to confession as a schoolgirl – made a complaint of historic sexual abuse.
The case was not pursued to criminal action, and Father Conniffe denies ‘any accusation of sexual assault’.
However, the woman has been compensated by the religious order he belongs to, the Servite Order.
PAT SAYS
A deceased priest friend of mine, Father Michael Keane, always said that the RC crowd never act when you challenge them but when the dust settles they will slyly slither sideways like the snakes they are.
The IICSA is pouring vitally needed light into the very dark corners of sexual abuse and corruption and cover up in the RCC in England.
Priests are resigning.
Cardinals are in disgrace.
Religious orders are being forced to vomit up their long protected child abusing members.
All of this is further proof, not that any more proof is needed, that the RCC CANNOT and must not be allowed to police themselves any longer.
The UK and Ireland must legislate to take safeguarding totally out of the hands of the RCC.
We need professional secular safeguarding commissioners to police RCC safeguarding and chase down and punish RCC abusers and Episcopal and religious cover up merchants.
Bishops and religious superiors who cover up need to go to prison!
BISHOP PAT BUCKLEY 