Word from SILVERSTREAM is that Kirby could still be in the monastery.
This is based on the fact that Kirby is still authoring the daily talk to the monks gathered in chapter.
Is he doing this personally or are his thoughts being read out to the monks by the sub prior?
In either case it does not seem appropriate as the Church and Gardai are investigating claims of sexual and financial misconduct.
A lady who is well versed in the happenings at Silverstream told the blog yesterday that the current tactic of Kirby supporters is to portray Kirby as an innocent victim and to blame everything on the whistleblowing monk who brought everything out into the light.
This seems to me to be a dreadfully horrible tactic.
In society in general now there is great respect for whistle-blowers.
So Brendan Coffee the Abbot of Glenstall, who is temporarily in charge of Silverstream needs to proceed with great caution or this scandal may blow up in his face and even affect his own monastery.
Tom Deenihan of Meath needs to be careful too.
This scandal has already been referred to Rome by a number of people including the Irish papal nuncio.
Anything Coffee and Deenihan do to the whistle-blower will be appealed to Rome.
To date the national and international media have not run this story.
But I have referred the story to media outlets in Ireland and the USA. So it is only a matter of time.
If they step out of line Messrs Coffee and Deenihan will find themselves at the centre of a whirlwind
BISHOP PAT BUCKLEY 