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ENGLISH BISHOP SPENDS £ 1 MILLION ON NEW HOUSE FOR HIMSELF.

Bishop Robert “Billy Bunter” Byrne of Hexham and Newcastle diocese in England has just splashed out on a new £ 1 million pad for himself.

THE INSIDE VIEWS:

In the context of the worldwide corruption in the RCC, it is shocking that a bishop in the impoverished North of England is spending £ 1 million on a house for himself – a single man.

But these guys simply do what they want.

107 replies on “ENGLISH BISHOP SPENDS £ 1 MILLION ON NEW HOUSE FOR HIMSELF.”

ALL THAT FOR 1 CELIBATE PERSON WHO CHOSE TO BE THAT WAY TO BE FREE ENOUGH TO SERVE PEOPLE WITH GREATER AVAILABILITY ?

I’M LIVING IN 535 sq FEET APT. AND MADE IT COMFORTABLE ENOUGH.
i SUGGEST SOMETHING SIMILAR FOR HIS MAJESTY.

ALSO..I WOULDN’T GO NEAR THAT PLACE WITH AN 80 FOOT POLE.
IT COULD BE USED AS A GIANT ADULT CHOCOLATE BAR FOR IMPRESSED PREY.

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They dress “in purple and fine linen and feast magnificently every day”, supported by the ‘widow’s mite’.

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The episcopate is going to need someone to design elasticated purple cinctures to accommodate their ever expanding waistlines whilst the world’s poor (their financiers) are on the breadline.

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The men in pointy hats, if they wish to adorn themselves in more purple it should be in the form of a blush because of their scandalous and self-indulgent opulence whilst most of the world is starving.

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How can so many bishops from humble backgrounds reconcile the notion of radical discipleship with living in luxury, when the theology of vocation counsels that they should sell all that they have, give the money to the poor and THEN follow Christ?

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A bishop’s asceticism is rarely voluntary but may consist in some cases of heroically enduring straitened circumstances without complaint.

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Your 7th rant in the wee small hours. You been on the sauce? Maybe you will use the old chestnut of night shift instead. Put the bottle away.

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Get over it luv, x. Notice that you did not contend any observation in particular but object rather to a seven-point opinion being expressed. Fortunately, most reasonable people will recognize your mean spirited spite for what it is. What’s YOUR opinion about the ISSUE? Oh no! You missed the point entirely just to fulminate over someone else contributing rationally to the debate, to which your tiny mind can contribute nothing useful. If you had a single credible idea, it would probably die of loneliness, you cross-eyed, sniping hag.

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@10:57: Your riposte is admirably phrased, and highly appropriate.
All too often on this blog, we see mindlessly stupid ad hominem vitriol expressed, with nothing of value contributed to the debate. This reaction tends to typify narrow minded unintelligent individuals’ hostility towards anything perceived as contrary to their beliefs.
I sometimes think this rigidity of thinking, especially in RC clerics, has its origins in RCC Thomistic absolutist thinking where any divergence is seen as incorrect, to be challenged and rejected as such.
MMM

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MMM’s gold-plated public sector salary and pension pension has cost the taxpayer a million or two and they had no choice in the matter, unlike those who contribute to church collections.

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“Enter through the narrow gate.(A) For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”
And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.

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Aha @ 7:54! You want to get in on the act too, proving his point 😏
At least you seem consistent: every time he comments you retort by reference to “moaning.”
Does that adjective apply to you also?

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I hear that the Chaplin to the Liverpool Universities has been barred from public ministry, pending investigation.

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It’s not very sensitive to be splurging a million in the middle of a huge recession where so many are furloughed, businesses are closing, entire shopping chains are going bust and people are terrified of losing their jobs.

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It is lovely property but looks a bit big for one person, not to mention all the cleaning it would need. I imagine the old queen will have a Filipino houseboy rather than a nun.

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First of all, Billy Bunter Byrne needs to take himself in hand – not in the Father Carey way ! – and sort out his weight, otherwise he will soon pop a blood vessel and won’t be around to enjoy his new almost £1m episcopal residence. I don’t, at least on the figures alone, feel outraged that he has spent that amount on a house, although it is Newcastle and so it is at the top of the price range in that part of the country. In London or the Home Counties he would barely get a two up two down for that price. He’s probably pocketed a few million from the sale of the old place, so should be quids in on balance. However, what astounds me is the stone deafness that surrounds this move. Perception is everything and the optics of this move are disastrous, particularly in this year 2021 with all the other troubles going on for people. There may well be a good argument for him to move out of the large and expensive to maintain and run old palace, but his advisors should have been telling him that now was not the time to do it, because it just runs counter to the experience of so many people and the signs of the times. If he wanted to move out of his old palace, he should have moved in to somewhere where he could rent for a while or something that the diocese already owned, or some other solution that would not have necessitated the spending of £1 million. Remember, as well, that there will now be spent hundred of thousands of pounds on internal redecoration and refitting to suit his tastes. So, wrong move at the wrong time, and he and his people are pretty thick not to have worked this out. It’s a symptom of the special way that clerics, especially episcopal ones, view themselves, out of touch, entitled, self-serving, self-justifying etc. As I said, better put his energies in to a mix of fasting, diet and exercise and lose a few stones of lard. Otherwise he won’t be around to enjoy his new residence for too long.

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Mark Moriarty of Kerry was not ordained a deacon with his class. Why? What happened to make him unsuitable?

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The seminary council feel he is immature and have requested he lose weight. He has a habit of standing around the showers waiting to talk to guys as the dry themselves off. Strange behaviour that…..
Maynooth seminarian in need of help

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He does have some credibility in his overseer’s role. He was a prison chaplain at Oxford and Bullingdon prisons for some years.

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That pile is Byrnes retirement pad – he’s got 10 years to go – and if he lives that long a. few years after the Pope snaps up his retirement letter, to enjoy the trappings of his self-serving ecclesiastical career.
He doesn’t so much know where the bodies are buried but whose stuck in the wardrobe and whose got the key – if you know what I mean.
I mean the Oratory itself is a veritable knocking shop and Byrne was in Birmingham for years – say no more!!
A word game – Bishop Byrne – fat, lard, entitled, lazy, hypocrite, effete, gossip.
One of his MO’s – bitch like mad then bind the greedy recipient with that old chestnut of ‘this goes no further’ – he’s like every old queen he loves a good goss – and his new house, nay Salon, will be the rendezvous not only for bitchy gossip sessions!!
Glad he’s been exposed/called out – the optics are delicious!!
Just feel sorry for the poor of Sunderland and Gateshead who funded this piece of real estate from their poverty.

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Robert of Newcastle and Hexham was a waste of space when he was an auxiliary in Birmingham. God knows what possessed the Nuncio to think he was suitable for his own diocese. I’m surprised he accepted it, being so far north and so far away from the Royal Opera House in London where Robert enjoys his culture. I mean, the North must be a cultural desert in comparison. As Oratorians go, Robert is more on the reasonable and sane side, but he does tend to laziness, lethargy and lard. He seems to have got away with it for a long time. Don’t know why. He probably trips around the edges of the queeny, bitchy, gay scene, but I doubt very much if he indulges actively. Mind you, it would be a voyage of discovery to find anything of interest on the flabby, lardy body ! Sorry, to be such a bitch, but he does need to know that he has very much let himself go, and that he needs to take himself in to hand. I’m sure all the people he runs in to when he’s out and about in his diocese notice and register that he is such a blimb. He can do something about that. Then they might take him seriously. On another note, didn’t a resident canon of his cathedral allegedly top himself recently after being laid off because allegations ? Sad. Who would want to be a bishop dealing with all that trouble ? It seems many do aspire, however, desperate to get in to the purple.

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Yes why do some priests crave the episcopacy? I certainly wouldn’t want to be dealing with the fall out from the canon’s death at the cathedral. It must be awful having to call in a priest and telling them to hand in their badge whilst an investigation takes place. The simple life of a country parish priest would be my only aspiration.

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The late Michael McCoy who died under tragic circumstances was a disaster as Adm in the Cathedral in Newcastle. His predecessor Dermot Donnelly was a progressive who worked very hard and was well liked and respected. McCoy within weeks managed to destroy the decade of work Donnelly put in. The lay volunteers were sidelined, the lace and latin was brought out and McCoy himself was cold, unapproachable and aloof unlike Donnelly who was a very nice chap. The Cathedral became a hostile traditionalist environment. It seems that Robert Byrne in appointing McCoy wanted a oratorian-style person, however pushing the man into a prominent position led to the accusation that became his downfall.

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I remember McCoy from the late 90s when he was appointed to the Association of Chaplains in Catholic Education. He was very ambitious then and playing at being a trendy – must’ve seen the wind change to get into lace and Latin…

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Another example of the simple life of the priest-not !!
And, clergy wonder why people are so cynical.
What are these people in collars and mitres about?

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1:07pm
Donnelly was only liked by people of his own ilk ,like you others couldn’t stand him. Not everyone wants progressives with their back up girl, lay volunteers. Who create their own hostile modernist environment. which others can’t stand.

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I agree with the other poster. Dermot D was better liked than McC by all accounts.
Poor Old Emeritus Seamie Cunningham would never have allowed McC near the Cathedral. He’d be left to languish out in Mackem land.
Most Catholics these days don’t really care for the conservative traditional priests who are hypocrites. Pat has exposed enough of them on this blog after all.
They are fakes just like McC who got caught and took the cowardly way out.
Oh and the “girl” comment is a bit sexist don’t you think. Just shows what your “ilk” is eh….

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This is exactly the sort of thing that loses the Church all credibility. Archbishop Gregory Wilton was found to be doing the same when in Atlanta. He reflected on his decision and moved to a smaller property. Byrne should do the same. Pat, I wonder if a public email protest could be organised. You might inform the local newspaper.

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Local newspaper have already raised an eyebrow and contrasted with the Pope’s simple lifestyle. Needs to make the nationals.

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10:30am
The Popes simple lifestyle get a grip, it cost millions to upgrade his apartment in Santa Marta. When it would have cost nothing to move into the Papal Apartments.

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In my view, it is one of a growing litany of issues losing, not only the credibility of the Church, but also bringing the gospel into disrepute. For me, it is also indicative of
how out of touch so many clerics seem to be with life outside the institutional church.

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Ah the pink gin will be flowing and fine food eaten whilst she holds bitch fests and tat parties with like minded clerics. To be honest it looks like the kind of decor a successful hairdresser or beauty salon proprietor would opt for. No doubt Bishop Billy Bunter will soon redecorate at further expense in a suitably ecclesiastical style.

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She looks ridiculous in that ill fitting pink frock. I can imagine her at her parties, gossiping, pursing her caustic lips, and constantly heaving her moobs a bit like Les Dawson’s portrayal of Ada.

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10:40pm
The Bishop is wearing vestments that every other Bishop wears and it’s not pink, maybe your colour blind.I can just imagine you rolling your eyes like Ada’s sidekick Cissie.

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It would be gratifying to see the Mail pick up on this piece – then the Catholic Communication crowd would be duty bound to carry it as a link on their daily news tour up (yawn).
It’s definitely a zeitgeist story – in middle of global pandemic and universal suffering padded Bishop gets himself a fat pad!!!!!

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I’m very glad they put “Bishop Robert (seated)” in the line up because I would never have picked him out.

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Oh dear, over half those seminarians are definitely portly / lardy / fat arses. I mean, even if they are not gifted with good looks, they can at least look after their weight. And, they are still youngsters. So, God knows what they will be like in their 40s and 50s. It’s shocking. But, a sign of our times. Youngsters out on the streets are piling it on, too. It all has to do with what you put in your mouth (if you understand my correct meaning !) and how much exercise you do. The emphasis, however, is very much on the former. I take it as a matter of personal pride in my own God given body to look after it so that it equips me for doing what I need to do. These guys will become liabilities well before they retire at 75, if they make it that far. I think + Nichols had the right idea not ordaining Monty until he lost some weight. Mind you, Monty has piled it back on again. Clergy generally do not look after themselves, and if they do it generally is so that they can compete in the body stakes at the sauna. See a ripped priest going to the gym and you know why he’s there.

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Get over it luv, x. Notice that you did not contend any observation in particular but object rather to a seven-point opinion being expressed. Fortunately, most reasonable people will recognize your mean spirited spite for what it is. What’s YOUR opinion about the ISSUE? Oh no! You missed the point entirely just to fulminate over someone else contributing rationally to the debate, to which your tiny mind can contribute nothing useful. If you had a single credible idea, it would probably die of loneliness, you cross-eyed, sniping hag.

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The pictures are from the sales brochure and it is nothing like that now as it is working diocesan offices as well.
It will save the dioceses a fortune and was planned ages ago.
I do not like Billy bunter and his style with all these Vicarates that is COE stuff not RC stuff.
Ten years to go is a worry please God do not send him to Westminster Nichols has done enough with his cronyism.
No one in their right mind would want to be a Bishop with all the MIA, C/O and so on it is a nightmare to them and takes up hours of their time when the clowns should just resign like Ger and Carey should.

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Ha ha ha well I’m no psychic but Byrne definitely not for Westminster – lard arse or what – it’s not Byrne you got to worry about it’s Stock, Roche or Longley – but most of all Stock – Jeez that would be the time for the last person out to turn off the lights and get the hell out of dodge – yeah, yeah, good administrator, right words on safeguarding and Oxbridge (gets Elsie positively giddy that old Ivy League) but seriously grumpy, taciturn, Clement Freud, insomniac, spiteful, mean, with one of the shortest fuses in Christendom – Elsie is a walk in the park compared to the current Bishop of Leeds. The good Lord preserve and save us.

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I was a bit surprised at Francis appointing him a bishop when his style is so different to most of the bishops he appoints.

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It was to do with JH Newman’s Canonisation. They wanted to put an Oratorian in as a Bishop as it suited the PR machine. They thought because he was a prison chaplain before that he would be humble. How wrong they were….

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CockRoche is too old and they won’t have that auld queen Longley. Stock seems more likely. He supervised my STB dissertation for Leuven when at Oscott. He seemed personable and was approachable then but that was 25 years ago. Have not had anything to do with him since.

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What, you had to do a dissertation (aka extended essay) for an STB, which is no better than a mock A level ? Those Church degrees from Louvain / Leuven / Rome or wherever are a joke ! Even an STL is like getting a basic pass at a Bachelor’s degree at a UK or Irish university. Church degrees get laughed out of court in proper academic circles. Seminaries are like the Polytechnics of the ecclesiastical world. Look at the quality and experience of the staff at our seminaries. Parish dodgers, guys who want an easy life, guys who like being around the young and vigorous ! Then look at what they churn out. Lamentable. Full of nonsense about their status and ontological change and ‘being priest’, all prissy about liturgy and vestments, in to interior design of their rooms, in to fine dining, wining, bitching and getting squalid sex on the quiet while butter wouldn’t melt in their mouths, although lots of other things do.

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Bishop Byrne should opt for a more humble dwelling. All guests who present themselves should be welcomed as Christ, for he himself will say: I was a stranger and you welcomed me (Matt 25:35).

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How many homeless people and strangers do you have living at your gaff, Séamus?

Would that be zero, nil or none?

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So many examples of such luxury to be seen in presbytries and bishop’s palaces all over Ireland. It truly is a scandal when the largest and most modern house in the area is that of the parish priest or the Bishop. What ever happened to the Diocesan cleric’s adherence to simplicity of life?

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12.33: I agree with you that some parish properties are far too grand but such houses were built at a time when there were 3/4/5 priests in parishes and who lived in large presbyteries. That’s no longer the reality. Some large parochial houses have been sold off and smaller, more easily maintained houses bought. However, Dioceses must act more realistically about accommodation for its clergy. I always envied the Church of Ireland clergy in their magnificent Rectories!!

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I saw these photos some time ago of this mansion when it was initially on the market and would not like the colour scheme. It’s jumping at you and too dazzling…I understand too from information gained that this large home is also accommodating Diocesan Offices. In this respect, it’s a sensible purchase. All the faux indignation about the financial outlay is simply “faux”….deliberate attempts to make ignorant, misinformed, ageist, fat shaming and demeaning comnents about the Bishop..

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What do you mean by diocesan offices? The bishop’s own office which you could fit in a bedroom or the Curial offices? Are they moving all of these from St Cuthbert’s house? Please stop the smoke screen around offices!

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Ha ha ha I love it when someone pops up to j’accuse of fat shaming and that old ‘faux indignation’ canard in defence of the poor poor bishop, poor little baby who can’t defend himself!!
Diocesan offices my arse and as for fat shaming – the clergy fat shame each other all day long – bishops being the worst offenders – clerics hate being called out, exposed, mocked and ridiculed – for the gospel? Rarely for the gospel mainly for their peccadillos and poor judgemental such as the case of the swanky fat pad for our little rotund yet cuddly Bishop.
Grow some balls – cross the line expect to get a good kicking!!
Go and blow a smokes screen up someone’ else’s arse.

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1.39 and 2.00pm – Same, venomous snake. My God, you types – haters, bigots, racists, nasty specimens. Get a grip..

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3.46: Mr. Deeply Flattered- that should of course be FLATTENED, don’t you think? My adjectives (not litinization) have disturbed your pitiable brain. FYI, I am in a wonderfully calm peacefulness of mind and spirit but occasionally I feel the need to roar a little above the decibels so that idiotic plonkers like you will listen. Do I give a toss about what Hyacinth Bucket would refer to as “you people”? No and I rather think you reside in a shithole and I am smiling.. 😁😂🤣😁….at the thought of it. 😁🤣😅🤗🤗🤗🤣😁😂…Now, I must go and finish my gardening…🌷🌻🍀🌳🌿….followed by a little home cooking..🎂🎂🥂🥂🍞🍞🍰🍪….and then, a jacuzzi bath..😁😂🤣…

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2.37pm
Your a man who clearly likes a litany – just a thought and more out of concern for you well being, not to mention your rising blood pressure – if engaging with snakes of the venemous variety, haters, bigots, oh and nasty specimens, causes such a terrible outbreak of litanization (a truly awful condition) why don’t you take a break from this blog and meet me at the intersection of ‘do I look like I give a toss’ and ‘get back in your self righteous hole and do us all a favour.’

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In the fellowship of the fallen all are kindred and fraternal – in the parish of the self- righteous blows the chill wind of accusation and self-loathing!!
We all have to choose my friend – we can’t and don’t belong to both – one or the other – which camp are you – or are you simply camp.

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6.48pm

Thanks – very much – for the hyp-hen advice – I’ll do the very best – I can. Thanks for taking – the trouble to give me your feed-back –

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Pat, it is disappointing that you refer to this Bishop’s physical attributes in a negative way. Were you in a workplace you would rightly be accused of bullying. It’s a shame you tolerate this attitude in some others who leave comments. I agree that it is a disgrace that this money has been spent unnecessarily, but believe you’ve been unchristian in getting personal about the man’s size.

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@7:53: I think there are many, both observant Catholics and others, who might disagree and think comment on this bishop’s corpulence very appropriate.
Against a background of widespread poverty, food banks and other signs of hardship, surely the fact that the RC clergy are invariably overweight and living more luxuriously than the general public merits comment: especially when they do so little to “earn their keep.”
Commenting on this obviously over indulged fatso’s appearance lies in keeping with his apparent lifestyle, and is certainly worth comment, per se, quite apart from its failure to set a good example.

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My point is that when you call people ‘fatso’ and make claims to know a person’s lifestyle you discredit your argument.

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9.45om

Ah bless your little cotton socks – but give myself away as what? Go on, be a darling and educate me, if you dare.

Ps. So exciting that a little post on a blog raises your ire so – makes me wonder how short is that fuse and what are you transferring.

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7.53pm

Conjecturing about whether a post on a blog constitutes work place bullying is a stretch – it’s like the telly isn’t it – if you don’t like what your watching hit the on/off switch – simples – Bishop Pat wouldn’t be accused of bullying he’d be slapped on the back for encouraging freedom of speech.
I love how you like being offended and indignant on behalf of others whereas I think you like correcting Bishop Pat because it makes you feel ever so slightly (or even a lot) superior.
If Bishop Byrne has wept himself to sleep because he read on this blog that he was cuddly or rotund then I’m sure it will lead to a re-think about health etc.
You see freedom of speech is a good thing – I should know I’m a fat bastard myself – now don’t go off being offended on my behalf!!

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Freedom of speech has been too often employed to mask abusive comments. Workplace, TV, Church: all parts of any civilised societies making arguments as hominem should not be tolerated.

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11.57pm

Ok so how do you propose, given this blog isn’t ‘the workplace’ and given that Woke Warriors have a v low threshold for FOS and often don’t understand it do you propose it is ‘managed’ or would you prefer the word ‘policed’ on the blogosphere – because you don’t have the right not to be offended and whether I’m offensive or not is subjective and open to interpretation – saying for example that someone is fat, lazy, a toss pot, could be construed as offensive but may well be way below the legal threshold – I did enjoy the Marxist undertone to your ‘should not be tolerated’ – what ya gonn do shoot me – FOS trumps by a million miles your worthy earnestness not to be offended.
Anyway, hope your not offended because this much I know while no offence is meant plenty is taken.

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I hear that Bishop Byrne is on an extended period of absence. Can anyone confirm and does anyone know why?

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