I had a call from an English priest today to say that his diocese are writing to priests and quizzing them about their savings, assets and benefits.
The priest is quite certain that his diocese is doing this so that they can deduct monies from priest’s salaries and the pensions of retired priests.
We were told on the Blog the other day that Elsie Nichols has sent an even more scary letter to his priests.
There seems to be a plan afoot in England, and possibly Ireland, to find reasons to give serving and retired priests less money.
There is also a suggestion that some bishops are going to stop paying Private Health Insurance for priests.
Furthermore, there is talk about removing retirement homes outside the diocese for retired priests and forcing those priests to live in diocesan presbyteries with serving priests.
There will also be a cut back on paid sabbaticals.
There are two kinds of RC bishop – bishops who take the care of their priests very seriously – and those bishops who bully their priests and treat them with contempt.
Funnily enough, the scary John Charles McQuaid showed great care for priests – especially priests in trouble.
THE CURRENT IRISH BISHOP AND THEIR ATTITUDE TO PRIESTS:
- Amy Martin, Armagh – good to priests who toe the line. Nasty to others.
- Diarmuid Martin – Dublin priests greatly dislike him.
- Kieran O’Reilly – Cashel – ????????
- Neary of Tuam – Harmless enough apparently?
- Brennan – Ferns – Harmless culchie apparently.
- Deenihan – Meath – Self centred.
- Ray Browne – Kerry – Fussy culchie.
- Crean – Cloyne – as useful as tits on a bull.
- Phonsie – Moody Opus Dei.
- Doran – Elphin – Believes that homosexuality and Downs Syndrome come from the same gene.
- Duffy – Clogher – Harmless culchie.
- Duffy – Ardagh – Afraid of his own shadow.
- Duignan – Clonfert – New. ?????
- Farrell – Ossory – another tits on a bull man.
- Flemming – Killala – sneak.
- Gavin – Cork – Safe man.
- Kelly – Galway – under the spell of the older clergy. Weak.
- Leahy – Limerick – Harmless.
- Mc Guckian SJ – Raphoe – safe man. In over his head.
- McKeown – Derry – Clown.
- Monahan – Killaloe – repressed little twirp.
- Nulty – Kildare – Big Girl. Can’t stop running around.
- Router – Armagh – Harmless culchie, I think.
- Treanor – Down and Connor – autistic, Big Spender. Door knobs and expensive wine.
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BISHOP PAT BUCKLEY 