“We pray that one day we will have enough priests of our own and do not have to depend on Irish priests”.
A quote from Archbishop John A Murphy during his sermon at the Chrism Mass at Cardiff Cathedral in the mid 1970s.
I was there – as a newly ordained Irish priest for Cardiff.
Murphy was obviously of Irish extraction and often they were the worst.
My first PP in Bridgend was another Irish hater with an Irish name – Bernard Driscoll.
When he met me at the airport I accidentally called him Father O Driscoll. He answered: “Drop the f….. O sonny”.
He made my life in the presbytery a living hell:
I was not allowed any visitors.
I had to be in bed by 9 pm.
He chose what I ate and how much.
I was chaplain to the local general hospital but was not allowed to visit the maternity ward because “you Irish have fantasies about pregnant bellies”.
During our meals he repeated the words ” Dirty Dublin, dirty Dublin, dirty Dublin …….”
He paid me £ 5 a week which wasn’t much even in 1976.
After spending three months with him I became very depressed.
Murphy sent me to a psychiatrist.
The psychiatrist wrote that I was perfectly normal and needed a new appointment.
Murphy threw the psychiatrist’s letter in the bin.
I brought it to a head by taking the ferry to Ireland.
Eventually Murphy gave me a second parish.
My second PP was Irish. I was very happy there even though the PP and housekeeper had alcohol and “other” problems.
After a year a scandal involving the PP broke.
There was a new, young PP.
I was moved to a Canon Creed in Cardiff who was just like Driscoll.
At that stage I shook the dust of Wales off my feet and took refuge in the Emerald Isle.
During my time in Wales I listened to many priests recount their sufferings in English and Welsh presbyteries.
It was a great pity.
I absolutely loved the Welsh people and they treated me wonderfully.
Wales was hell because of the anti Irish bishops and priests.
BISHOP PAT BUCKLEY 
96 replies on “THE PAST TREATMENT OF IRISH PRIESTS IN ENGLAND AND WALES – BY REQUEST.”
I have no doubt about the Worldly Tyranny of Brits toward RC. I also have no doubt about Vatican Clerical Privilege to flaunt Legitimate Brit Civil Laws for Years and the use of Vatican Hit Squads. This whole Island has been a disaster for Genuine Christian practice for Centuries due to two corrupt Monarchical Systems. They repel each other.
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Thank you Brad, so balanced. In the 1960s the parish (in what was about to become Cormac country) wasn’t catechising the youth. My grandparents (three of them) who were the ones that joined the Catholic church, and my parents didn’t have catechesis (post WW I chaos). I got excluded from non-sectarian prayers & hymn singing which would have been wholesome for me, at my secular secondary school. I thought it was a quaint thing that happens at “big school”, My parents probably thought they were specifying which chaplain, should I be found unconscious. (I dis-excluded myself a bit late in the day) Stitch up – with Troubles in view probably.
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What a horrible experience, you describe, Pat. The anti-Irish Irish clergy have their equivalent in the homophobic clergy of today. Who decided you should go to Cardiff? Historically the disdain towards Irish clergy in the English Church was paralleled by an anti-Romanism. Understandably after Catholic Emancipation the Irish Church under the charismatic Archbishop Paul Cullen anchored itself hook, line and sinker to Rome. Meanwhile in England addressing priests as “Father” was considered to be an Irish and Roman affectation. The English style – at Ushaw for example – was to refer to priests as Mister. Readers of John Cornwell’s “Seminary Boy” will remember the then Fr McCartie telling him that priests were to be addressed as Sir. Meanwhile at the English Benedictine Houses, particularly Downside, the convention was Dom. In my lifetime I remember noticing that some Irish priests and seminarians, as soon as they were off the Slattery’s bus from Fishguard, switched their accents to a la-di-da English style.
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11.11
I have my own, particular form of address for Romanist priests; it is to the point, and highly informative. Honest, too.
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Cormac went the other way, and perfected the bumbling Irish Culchie, in spite of the fact that he was very establishment English in reality. He was embarrassing to listen to when he was interviewed, fudging his way through things and mouthing platitudes. I had a meeting with him once and it was obvious that he was just dying to get at the G&T, never mind the business we had at hand. Nice chap, I suppose, but a bit dim and pretty useless and ineffectual.
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I have no doubt that some priests were/are and can be bullies. I’ve had experiences. I think the Archbishop was expressing the wish that more men in his country might consider priesthood and not have to look beyond his Diocese for help. It’s a quote which I think can be completely and deliberately misunderstood, which I believe Pat is consciously doing. Somehow, the more I read Pat’s own narratives, I am of the conclusion that were he to have remained in the Catholic Church he’d have been a bully with everyone, priests and parishioners. His behavioural patterns suggest he is a one-man-band and does not have an integral, balanced psycholigical disposition to work productively alongside and with others. He is an awkward personality which many of us can be. However, when you are in ministry with other colleagues it is essential to be amiable, considerate, open to other opinions and be focused on what is best for the parishioners. This in my experience effects co-operation and the development of an atmosphere which is conducive to the overall good of the parishioners.
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Quote: “Maybe you should look at how you treated me before you bitch about how I reacted”.
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Paul Prior in my formation meetings would often speak of the beauty of Male to Male intimacy. Prior was fascinated with Gay Anal Sex and was intrigued with the preparation process for it.
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Prior remember is a victim of abuse to. Drury groomed, played and moulded Paul Prior. Prior in my day would always change his sheets every morning as he would piss the bed. Prior was always afaird of going pee at night.
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Liar at 11:56am! Pry-er was never abused by Drury! And even if Pry-er was abused, it doesn’t excuse his own behaviour.
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You, at 11.56, have maligned a dead man who can’t defend himself and impugned the integrity of a living man who you know won’t.
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11.56
In my time at Maynooth, I never experienced from Prof. Drury anything other than absolute moral propriety.
If you have evidence for your accusation against him, then bring it forward.
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2:39pm “Magna Carta” in your time in Maynooth? You were NEVER in Maynooth.
Everything about you is makey up as you go along – lies.
You must think we are daft to be taken in by a single thing you write. You’re a piece of fiction produced by some evil harridan with little do.
A mooching, useless troll who just happens to have sopped up a lot of clerical gossip over the years 😉 Oh we have the measure of ye alright Maggie. No fear 😆
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But gay men talk about things like that with other gay men, I don’t think it matters much if they are seminarians. Straight men do the same with their straight friends.
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In view of 11.56, the superiors of both showed imprudence. Apart from that, “entitlement” doesn’t in principle justify abuse of the attention of one’s audience, or of authority vested in one for their “deformation”. Why would such an obsession feature in such a house? Situations like these take years for all to get over, if they crop up.
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10.48: Pat, if you continually judge, condemn and criticise practically every cleric, be prepared for reactions. You are not always right or more moral than the many you condemn, often when they are trying their utmost. Yesterday, you posted a video of Fr. McCafferty with one intention only: to elicit nasty, jeering commentary. This was a complete misjudgment on your part considering the horrendous abuse experienced by him and which he has spoken about. It is morally repugnant that you would subject a very vulnerable person to mockery. You, out of your experience and I, out of mine, should be more acutely aware of what abuse does for life to survivors. If you can explain honestly your motivation for posting a video of Fr. McCafferty, I might forgive you but you must seriously look at your own behaviour over many years.
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Father McCafferty makes public conservative comments regularly. That’s leaves him open to positive and negative comments.
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11.41: Pat, that may indeed be true. However, you should have more compassion for him out if your own experience. Allow Fr. McCafferty express his beliefs and opinions. You may not agree with him but he does nit deserve to be stripped apart, literally, by hating trolls in your blog. I personally would not bring the Blessed Sacrament around streets from the roof of a car or otherwise but I admire those who will do so. They do not deserve to be mocked and jerred. Maybe on reflection his act of prayer reveals courage not timidity!
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You are supposed to be a Christian, Pat. His views which you may not agree with don’t excuse nasty and vicious personal attacks. Those are sins against charity – not valid criticism. And it’s not just Fr Pat. The young Dominican who has gone to work in the Mater hospital was savaged by some of the wolves on here the other day. You foster and permit this. Examine your conscience. Whether it’s Archbishop Éamon Martin or whoever else. You, as a man who calls himself a Christian and a Christian leader, needs to search your own heart before God for what goes on here under your watch. Those God raises up to confront evil and injustice do not sully themselves by guttersnipe and sinful behaviour. Are you a Christian or not?
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McCafferty, no matter what his former personal history, is just making a tit of himself wandering around in the sun roof of a car with the Blessed Sacrament. Really !! Any excuse to grab attention.
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Bitter / Sweet that one. Do we believe in the Blessed Sacrament any more or do we need to get off clerical and holy arses and do something
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11.55: I believe you are unkind to Fr. McCafferty. His experience of abuse is relevant. You obviously do not have any tolerance towards a public expression of spiritual support given by priests. You also are totally unaware or deliberately blind to the pastoral work being carried out by clergy in some very difficult and sad occasions. That’s your choice but at least you might be more humanly caring, compassionate and sensitive towards those who are well motivated.
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@11:55am – you were on yesterday too weren’t you “Fr”? 🙂
I think the dogs in the street might know who you are. Are you in your parish these days or “up the road”? 😀
A native but not a “priest” of the diocese. “In” the diocese but not “of” the diocese. I wonder whose house this could be? 🤔😆
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1.32
You are being naive, and exceptional, to expect special consideration for McCafferty: he is not above criticism, nor should he, nor any other Romanist priest.
This appeal of your to exceptionalism for McCafferty i s why many children who were abused were in turn abused again for daring to accuse ‘Father’ of wrongdoing.
McCafferty does not get a moral pass because he was abused.
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Bringing the Blessed Sacrament around the streets was appreciated more than words can express by my mother and many of her neighbours. It was a beautiful gesture and it did comfort a lot of people in the community. Very sad to see ugly hateful comments about it and against a good priest. The really frightening thing for me is that these comments could well be coming from one of some of his fellow clergy.
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2.40
The ‘Blessed Sacrament’, ‘Jesus’ in a word, was already present in those streets, in the hearts of those people, long before McCafferty took himself and his monstrance on tour.. His gesture, and his comment afterwards (that he had ‘brought Jesus to the people’ was not just heretical, but pointed up the high clericalist farce that that the Romanist priest is the indispensible mediator between God, and his people. Another heresy.
Catholics are mistaught by the institutional Romanist Church, certainly implicitly, that Jesus is not fully God unless he is acknowledged in the ‘Blessed Sacrament’.
God is God, and ‘real’ enough wherever he is. And God is everywhere.
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Pat I believe Rory Coyle is in a romantic relationship with an Armagh Seminarian. The alleged Seminarian has a fetish for uniforms.
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Is this Ex-Armagh seminarian a journalist?
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“Romantic” eh – that’s a new one! As you have more or less told us the identity of the seminarian, let’s hope they will remain true to each other given their past problems with commitment- to celibacy for instance. Will Amy give her blessing?
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Well, + Amy is bankrolling Rory, isn’t he ? Surely that will need to come to an end and Rory will have to learn to support himself. Especially if he’s engaging on a relationship with somebody. They can take care of each other. Just like the rest of the world. I wish no ill will to Rory et al, but the privileged and entitled life of the cleric has to come to an end sometime and somehow, and the harsh reality of the world must be faced. I guess it’s fear of that so many clergy hang on, until they get caught out. Then they usually take to religion with renewed vigour, I guess mostly because they know that is their meal ticket for life, and make sure that they stay in the clerical cocoon rather than having to face reality.
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What on earth is Rory actually doing now? It’s been some years now his “exposure” and he is not only pissing his life down the pan, but being financed by his diocese for which he performs no useful service. In no other walk of life would that be enabled, but the Church has no just process for dealing with these characters, except pretend it’s not happening. I suspect the “romance” with the seminarian is mischief-making. Rory is talented and young enough to make his own way in the world. OR his bishop lets him off the hook, but of course that would mean both owning up and taking responsibility.
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Rory is involved in non priestly pastoral work in London. I agree that he needs to sort out his future. That cant be easy after being a priest, master of ceremonies to the primate etc. I agree that honesty and openness are required.
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In me fathers time hi there was a hierarchy of priests. The top of shop and ones from wealthy families stayed at home. Some went to the England because of the need. The ones with no money went to the missions. Many I’m sure had a good experience but it still goes to there are gobshites in all corners of the world. Maybe Jesus needs to come back properly We are still messing it up
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Working as an Irish Priest in England, I have had a different experience. Yes, there can be silly comments, but most of them stem from ignorance about Ireland. A lot of it is banter, and I give as good as I get. I have learnt to defuse the nonsense with laughter. I would say that it is Polish clergy in Britain that are disliked now because they are seen as rigid and unyielding. You are correct Pat in saying the people are wonderful. It’s not that they are not the same at home, but the fraught situation with the church in Ireland has made things difficult, and people are rightly angry with the wicked, sinful, evil behaviour. Overall, I am glad I am not in Ireland.
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Pat did you ever receive contact with Fr. Michael Mullaney.
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That man Murphy I’d say was a real barrell of laughs in his day.
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The Toilets on St Mary’s Corridor were prime hunting grounds for sexual abuse within the last 10yrs. One Killaloe former Seminarian suffered an inappropriate violation of touching and an alleged Anal assault.
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That Killaloe seminarian suffered anal bleeding due to the sexual assault in the Toilet cubicle in St Mary’s Corridor. His parents did the courageous act by begging Fr. Iggy to protect their son from this Priest.
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How do you know whether that’s true or not, at 2:05? Wishful thinking I’d say, in order to vilify anyone who don’t like.
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2:05pm – If that is true then a grave crime was committed against that seminarian. Have the Garda been informed? Or are you simply perpetuating mischief and malice?
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How do you know whether that’s true or not, at 2:05? Wishful thinking I’d say, in order to vilify anyone you don’t like.
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There’s nowhere in Maynooth called St Mary’s Corridor, you liar.
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2.36: Magna, your comments, as usual, is a rewriting of what I actually said. I never suggested that Fr. McCafferty be given a moral pass of any kind for whatever reason. The act of prayer he provided was comforting to many but it does not deserve moral scrutiny, for he has not committed a crime. The point I was making, which of course you well understand, is that I think it is morally wrong to deliberately subject Fr. McCafferty to mockery on the grounds of his beliefs or his ministry of reaching out in his chosen way. I do not personally know this Priest. I have heard him speak publicly about his abuse. He has condemned unequivocally the Church’s mismanagement of this crisis. In my role as a priest I can never crush already broken and abused survivors. I can have conversations and disagreements but it is not my role to further hurt any human being. If you believe my sense of caring is wrong exceptionalism, I disagree fundamentally with you because you are not a kind person. You have demonstrated all too frequently your propensity and desire to tear priests to pieces. I also wonder if you think the same of Pat – that he too does not have a moral pass on all issues, opinions and behaviour!! Or, more relevantly, do you abrogate all moral responsibility for your own vulgar, condemnatory and abusive language witnessed here almost in a daily basis? Very easy to decide abiut others, always more challenging to admit our own wrong…
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3.04
There is nothing like self-pity to bring out the pseudo-martyr in people, like you.
No, I did not misrepresent you: regardless of your points, you were, actually, making a special case for McCafferty. This man has played upon his abuse, in a seeming endless way. He sickens me.
I was much younger than McCafferty when I was sexually abused by a much-older boy in a barley field, and then abused again by the same pervert three years later. The first time it occurred, I was just six years old. I have never gotten over it, but I did, for my sake, forgive the person. But what I won’t do, like McCafferty and his apologists, is play the perpetual victim.
As for calling me unkind, you know nothing about me beyond what you’ve read on this blog, and it certainly isn’t all there is to know. But then, you’re a Romanist priest, and arrogant presumptuousness comes with that territory.
McCafferty pulled an exceedingly ridiculous stunt with his ‘Jesus On Tour’ extravaganza, and he deserves being poked fun at for such risible behaviour, not least for his utterly fatuous and self-glorifying remark that he had brought Jesus to the people.
As the people might say in their own idiom: ‘Would he ever cop on?!’ 😕
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5.51: Wrong, wrong, wrong. You are hard hearted, so I wouldn’t expect any truth or reasonableness from you. You fight to the death simply to belittle and ridicule others. You hate priests, so I don’t expect any acknowledgement by you, Magna, of the genuine kindness of heart in treating hurt people with care. Tell me what crime Fr. McCafferty has committed to warrant your (skewed and biased) moral scrutiny? Every survivor reacts differently, so we must not presume that any survivor is not “vulnerable” ever again. My comment has touched raw nerves with you. I don’t know you: I know of you. I discern very intuitively personality types by the language and words used by others. You splinter people into pieces, are unempathic of heart and cruel and disingenuous in judgment of all priests. Why did Pat have to delete some of your comments recently? Not because he ran out of space but because they were ugly and an incitement to hatred. Fr. McCafferty does not play the victim: that’s your defence to justify your pathetic and unnecessary attacks on him and I suspect you know you are so morally wrong. When someone points out your wrongs and the horrendous abuse you spew out, may I humbly suggest that you listen, reflect and think carefully before you viciously respond.
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You are a liar, Carta. No one believes any of your narratives including that you were “abused” in a “barley field”. You are a vicious troll venting the spleen of some deeply dysfunctional individual(s). Would you ever “cop on” yourself. 🙄
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Magna Carta whoever you are – you are an appalling human being and it is clear you don’t know Fr Pat or his full story. I have heard his full story of abuse by a baby sitter when he was a very young child and then the later abuse by that priest who was put in jail for abusing him and others. Fr Pat has spoken up for victims of sexual abuse. I have never heard him express bitterness or lack of forgiveness and I have known him a long time. He “sickens” you? You don’t know him. You and your appalling attitude to so many people and issues is what is truly “sickening”.
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Carrying the Blessed Sacrament to people is a time honoured tradition for Catholics – Corpus Christi processions and such. I did not pick up from Fr McCafferty’s interview with the Scottish chap, that he was “bringing Jesus to the people” in the sense that “Magna Carta” is maliciously attempting to portray. Jesus of course is already present with people everywhere – in their hearts and in their homes. But for Catholic people the Eucharistic Presence of Christ has a particular power and resonance. I understand that the priest as he said himself was seeking to console the people by blessing them with the Eucharistic Presence of Christ. It was a beautiful thing to do and deeply appreciated by many many people. It is sad to see the viciousness being spewed by some of the usual suspects. It says more about them and the darkness that inhabits them. They need prayer.
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5.51: Your word or your story cannot now be believed. Ever. You are A LIAR and a dangerous liar. You devalue ither peopke’s hyrt andctryth. You mooch and lurk around like Satan, in hirrible darkness of mind and soul, drunk every day, spitting out your hatred. You exist for hatred alone. Sadly, you just don’t get it about your dangerous madness.
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Anon at 3.04: Very well expressed. Sadly, Magna will never admit to or own his wilful and sinful behaviour and vulgar onslaughts against others. He is too self possessing to recognise the truth of other opinions and insights, particularly when they get beneath his skin…
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‘Magna Carta‘ @ 3:49pm – It is clear to see that you are deliberately misinterpreting the gesture on account of your own malice. Nothing new there. Haters gonna hate. Keep on trolling eh? 🥱
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The Dominican doctor’s ‘superior’ (sic) who spoke about sending him back to the world, is a Fr Walsh. There was a seminarian of that name in Maynooth who parted company with his diocese for the OPs. Are they one and the same?
What were the circumstances of the separation, can anyone there at the time remember?
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Hi Pat,
Any word how your money for the NHS is going?
(I tried to post this earlier but it didn’t seem to come through for some reason. There might be a problem with my computer.)
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I have ended it collecting £ 751. When I receive the payment from GO FUND I will donate the money to the NHS charities and publish their receipt on here. That should be this week.
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4 42: Pat, while every penny counts, considering the so called following you have, that amount is derisory. In one week alone in our parishioners contributed close to 4000 euro for local families in need thriugh our parish website!! Where are all your supposed moral followers? Interesting.
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Congrats Pat. A good news story. What is happening in the Oratory these days? How are you ministering?
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On line Mass 7 days a week.
Full telephone and social media contact.
http://www.bishoppatbuckley.org
MON WED FRI 5.30 PM
SUN TUES THURS SAT 12 NOON
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4:42
Your parishioners gave 4,000?
How much did you give?
How did your priest(s) give?
If every cleric in Ireland raised £ 751 – we could have given £ 3,000,000
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You won’t get an answer to that one. 😅
When Romanists are asked awkward questions, or face situations in which conscientious choice (like, speaking out against episcopal misconduct) will bring personal retribution, these ‘Christmen’ 😅 dive for cover behind cowardly silence.😕
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5.15: You gave £100 if I recall Pat, which is generous. I have no doubt that clerics in the country have generously supported local and other charities. Also there have been many callers to my door, parishioners and total strangers. I don’t think it helps charity to be comparing one with another.
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Well done Pat on your fund raising efforts. I haven’t tuned in yet to the oratory. What are your viewing numbers like?
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Dont know yet. My host company will only have figures the end of May.
But why numbers? If a broadcast Mass helps ONE person, then it’s a resounding success.
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Pat, ‘why numbers’ is easily answered. The RC junta is all about numbers – numbers of mass attendees, donations, collections. Until the faithful stopped buying it it was all about numbers of children.
The junta is about power, not about religious beliefs and any expression of power is what they get off on.
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Indeed. It’s why they loved Bingo for so long 🤣
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5.17.. But you are the one who is competing for numbers! It’s not about numbers but about making a difference, helping others, spiritually nourishing them and standing with them in their struggles.
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3.49: Mags Rag, stop dancing on the head of a needle! If you claim God is everywhere, why is he not in your heart and soul? You are a narcissist and a disgrace to the name of The God whom Jesus reveals. Your stupid semantics has nothing to do with truth, justice, love or pastoral care but serve only your bigoted, hate filled and nasty vindictiveness. You need to come back to the Lord and perhaps you might spend a little time in the presence of the Most Blessed Sacrament. More than ever do we now appreciate the wisdom of authorities flipping you out of the seminary. Madness, delusions and a dangerous jealousy have invaded you. The good people of God were spared a psychopath.
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You didn’t do very well in seminary, did you?
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I was just curious. They say that a lot more people are tuning into Mass online than previously. No other reason to be honest. Peace.
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Abp Murphy is not unlike Bishop Len Brennan of Father Ted 🙂
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The original post today and the comments have given me much food for thought.
I actually read the comment about not relying on Irish priests as meaning home grown vocations should come forth, rather than an insult to the Irish.
That said, it is very evident from the comments here that nobody is prepared to take any ownership for what the church did to you, Pat, and continues to do to you by the comments on this blog.
Until RC clergy really learn that they are not being persecuted but it is their own actions which make them out of favour with some people and the complex motivation which makes people go to church, the church will continue to be seen for the abusive dysfunctional monster it is.
Some of the comments on here today are laughable, such as ‘We collected more money than you’ and ‘More people follow me than you’.
How old are you all? About ten?
No wonder the preoccupation with penis size mentioned here recently, the comments here haven’t developed beyond comparing!
‘Fathers’, how should you be responding as alleged Christians to people hurt by your church?
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Thank you. And, I do not regard myself as a victim of clerical and hierarchical abuse. I am a survivor of it. No cleric has ever addressed the things that happened to me.
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6.10: How old are you? A psychophantic comment.
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Typical response 👆
‘Father’ has misspelled it in his rage at anyone daring to question his absolute right to do whatever he feels like.
Now how about you take a deep breath and have a go at answering my question.
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6:34
I’m guessing 😲- but are you ten? 😆 ( Just wonderin, like). 😅
Don’t use words longer than your age! 😄 That’s for the big boys. 😉
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6:10 pm
The hierarchy are unwilling to take ownership or be accountable. Fr. Tom Doyle O.P. outlined the following among numerous lessons learned through advocating for survivors
of church abuse:
” We have learned that the last two popes and the hierarchy have a seriously twisted notion of right and wrong whereby they protect or excuse clerics who violate children but persecute and punish sincere, faith-filled men and women who seek ways to bring Christ and the Church to people in our twenty-first century culture.
We have learned that the presenting issue is the sexual violation of children, adolescents and vulnerable adults by clerics of all ranks, from deacons to Cardinals but that the most outrageous aspect of the scandal has been and continues to be the response by the hierarchy.
We have learned that blind orthodoxy has replaced courageous charity as the main focus of the papacy and hierarchy in our era.Those who profess their staunch but limited orthodoxy and total loyalty to the pope and magisterium are concerned for their emotional security at the expense of charity towards victims.
We have learned that the Church has in fact, responded to the victims with charity and support in their demand for justice, but it is not the institutional Church but rather the fundamental Church, the People of God.”
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Thank you, spot on, 7:01.
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6.18: Have you Pat, ever addressed the hurt, humiliation and suffering you have caused many, many clerics? You are always “the” victim. You are blind to your own horrible behaviour. Stop always blaming everyone else. Own your own wrongful actions.
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Tell me which clerics I have abused. Answer!
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None.
You have merely exposed their wrong doing – which since they expect to have a free pass to please themselves they then snivel and make out to be abuse.
They wouldn’t last five minutes in the real world.
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Pat thank you for exposing the Maynooth sexual abuse network. Pat you are a man of God who stood up and said no to the grooming and rape of Maynooth seminarians. Next stage god willing is a fair redress scheme and public apology from all Irish Bishops.
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6:32pm
Your very sensitive regarding perceived hurt humiliation and supposed suffering caused
to many, many clerics.
Clerics are in the public domain supposedly serving the people of God financed by the laity. If clergy are getting involved in abuse corruption or crime they need to think twice beforehand. Otherwise they might find their hurt humiliation and suffering is brought on by themselves due to their own behaviour.
Thousands of survivors of clerical and hierarchical abuse have had their lives destroyed or are prematurely in their graves.
There is no comparison between the suffering of clerics and the suffering of those abused by clerics and their protectors. Don’t try conflate both.
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Pat, surely you need to make some intervention about the comments from some posters concerning Fr Paddy McCaffery’s abuse?
I work with survivors and it would be very distressing for any survivor to hear his or her story being treated so hurtfully and cruelly on a site like this? Surely you want a space, as a survivor yourself, where survivors are safe and their stories respected?
We have no idea if the poster at 5:51pm (I think), who talks about being abused aged six, is genuine and truthful. On a blog site anyone can pretend to be anyone or anything and there is absolutely no way of knowing.
However, we do know that Fr McCaffery ‘s story is real and that he is a real person who had the courage to face his abuser in an open court along with other victims. We know that he has been open about what happened to him and for a survivor to waive anonymity is a huge risk – not least from public nasty comments – from faceless persons cloaked in anonymity on the Internet. I know personally of survivors he has helped and proved immensely supportive of.
The comments of that person earlier are totally uncalled for and unwarranted. Please ensure in your moderating comments that more suffering is not maliciously inflicted on those who have already suffered more than enough.
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Pat, the comment at 9:08pm? Seriously?
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9.08: Magna, I was a little sympathetic to you as a result if your abuse. But this comment in its deliberate hurtgulness, vulgarity and offensiveness makes me sick and am deeply saddened for all victims/survivors of sexual abuse. To be so ignorantly dismissive of Fr. McCafferty is to HURT all survivors. I am shocked that Pat printed your comment. It’s worse than your ‘scum’ comment which was rightly deleted. I notice misspellings which is indicative of your drunken mind. I hope you get very very sick on your vomit.
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I’m with this and 3.04 and 7.12. The person who objected must be either Jesus or the Pope – anyone else wouldn’t feel threatened. McCafferty is in the public eye on behalf of others affected.
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The blog always gives me a great laugh to read the malcontents, mainly Seminary and ex priests. They are so obvious it’s laughable and they stick out like sore thumbs. They all play the victim card like Buckley does and by gum they play it well like an old broken record. All hard done by it makes my heart bleed. Their resentment and anger for their own failure and rejection by the Church is plain to see and read on this every day it’s almost pathetic in ways.
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Pat thank you for passing this comment – it shows perfectly the spiteful rejoicing in the suffering of others in which the Cathbots excel.
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9:09pm
Church policy for generations certainly facilitated the suffering of thousands abused by clerics, covered up ‘ for the good of the church’, or so we were told. Concern for the suffering of others certainly didn’t matter. Still doesn’t matter.
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8:31
The pathetic commentators on this blog are those trying to defend the indefensible. Sad.
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Oh dear malcontent @ 9.27pm. Did I upset you? Bless.
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8.31: You are a moron. A pathetic excuse for a human being. Head back to school for a proper education.
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@9.37pm. Moron. Really? Is that the best you can offer? You have a very limited vocabulary don’t you. Not the brightest at School I’m sure.
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9:50pm
No. I was not rejected by the church. I survived abuse.
It must be difficult leading a duplicitous life while trying to defend a corrupt institution.
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Interesting that Cardiff today has another Irish man George Stack born in Cork
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And a previous Kilkenny man was archbishop – McGrath.
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