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GERMAN ARCHBISHOP CLOSING 960 OF HIS PARISHES. FROM 1000 PARISHES TO 40!

July 16, 2020 CNA Daily News Print

CNA Staff, Jul 16, 2020 / 05:45 am (CNA).- A German archdiocese is pressing ahead with plans to dramatically reduce the number of its parishes despite the Vatican’s decision to block a similar plan in another diocese.

CNA Deutsch, CNA’s German language news partner, reported July 15 that Archbishop Stephan Burger intends to turn the archdiocese’s 1,000 parishes into 40 mega

parishes.  

In a July 14 letter to archdiocesan staff, Burger described the proposal as an “adequate response to the challenges facing our archdiocese.”

He said: “At the moment, I see no reason to make any changes to the objectives and the main features of the project.” 

The Archdiocese of Freiburg, which has almost 1,000 priests and serves 1.8 million Catholics, is located in the state of Baden-Württemberg in southwest Germany. According to official statistics published in June, 22,287 people formally left the Church in the archdiocese in 2019. 

The reorganization project, known as “Church Development 2030,” is currently being discussed in deaneries. Their feedback will result in a second draft. After further discussion, a final decision will be taken on the program by the end of the year. 

The Vatican intervened last month to stop the Diocese of Trier, located in the west of Germany near the border with Luxembourg, from merging its 887 parishes into 35 larger parishes, following a three-year diocesan synod.

The diocese said that two Vatican departments — the Congregation for Clergy and the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts — had raised concerns about “the role of the pastor in the leadership team of the parish, the service of other priests, the conception of the parish bodies, the size of the future parishes and the speed of implementation.”

Trier diocese is now working on a new plan to address the Vatican’s objections. 

The official website of “Church Development 2030” argued that the Vatican’s concerns did not apply to the program for Freiburg archdiocese. 

“For the archdiocese, this decision of the Congregation for the Clergy has currently no consequences. According to canon 515 §2 it is ‘the diocesan bishop alone’ who can establish, abolish or change parishes; provided due process is adhered to,” it said. 

“Despite the present suspension of the implementation of the decisions of the Trier synodal assembly, we believe that neither the Congregation for the Clergy nor the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts will restrict this fundamental right of the bishop to exercise his pastoral ministry.”

EMAIL TO BISHOP PAUL SWARBRICK ABOUT BLACKPOOL PARISH AND FR ETIENNE

PAT SAYS

It seems very drastic to me that any bishop would close down over 900 parishes and replace them with 40 !

Especially when there are over 1000 priests in the diocese.

I also wonder what amount of consultation has been engaged in with the people of the closing parishes?

In every parish generations of people have supported and built up the parishes.

Many parishioners have donated stained glass windows, marble altars and lecterns, works of art, pews etc.

And then along comes a bishop or priests and either sells or dumps the donated items.

People are quite right to be angry about this kind of thing. Families and people live in parishes for hundreds of years.

Bishops and priests are passing through.

In the Friburg case haw can you reduce 1000 plus parishes to only 40 ?

193 replies on “GERMAN ARCHBISHOP CLOSING 960 OF HIS PARISHES. FROM 1000 PARISHES TO 40!”

Brad please can you tell us who is “we” and who is asking the questions because I hope no-one will consider answering (and submitting their e-mail addresses) until you come clean with us.

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So God sent the Pandemic in order to have us decide what is important to us? According to Pope Francis. Did I get that correct, Brad?

How very decent of God ! One very minor consideration : how many people worldwide have now succumbed to Covid-19 that we might be able to make this important decision about what is important to us?

OVER 600,000…according to WHO. But who’s counting?

Thank God for his consideration.

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Anon@8:42: As a matter of fact we have a lot to thank this “God” for. After all, scrumping an apple 🍎 🙄 😑 🤣 😅 or two is a verrrrrry serious matter. So it’s only fair that we miserable offspring of Adam get a good seeing to, again, and again, and again. We all deserve it, every one of us, even those starving Ethiopian babies afflicted with eye disease. After all, scrumping apples from someone as big and important as God surely demands severe punishment.
So thank you God. I’m truly grateful.
MMM

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How can 1000 parishes be reduced to 40?
CLERICALISM.
And the document issued recently by the Congregation for Clergy makes clear that parish closures is entirely the responsibility of bishops, no consultation necessary.
I’m sure some readers remember the closure of St Joseph’s parish, in Sailorstown, Belfast. No consultation there either as far as I know. But a lot of very hurt people.

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Pat – If the Bishop will not do anything about this Priest who is destroying a Parish we should work together to provide alternative care for the people.

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He’s not destroying the parish is he? So far we have one person complaining 1 He doesn’t say good morning 2 He cancelled the guitars- this must be before March when the churches were all closed 3 Bullied a Polish Priest this must have been done in public 4 Wears Roman vestments and a cassock 5 Wears Black Vestments for a Catholic funeral 6 Asked for the offerings as every priest does. Pat knows if the different names that appeared are all from different email addresses, even so there’s a maximum of four and a supposed general meeting of parishioners that took place somewhere which represents the parishioners of two churches in rundown Blackpool. Both church buildings have outlived their purpose and should be closed and a short trip to the Sacred Heart should be their future pathway, neither of the two churches will ever see full congregations ever again and imagine being the priest who’s told by the Bishop “ I would like you to take over two churches for me please the parishioners have all united themselves in declaring the present priest in charge a destroyer” “ Yes My Lord they sound like the kind of pilgrim people I love can’t wait “

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8.34 no. 3, fallacy warning, like so many others you are a bullying denier.
Speaking up always does start with one person. The rest of their hearts were so dismayed this would happen at a church of all places. They are merely relatively inarticulate and say it is about the apparent substance. Rome taught us not to see as God sees.

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Why does the Bishop not get off his backside, go to the parish, and meet with the people, and priest to sort this out?

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FR DANIEL ETIENNE is only a Priest for three years.It is far to soon for a Priest ordianed so short a time to run a Parish .

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Och Pat, only wan wee day tae go before the very especially dedicated Scottie Day.
Och, the excitement is palpable pal – in the wee toons and hamlets and even Glasgay and wee far flung crofts.
Wee Inspector Hamish hae drew up a canny wee Horarium fae the wee day och aye, Pat.
Y’all be picked up fray the Larne boat Pat first thing o’ Wednesday and tack the highroad to a bonnie wee eatin’ hoose for a big guzzler o’ porridge and a few wee drams.
Then wull kick aff the wee day Pat wi tossin a few cabers, a tug o’ war, throwin the wee hammers, a few wee games o feetba and a couple o’ wee drams 🥃🥃🥃
Och aye the noo Pat, wa hae a wee surprise a fer ye – a special kilt in the tartan of the Buckley clan – fae ye tay wear.
Aroon 11, wull have a couple o’ sorrowful laments and a communal wail led by the Inspector. A couple o wee drams then a wee haggis hunt up Ben Nevis. 🥃🥃🥃🥃
That shid bring us nicely up tay lunchtime, Pat and a barbecue o’ the captured haggii wi a couple o wee drams 🥃🥃🥃
Fae th’after noooooon, Pat, wull have a few recitations o wee fearful tales fae the Inspector’s library o Scottish ecclesiastical scandals and a wee dram fae to stop us gittin afeard.
Arooon 3pm, there’s the KOB Memorial Prize to be awarded fae the most heartbreakingly desolate tale o’ woe and disgrace and Inspector Hamish is gae to read a few wee volumes of his magnum opus – Little Hoose Up the Prairie (o’ Looordes).
Another wee dram or two or three 🥃🥃🥃🥃🥃 and then twill be dinner time Pat wee hen – tatties and neeps and a spit roasted couple o highland heifers.
Och the wee drams tha will be flowin Pat an the bonnie wee laddies will be a votre service Monseigneur hand and foot.
A few drams afore ye go and your carriage will tak ye til the Larne boat fer hame, Pat. Och aye the noo twill be the grand day oot 🥃🥃🥃🥃🥃

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Why should you be bothered Buckkey since you have no formal parish, Diicese or jurisdiction? You have no solutions to any challenges ecceotbto scoff at those who are trying to respond meaningfully to challenges. You have not succeeded in Larne Oratory. It has made no impact to further the kingdom of God as It is based on a vengeance and hatred towards the Catholic Church. You have much to offer but despite all your preaching and evangelising, like that of Catholic Priests it is not bearing a productive harvests. Why, I wonder? Are we – all of us playing the end game of the church and religion as we know it? Even you, Pat?

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To misquote one of the 39 Articles from The Church of England:
“The Bishop in Larne Hath No Jurisdiction in This Realm of England”

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The world eh Pat? Wow. Just wow. 😮
Are you like Leo diCaprio in Titanic – “I’m the King of the World”?

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Yes Anon@ 12:20, indeed the end game for church and religion AS WE KNOW IT (my capitals) is fast approaching. By “as we know it” I refer to the self serving RCC organisation created by social, psychological and emotional assimilation of adherents into a self sustaining cult based on a farrago of unreliable historical facts.
Religions and their temples have come, gone and changed throughout history. Current western churches, Christian in nature, originated from concepts of monotheism emerging from previous polytheism. Isaiah 45:18, 22 affirms “I am Yahweh and there is no other”. In those biblical times belief in a panoply of gods was common: eg Exodus 12:12 “on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgements “.
Scholars argue about the transition to monolatry, ie, worship of one God to the exclusion of others. But all things change, even religion, and however it came about, the RCC and its religion as we know it is a monotheistic cult historically sustained through deference and ignorance. The pace of social and technological factors continues to accelerate changes to traditional beliefs. This further diminishes the status , role and significance of the church so change is inevitable.
2 Timothy 3, and Matthew 24, among others, write of the “end days”. Maybe it’s coming quicker for the RCC establishment than they expect.
MMM

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Thanks @12:34. You’re so predictable and I can always rely on you for intelligent insightful informative comments.
MMM

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10:19
All authority / jurisdiction comes from God. As I once told Cackle Daly I take my “faculties” from the Highest Source.

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Was he related to the Cahill family of Teconnaught near Crossgar? They had a Fr Sean Cahill in D&C diocese who was based in Kilkeel area.

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Sean Cahill is still in Kilkeel, but no relation. Mgsr Cahill had family connections in Kilkeel.

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In case anybody hasn’t got it yet – this post should make it clear that the church doesn’t belong to the people. It is run by clergy and all about clergy, for the benefit of clergy. The code of canon law quoted above indicates the parishes are the bishop’s to dispose of as he sees fit.
Don’t think protesting will change this – the church is a racket for the benefit of the clerical club.

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Fr Eithne is a HOLY Priest sent by the HOLY GOD to do the HOLY WORK he must be obeyed to please HEAVEN but the HOLY GOD will be ANGRY if not

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A@9:13, you sound like one of those strange creatures who inhabit Norn Iron street corners and seaside promenades. Sober suited, thundering and proclaiming their God’s holy word, they promise hell fire and damnation for unrepentant sinners. Their god too seems a rather odd character much preoccupied with we rather insignificant humans.
Tell us more. I await, with “baited” breath. Ahem!
MMM

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I agree that we should all try to please God and avoid displeasing him. I thought that preaching hell fire and damnation with sulphur and pitchforks went out a while ago. At least the Jesuit who led a wonderful series of Lenten lectures I attended last year said so.

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That Jesuite is NOT a holy priest the HOLY GOD is ANGRY to these men and will PUNISH them by letting the DEVIL do on them whst he fancies praise be the HOL GOD amen

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5.18, probably getting on the t*ts of people like you.
Now THERE’S something worth getting out of bed for every morning.

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@5:18: Thank you for an earnest question which I happily respond to. This answer is personal and shaped by an understanding of what I believe to be reliable information drawn from research by persons much more gifted than I. So it has to be said I place no reliance on the whole unreliable and unverifiable gobbledegook that is religion.
Having said that, I think it’s an invalid presumption that, I, MMM, or we humans MUST have a purpose in the sense of having been created to fulfil a destiny or purpose. This presumption is without evidence, and implies an external force or creator.
Humanity’s origins is a big debate, just as is how and why so many believe that we must have a purpose in the sense of working towards a personal destiny. I won’t go into that now, other than to acknowledge the causative factors of religion, environment, and community beliefs which strongly influence our emotional search for significance beyond the inevitability of our demise.
I do not believe we have been created to fulfil a purpose or achieve a destiny. I think we are here in this world living the only life we’ve got. Our evolution as intelligent social animals shows we all fare better by cooperating and caring for one another and our earthly home. In terms of the point or purpose of my life, I’m content to ‘tread lightly on planet earth,’ meet the obligations of my responsibilities to care for those I relate to; to avoid doing harm, and when and wherever I die, so be it. And that will be the end of me, other than in the memory of a few.

To believe I have been created with some purposeful objective and destiny may be emotionally reassuring, but I believe it goes against all the evidence I’ve so far seen.
MMM

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Thank you, MMM for your honest answer @9:43. I’ve long thought that it’s harder to be an athiest, especially if a person has had a hard life. I worry about ending up saying “is that it?” when it comes to life, and whether a hope for heaven or fear of hell has kept me going when I’ve felt like jacking it all in.
I equally admire athiests who live sober, responsible lives, without hope of earning merits. I wonder if I’d live a dissolute life without belief. I probably would, which says a lot about me, maybe.
Once again, thank you for taking the time to give your thoughtful response.

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Yesterday saw 210 comments about Etienne and the Blackpool farrago. Bishop Swarbrick need to take notice. If he is not reading this blog, then maybe his predecessor + Campbell will pass on the information to him (he regularly reads this blog), and Swarbrick needs to get his arse in to action before this spirals out of control. There is a perfectly sensible way through this, which is for him to talk to Etienne and get him to dial down his antics, stop being so peremptorily arrogant and dismissive of the laity, and behave with a bit of humility and respect for people who have been the life of that parish for much longer than he has been alive. Allowing him to run riot and according to his own odd and fanciful traditionalist ways will just bring more and more trouble. It will go from bad to worse, and Etienne will come off worse, and his future will not be a happy one. Also, he will become a regular on this blog. He needs to ask Rory, JPL, Littletwat and others what it’s like to see your name here pretty much everyday, and people pointing out your idiocies and antics, be it being a Power Bottom or a Lace Queen. Action this day, as Churchill used to say, is required. ! Listen up + Swarbrick.

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How many of the posts were criticisms? So the job description: Two rundown churches in Blackpool require a heterosexual non-peadophile, non – alcoholic, commited to the Vatican Two project circa 1978, interested in collaborative ministry with the folk group, recognises the value of polyester vestments and that funeral is a good send off for the nearest and dearest, keeps Sunday mass to under 60 minutes. We can provide a rundown house within walking distance of the golden mile but we will be keeping our eyes on the pennies please be free to start this coming Sunday thanks the People of God Blackpool ( Mrs)

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They’ll attract more people when they do.
Says a great deal about the appeal of Catholicism.

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Is it true that Blackpool is the best place to go to in the UK if you want to meet a lonely divorcée?

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I wouldn’t have minded seeing the contents of Rita Fairclough’s building society passbook.

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Where is +Campbell, Emeritus of Lancaster, now.
Is he not from your parish in Ireland +Pat.
If he is retired there now maybe you could team up.
You would make a quare pairing

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Fr Etienne helped him move home and stayed the night with him to help settle him in.

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It is the job of a parish priest to engender love, peace, harmony, unity and calm. Etienne appears to be incapable of doing this, in fact he appears to be better at doing the exact opposite. There have to be serious questions about his abilities and suitability to pastor and lead a congregation. Again, as many commentators have already said, + Swarbrick needs to intervene and ensure that love, peace, harmony, unity and calm are restored, otherwise he will be seen as being complicit in creating the opposite and will have failed in his role as the chief pastor of that diocese.

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Swarbrick is a bit of an ecclesiastical “hippie” who prefers walking and cycling to governance.

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Well, he needs to get on to his bike and head off to Blackpool to sort this nitwit out. Otherwise, he will find that it will escalate and do great enduring damage to the Church in that area. How he can appoint a man who has been ordained only 3 or 4 years, with questionable churchmanship and personal abilities to such a role is very questionable.

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I love light and truth, and when the time comes for my little light to shine — I’m gonna let it shine with all the radiance and glory of the Father and the Son.
“But everything exposed by the light becomes visible–and everything that is illuminated becomes a light.”
Ephesians 5: 13

… You don’t own me, don’t tell me what to do or what to say.
… You don’t own me
Don’t try to change me in any way
You don’t own me
Don’t tie me down ’cause I’d never stay…

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Hi Bishop Pat, I have tried to call you.
I am having great difficulty obtaining legal assistance for court, it almost seems impossible…
Is there anybody on here who can help at all?
Is there anybody who would be willing to represent me?
Contact Bishop Pat

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The Liverpool Law Society mentions a charity called LawWorks which does pro bono work.
Otherwise the citizens advice should be able to point you in the right direction.

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A Sure Luke is right. Just like a nearby disused fire station that has been vandalised the church is being demolished. Tis the cycle of life and the Gym of Adam and Eve hi

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I really do not wish to attend that court without legal assistance on 10th August, especially with what we know.
Any help please??

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Thank you 1:16pm
I have just spoken with Slater and Gordon, they have a specialist clerical abuse team and it sounded promising.
Thanks again!
God bless

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Bizarrely Germany has the same number of dioceses as Ireland with 10x number of Catholics. If Freiburg has a thousand priests for a thousand parishes, there shouldn’t be a problem, though this begs the question of how many priests are actually exercising their pastoral duties.

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The Canadian Archdiocese of Halifax-Yarmouth has streamlined its parishes from 66 to 20 from the start of 2020. Each new parish (which may have more than one church building) has two priests and weekly Mass attendance of over 500.

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The doctorate was submitted a year after his dick pics on Grindr and his confessing, to a lad with whom he was hoping to have sex, that he loved orgies, gay beaches and that he rented rooms by the hour for gay sex. You couldn’t make it up could you? Absolutely staggering.

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1.15, I wonder if Rory managed to get beyond his going towards a framework for those coping mechanisms and suggested the obvious, from his personal experience, to provide relief for priests ‘engaged in major transitions in their lives?

Opening a Grindr account.

It’s amazing the bullshit the laity will pay for.

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No, it is not just you.
And judging by the protracted, convoluted title, Rory knows less about the subject than he does about exercising prudence on Grindr.

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Do you think that Rory is employing his own coping mechanisms for priests engaged with major transitions in their lives? After all, he’s in the midst of one.😅

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5:13, I agree. his bibliography quotes very old and outdated material.
I suspect they send clergy for Phd’s with the expectation they will climb higher on the ecclesiastical ladder. Rory, is in someway a lecturer, so maybe he didn’t lie after all to the young man on Grindr.

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6.38, my mum lectured me on the sinfulness of robbing apple orchards when I was a kid, so I suppose she could have described herself as a lecturer, too.
Behave yourself!

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It reads like a major essay in a BA degree in anthropology or sociology, rathervthan for a doctorate. In summary, the priests he interviewed had been mature students, they enjoyed the camaraderie of the seminary, leaving it was a type of griving, most felt the grace of ordination, were glad to have the other priests there, but there was no proper induction or structure when in a parish, and priest created informal support structures. No mention of inappropriate behaviour or Grindr.

That’s what I got from a quick read of it.

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How were the good people of Armagh archdiocese helped by Rory footering about doing a very clergy-focused study in an obscure Welsh university?

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I only skimmed it but the structure reminded me of a Masters thesis. The acknowledgements were interesting…
Seems it’s not a requirement for a bishop to have a doctorate these days and there are enough highly educated priests with DDs and PhDs who would never be considered for a diocese.

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I’d love to do a Phd, but I’m not a priest or nun. I have to pay for a house, bills, car, insurance tax, food, etc. Dioceses take up collections for the ‘education of priests’ so they go on a free 3, 4 or even 7 year holiday to Rome, EVERYTHING paid for.
Can clerics not get jobs in restaurants, bars and retail like the rest of us and actually EARN your degree.

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The thesis was for Doctor of Ministry, I suspect that degree like DD and LLD is not quite the rigorous contribution expected for a PhD.

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I am a priest and I have paid for my MA myself. I pay for my breaks too which are no more than three weeks in the year, and I try not to include a Sunday in that calculation.

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Pat, did I see you mention something before about your family making a contribution toward your studies? wouldn’t that have been the norm back in the day? when no one had money, they still managed to work hard to contribute. now it’s free this, free that.

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No my family were not able to contribute financially. I worked every Christmas Easter and summer to help myself – as a page boy, a cinema usher, a cinema projectionist, a security man, a labourer a barman, a waiter etc.

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I once met a seminarian who was attending Oscott. He told me that his Diocese paid for his car insurance and purchased him a new laptop. ‘you can just ring up and tell them you need things and they just get it for you’

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@ 4.56, so it is just an egotrip for Rory? Perhaps he believes that being referred to as Rev Dr…(and he will undoubtedly insist upon it) will give him sufficient personal gravitas to make people forget his seedy past.
But… Oh, Rory! For you there’s no getting away from those Richard pics. And they are still out there, and in others’ files.

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maybe a personal email to him may work and follow with, ‘as a matter of courtesy, could you please acknowledge receipt of my concerns. Kind Regards +Pat”

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Eamon Martin, for all his pious, cloying and prissy demeanor, doesn’t bother his hole to reply to correspondence from lay people.

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Liberal Catholics of a certain age love those puppets. The bishop saying Mass for all those young groovers is Remi De Roo, who bankrupted his diocese in Canada.

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Liturgical Abuse! don’t you mean Sacrilege! what an outrage and looking at the age group in that mad mob they should have known better, it looked like BEDLAM! That dreadful priest and his mob should be sectioned and sent to a maximum security dementia home. You have idiots on this blog screaming if a Priest wears an alb with a bit of lace or a roman vestment
and follows the rubrics. Is this what they want?

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It was interesting near the beginning of the video they ignored puppet, dancer, cross and acolytes, but still stood for Father.
Despite singing about a new church its more of the same and still all about the priest yawn.

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It does seem like it but honestly look up St Joan of Arc church, that has been normal fare in some places.

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Pat,

Have you started back saying public Masses yet in the oratory?

Any update how you are coping in the situation?

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Our Oratory is very small. The congregation will be starting back later this week with them coming over the seven days.

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3.01: Does that mean 1 a day Pat??. Small is small for the Oratory: almost very insignificant. At my local Church we have about 100 at the 9.00amand 50 at 7pm – socially distanced and 135 each at 5 weekend masses – socially distanced.. Thank God. Praise God – but we are too careful to bring people to our centre firvtea and coffee – we have to be responsible not foolish.

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Too careful or too mean?
Be on your guard: Sodom and Gomorrah pissed God off for the same reason.

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How do you feel about having people back in your home Pat? Is it safe for you to let people into your house? You might be better off waiting for a bit longer.

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Oh, I see. Will you be doing special ceremony to welcome people back?

It sure has been a stressful time for people, especially for the lonely and vulnerable. I wish we were doing more as a society to help these people. Maybe people on the blog could come up with some suggestions.

I’d love to do more but I have an underlying health complaint.

Peace to one and all.

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No. Just Mass as usual. My congregation have really missed getting together. Because we ate small we have tea together every Sunday and we go out together socially.

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I’d love to be part of a Christian Community that go out together socially and support each other

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I thought this was the age of the New Springtime and New Pentecost ushered in by Vatican II. It seems that John XXIII opened the windows of the Church and everybody jumped out. Why do German cardinals tell African bishops to know their place when the German Church is on life support?

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2.48, we’re still waiting for the last of you moaners to jump.
So off you go and found your own church.
Don’t close the window behind you: there are still more of your kind looking to make an exit. And they can’t make it soon enough.

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Gladly, to get away from w@nkers like you, 4:58, but I think I will stay since it obviously annoys you…

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Did you? I never knew. Well you have a bigger on-line community now with all the people looking in on your web-cam each day from all over the world.
Maybe we could join you in the social some Sunday and be part of the on-line Oratory connection? It’s just a suggestion of how to expand the connection.

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They are called blognics. During his visits to London the famous blogger Fr Z has a blognic in the Coal Hole on the Strand after a TLM in Maiden Lane. They were great.

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What is Blognics? @ 3.53pm Apologies for my ignorance. I’m not very well up to speed with all this new technology. If it is not too difficult to organise maybe you could look into it +Pat.
We all have to keep up with the latest technology. I am honest in that I am a bit of a old ager but if we want to bring in the younger crowd we’ll have to move with the times. What do you think Pat?

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The oratory should have a zoom conference with guest speakers. or Pat could have his own podcast show, where people can write in any problems they are having and Pat gives advice. we don’t hear enough from you Bishop Pat.

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Hi all. I’m off to Blackpool for 3 days in the morning. I shall go to Mass at Fr Etienne’s place and tell him what you nasty lot of old repressed homos and wannabe Priests (and some ex Priests) have said about him. Yes he sounds immature and a bit of control freak, but we all have our faults. Cut him some slack. He has given up sex and relationships to be truly there for his flock, so the least you can do is support him, or if you can’t say anything nice, shut up. He is a Priest chosen by God. What’s up with you lot? Nasty shit stirring Queens.

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@ 4:36 – he has given up sex and relationships, has he? How do you know. Spare me ! Lots of priests are getting it on the sidelines. I understands his best friend is a bit of a fat guy. Maybe Etienne likes a bit of lardy pork on the side? I simply would not trust that this man is any more credible or trustworthy with his promise of celibacy as he in his behaviour in the way he relates to his parishioners. There’s a clear dysfunction in the man.

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Pat, I would gladly join you if you were to do a zoom conference.
I’m not tech savvy but hopefully you or some members of your congregation could set it up.
I would be delighted to see it.
You could even put it up on your website for people who can’t attend the live discussion.

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Pat, you’ll never have to worry about rationalisation of parishes or have to worry about management of same. You haven’t a clue and you continually host an “A” list Moaning Minnies when they hate change of any kind. I know for certain that the same moaning individuals would oppose so called liberal liturgies too. They are never happy. These same cranks pretend to speak for the majority – they never do. Crackpots.

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Pat, a week ago you featured St Agnes’s parish, Belfast, where the parish was effectively shut down because the PP was bereaved, sadly.
There’s a very curiously worded massage on the parish website, which almost reads as if it was written by a disgruntled parishoner.
“FR THOMAS MC GLYNN WILL CONTINUE TO CELEBRATE MASS BEHIND CLOSED DOORS TO AN EMPTY CHURCH AT 10AM- MONDAY, TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY, FRIDAY, SATURDAY AND SUNDAY EACH WEEK. THIS MASS WILL BE BROADCAST VIA THE PARISH RADIO SO PLEASE TUNE IN. IF YOU KNOW ANY PARISHIONERS WITH PARISH RADIOS PLEASE INFORM THEM OF THIS SERVICE AS THEY MIGHT NOT KNOW THAT IT IS AVAILABLE.”

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Pat have you ever thought what will happen to the Oratory after you are gone? Will it continue in any way?

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When I go the congregation will continue with a younger priest. God will decide what happens it.

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I would think that it would take someone of episcopal rank to succeed you Pat. Could I suggest someone local with the common touch. Perhaps we could persuade Rt Rev Michael Campbell to step up.

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5.04: Not at all mean…We have a committee which is acting responsibly in accordance with HSE guidelines. We’re not so stupid as to risk putting any person in any danger. But we’ll be back, P. God in Sept/Oct. and will have a huge welcome back celebration…We have a good parish community.

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Good point made at 12.20… I thought it was a rather short response by Pat. I think he was making a fair comment. I sometimes feel frustrated by the lack of progress that I am making in the spiritual life.

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You are self-absorbed: this is the heart of your spiritual difficulty.
Take your eye off whatever progress you believe you may or may not be making and focus instead on helping others as often and as best you can, while keeping faith in God.
You cannot earn salvation through good works; only through faith in Christ.
You cannot evaluate your soul; only God can.

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+Pat, what happened to the priests you ordained over the years? Will any of them be able to take over from you? It’s interesting to know how the Oratory will continue in the future.

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I agree with 5.33pm. I’d also encourage you not to be disheartened by the lack of spiritual progress. Think of Mother Theresa. She was in the depths of despair for many years because of her lack of progress but God will let her experience his Grace. God is speaking to you and I hope you find the spiritual peace that is good for your soul.

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I’m not surprised she was in the depths of despair, because at the centre of her ‘spirituality’ was glorification of human suffering, in herself and in others. Likely, she was bi-polar. As my mate down the Fox and Hounds would say: She was a joyless, miserable old bat who got off on pain.
She should have been psychiatrically evaluated, not held up as a spiritual role model.

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Dear bloggers. I have read all about Fr D from our fine Town of Blackpool. I understand your concerns, but damn, he is so cute. Nice to see a twink Priest instead of the usual old gits. He must get offers left right and centre. I am sure he attracts the Blackpool gays to his Church and if he does that is a good thing. If he ever decides to jack in (and who could blame him after your horrible comments), he is welcome to stay here for a while. Sounds to me that his Bishop just needs to move him to be under a more experienced man.

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Best advice I’ve heard @4.31 Pat could do a Q&A via zoom… It could go live…. We can participate as well. I think we all need something to lift our spirits a bit during this time of covid.

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6.16: I’m sure your local church masses are remembrances for everyone’s intentions. So many people are suffering with stress, anxiety and loneliness. There are many who have deep emotional and mental struggles. We will pray for one another. It is essential to look out for very vulnerable people. God bless us all and all our priests who are trying to respond as best they can.

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@6.46 I think it would be lovely if you could introduce him to us Pat and some of the other people who come to you in the Oratory.
Do you have a sacristan?
I think it would make it a bit more human to know some of the people who go to you for Mass.

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Thank you @5.48. I appreciate your kindness. I hope you are keeping well and keeping safe.
Let’s pray for each other and I hope that Pat will pray for us as well?

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You are very welcome. It’s in these times of distress that we can pray for each other. I’m looking forward to seeing my children and grandchildren. I’d been a few months since I last saw them as they in the US. I see them via zoom and whatsapp but it’s not the same really as having them close to me. Prayers for you too.

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I think it is a great suggestion to do an oratory zoom, Pat. It could help you connect with so many people and also give good publicity to the oratory. Maybe some of your lay members could help you set it up.

There is nothing to be lost in the project and much to be gained.

Keep safe.

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I would be quite excited to be part of a zoom group with the oratory community. I think it would help me to feel a bit more connected as I feel quite lonely these days.

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I don’t have a spiritual life as religion understands it! Am I bothered? Not a bit.
Been busy with ‘other stuff ‘, but I have drafted some thoughts on my journey and will share.
MMM

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Perhaps Fr Etienne would be up for hosting a Zoom session to answer some of our questions? A great opportunity to talk us through the allegations. His friend in residence, Fr Billing is welcome too. Should you offer that Pat?

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Are you off your rocker? Next you’ll be suggesting that we invite the local Ordinary to come on and explain his reasoning for making this appointment. They do not answer to you or me I’m afraid.

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