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ENNIS WOMAN WANTS APOLOGY FROM GER FITZGERALD.

The Ennis woman who was wooed and taken to bed by her parish priest, Ger Fitzgerald, is demanding a public apology from the cleric.

Ger going for a ride.

To date the only apology Fitzgerald has made was via text to his Ennus Co PP, Fr Tom Ryan.

Ryan read this out at last Sunday’s Mass at 11 am in Cloughleigh Oratory, Ennis.

The text said Ger was “sorry for the hurt he had caused”.

Who has Ger “hurt”?

He has obviously hurt the faithful Catholics of Ennis by breaking his vows.

He has hurt his fellow Killaloe clergy by visiting another huge scanal on the Killaloe presbyterate.

He has hurt his bishop who placed his trust in him to behave properly with the People of God.

He has added to the ocean of scandal enveloping the Irish Roman Catholic Church.

But above all else, he has hurt a young woman who met him in the course of his ministry as a priest.

The young woman, with little or no experience of priests, was vilneralbe at the time as the result of her father’s death, and the mire recent dissolution of the family home.

Fitzgerald engaged in a sixth month long relationship with the woman – leading her to believe it was not a casual relationship.

He confided in her about at least two other relationships he had with females – one of whom he still spends every New Year’s Eve with. He did say that relationship was no longer sexual.

APOLOGY

Ger certainly does owe the woman a profound and fulsome apology – and it needs to be public so that his Cloughleigh Fan Club know he did sleep with the woman.

He is still giving that Fan Club the message tgat the woman is lying.

CONSEQUENCES FOR THE WOMAN:

The consequances to date are very serious for the woman.

She has had to abandon her home after death threats from associates of the Fan Club.

She has had to seek Garda protection.

She has had to go into hiding.

CONSEQUENCES FOR GER

A three to twelve month holiday which the diocese will pay two thirds of the cost.

Access to private counselling and therapy that can cost up to € 30,000.

The prospect of returning to priesthood as if nothing had happened.

AN APOLOGY IS REQUIRED.

MORE IS REQUIRED!

74 replies on “ENNIS WOMAN WANTS APOLOGY FROM GER FITZGERALD.”

Of course she deserves an apology. Fr Ger has admitted the relationship to all but the people of Cloughleigh who are the ones threatening and abusing this woman. He needs to man up and come clean to those parishioners so that they can all just get on with their lives.

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The sooner +Monahan assigns a nice regular gay priest to Ennis, the better. It’s the least he can do in the circumstances.

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It really is time for you to stop this unnecessary comment. You are stretching out a public trial that is now best dealt with more privately. If you knew anything about the resolution of conflict in matters like this you would want a third party to assist privately. That is what is done when restorative justice is put into practice. You seem to want to make matters worse for all parties involved. Suggest a process that is well tried and private if you want a real apology to be made.

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But it’s not being dealt with privately because the other woman involved is keeping it going on Facebook and one of her sons is publicly threatening the victim. Fr Ger knows this is going on and he had the power to stop it but chose to keep himself on his pedestal with the people of his parish.

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@10.44am of course he knows. The whole county knows at this stage and Fr Ger still has his fan club who are there protecting him. The Bishop and his team know what the woman is going through with threats etc abd have given her help and support. Now i know Ger has stated he has no TV but you can’t honestly tell me he’s that out of touch with what’s going on with this situation.

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It is being well tried hence why he’s gone and it is not over, the finally has yet to come, you have no idea what that has gone through coming forward.

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Absolutely but why should Fr Ger come out of this so easily. The woman involved has had her life threatened, has had to move out of her house and go into hiding. Yes it took two to tango so why treat them both so differently????

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Angel
Although Father Ger says he has no TV he was excellent at text messages and on face book.
Father Ger and his Fan club kept placing scripture cards and sayings on the Cloughleigh Facebook which were directed at the victim somehow they have all disappeared of the facebook and even the recorded Massed from 10 weeks ago have all disappeared from the facebook.

Ger even used his Homilies to drive hatred towards the victim and is still not telling his fan club the truth and went further sent a lying email to be read out on Sunday.

It is a shocking that a Priest can act in such a callous way towards anyone however what it tells me and surely must strike home to his Bishop and fellow Clergy that there is no Vocation there it is just a job to Ger Fitzgerald.

Why treat them so differently well the victim did not take Sacred Vows so Ger has let His Bishops, fellow Clergy and the people of Ennis Parishes down.

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to tangle. If anyone should apologise it’s the people in general for a mad unthinking evaluation of the whole issue. If Ger went after this lady as a conquest then asswhole is the verdict

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“So you don’t like it when I annoy all the time but you do miss me”
When a priest was distant, a certain woman was trying to entice him back. It takes two to tango as they say.

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seamusviii @11.36

Yes they should in “normal” circumstances. However, people can write things when the equilibrium of their mind is disturbed by grief and hurt of all kinds. Let’s not use this against the lady in question and thus victimise her further.

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@10:51

I’m not using anything against the woman. I merely point out that she has faced a backlash because she took to social media. She is in a vulnerable position through that action. An action which is all of her own doing.

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11.11, except the major part which was the doing of the mob, because she wanted out. Are you the pimp (the son of the madam), or Miss Concepta the Ironclad herself?

And while “the diocese” has been giving “support” why has Father Tom Ryan abused his own sphere of authority? This Ger toys with his “social inferiors” and that’s downright mean.

Did some degenerate element ensure the appointment of Ryan et al, about whom you know things and have leverage? You indirectly threaten them into remaining compliant to you by bullying this lady. Are you related to the goons behind all the other trouble that also gets exported to England?

You’ve stressed enough times that you don’t believe in morals, but are only out to subvert. From you it always has to be only her that is not only wrong but deserves what those thugs have got for her. Stop dressing it up in “catholicism”. Basically a whole “diocese” is shadowland, where Christianity doesn’t exist (except surprisingly the safeguarding staff).

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The Lady is right to demand an apology as it should have been given long before now.
The Bishop allowed Father Ger to continue to say mass and he was using it in his homilies and on facebook to have a right go at the victim however the facebook digs are all taking down.
Father Ger went further and his parting email read out by the Vicar Forane made him out as he needed a rest after ten years a Priest and the Bishop agreed that was more injury to the victim constantly making her a liar.
There should have been a pastoral letter read out apologising to the victim and the parish then what the arrangements for Cloughleigh going forward were instead they were told there is plenty of places that could get access to Mass.
It has been shambolic the way the Bishop has allowed this to run and still running as No one has came to Cloughleigh and told the facts

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I know quite a few Irish bishops. Although they are in the main fairly decent men and some of them quite gifted intellectually I’m afraid that most of them are not too worldly wise.
I’m sorry to say that they live in a clergy bubble where most things are church centred.
They wouldn’t last five minutes in the business or commercial world.
I think that this bishop has failed to understand the animal that is community gossip when charged with social media and his failure to act promptly in this case has led to the unfortunate circumstances which have now unfolded.

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Do bishops promise obedience to the pope and magisterium on ordination to the episcopate?

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It’s the least he can do, but he obviously won’t. The people criticising it being brought up here need to shut up. Pat Buckley does this because the ways you would use to engage with a normal human being with manners are ignored by the hierarchy, in fact all clergy.
They get away with treating people like shit precisely because they don’t let anyone know what is happening. Publicity is the only way to force them into action and Pat will readily publish any denial they send him.
You people really are stupid to be taken in. Pssst – if someone rings you today to say you’re owed a refund, put the phone down, it’s a scam, just like priests and their todgers.

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If it was not for Bishop Pat Buckley and him highlighting this issue and supporting the victim it would have been swept under the carpet and long may Bishop Pat Buckley keep it going.
Many issues have come out of this situation and it has likely woken the Bishop right up and if he needs to act again he will be a lot quicker.
Over the weekend we had Father Tom Ryan and the Cloughleigh facebook again saying innocent Ger and nasty Yvonne.

I do not think Father Tom Ryan knew what was going on in his Deanery as he keeps saying mass @ 9.30 in Cloughleigh but it has not been for at least ten weeks it has been the fan club Mass at 7.30pm so hopefully Father Tom Ryan will act like a Dean better as well.
It is time the Truth came out and hopefully Bishop Fintan will on Sunday inform the people of Cloughleigh they have been misinformed and he and his safeguarding Team have dealt with the issues and can only apologies to Yvonne and the people of Cloughleigh
Bishop Fintan removed Father Ger Fitzgerald and not the other way round that Father Tom Ryan read out.

So the people of Ireland should be gratefully to Bishop Pat Buckley in helping the Church in Ireland to stop this rot.

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Yes, you can truthfully say this about many a situation the hierarchy would like buried.

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I hope the woman concerned gets the apology she is due and then tries to move on with her life. There are plenty more fish in the sea.
Some online dating agencies are free but usually full of dirty old men, no-hopers, freaks, and land whales.

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There is hurt when a consenting relationship ends. Will she be apologising for taking to social media?
“a priest who I ****** in this town.. Ah sure **** happens”
Will she apologising to parishioners for attempting to steal away their priest?

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I think you are him. Obviously the Irish “church” is exempt from faith and belief. Ger is mean for toying with her.

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This blog does a fantastic service in exposing hypocrisy and scandal which institutional RCC work day and night to keep under wraps, the carpet and ideally buried deep in the ground.
Fr Ger
Silver stream
Byrne of Newcastle (country pile)
Elsie and Nursie IICSA
Jeez the list could go on and on
By the way just read the Vatican in what diplomats call ‘a ‘reversal of alliance’ some years ago teamed up with Syria and Iran to attempt to block a UN declaration that gay rights were the same as human rights!!! Imagine upholding the dignity of the unborn on the one hand but denying homosexuals basic human rights on the other – but this dark art policy was the baby of some of the biggest Queens in the Vatican (Ratzinger, Sodano, Tauren, Fisicheli, Poupard, Sandro, Casoroli).
Beggars belief and thank the good Lord for forums like this that bring this shite into the light.

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It’s contradictory for someone to be complaining about this blog but also to be contributing at the same time!
It’s silly for people to be complaining about comments that they don’t agree with. If we don’t happen to like someone’s comment, we all have a choice to scroll on.

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Yes that’s your answer to everything isn’t it – just let it go and ignore it for some pseudo pious reason. I hope if I’m ever being attacked or raped, you are not the person who happens to chance on the scene. No Samaritan, you.

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The Vatican lined up with Saudi Arabia on denying homosexuals human rights and they don’t even have diplomatic relations with them – any whore in a storm I guess.
Of course that Saudi Arabia, Syria and Iran execute homosexuals (throwing off buildings and beheading) was conveniently brushed under the carpet.
The Vatican is a disgrace and history will and is judging them harshly for this dizzing hypocrisy, stupidity and arrogance.

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Ger is a hypocrite:

Castleconnell native Fr Fitzgerald who is curate in the Cathedral Parish in Ennis said he felt he “should say something considering the recent storm that appears to have engulfed my old alma mater. To have an image of Maynooth as a replica of a Christmas party in ‘The Wolf of Wall Street’ is an inaccurate representation.”

He added, “As students in my time we were all there with a purpose in mind. We all wanted to be close to God because we love God and were trying, in our own fledged way, to serve him in his church.”

“This is why I have such an issue with what is happening currently. The church that I love with all my heart is once again taking a battering. This goes further than just the institution of Maynooth College. This strikes again right to the heart of the church in Ireland.”

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I bet he’s father is devastated and he’s brother is fighting he’s battles, yet to see him properly aknowledge he’s as corrupt as the banks that happily put people out on the streets without empathy to save he’s own skin!

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His brother was posting on Tin Whelns Facebook offering her support (I don’t know why she needed it) and he was claiming how legal action would stop Ger’s victims vicious lies. I wonder how he feels now nd I wonder if he’ll be offering his apologies to the victim

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This is from a man who bragged of having had sexual encounters while a seminarian. Ger really needs to be careful bout what he says and to who he says it too.
As another poster commented yesterday – Ger’s activities were known to at least three bishops and, as usual, they buried their heads in their snd and did nothing until this scandal broke.
The real shocker here though is that Ger continues to play the victim card and neither he nor his superiors have said anything to quell the abuse that the real victim is experiencing.
A statement from his superior or bishop would go some way to restoring a little credibility to the reputation of an institute whose reputation is in tatters – not to mention bringing some vindication and justice to the woman/women involved.

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11.58pm

Your presumption about whether I’m a Catholic or not is dizzing and staggering – and if I was or wasn’t whether I’d pray for the repose of someone’s soul – now my turn to presume – your a cleric who sups greedily from the cup of clericalism. The give away – condescending, patronising and completely unable to answer any of my questions other than through the prism of ‘I know best’ blah de blah blah. Oh and suicide is tragic for those involved and their loved ones – no shit Sherlock – I thought exactly that when my brother committed suicide – you see, your way to quick to assume and patronise.

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12.28
Firstly I apologise if I have caused any hurt to you and also sorry to read about the sad loss of your Brother that no time will ever heal.
Strangely enough I do not wear a collar however I know the Church gets things wrong and I rightly condemn it but at times it gets things correct however in this case it is totally wrong the Bishop has taken far too long to act and still not acting correctly.

My main point to you was to pray for the repose of the soul of Canon McCoy as sadly no one will ever know the truth but Our Lord.

As for the rest it is shocking and I am so glad that Bishop Pat Buckley has this blog and I wish there was one similar in England, Wales and Scotland.

The last thing I would ever do is patronise anyone so if I have offended you in anyway I Sincerely Apologise.

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Can anyone shed light on why John Gilbert – a Canon of the Chapter in Birmingham retired aged only 60.
Something weird about that – one day prima donna, next put out to pasture – was he pushed or did he jump?
Oh and shortage of priests etc but a young un like him putting his feet up when retirement age is 75 for clergy. Typically and classically Omertà surrounds this clerical Scarlet Pimpernel – they seek him, here, there and everywhere.
Same for Eddie Clare – Director of Maryvale Institute for a couple of years then just up sticks and c/o Archbishops House – another comparatively young un – kapoot, gone, no explanation, no reason given – Omertà alive and kicking on this one too – what’s that all about?
They are dropping like flies and going to ground like rats leaving a sinking ship.
And what’s the real story behind Fr Michael McCoy, Dean of st Mary’s Cathedral, Hexham and Newcastle, committing suicide and under investigation etc?
Finally – Marciel Maciel was tight with Sodano but when it hit the fan – Sodano and Farrell played the ‘we had no idea card’ – a clerical move that one – makes you wonder whether clergy or lay people close to Quigley knew something wasn’t right or knew the whole story but kept and keep stum.
Less Miss Marple more Fr Brown.

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12.28
Let the dead rest there is no good in pulling up the dead if you are which I doubt a Catholic pray for the repose of the soul of Canon Michael McCoy and for his alleged victims.
Canon McCoy’s funeral was over and done therefore no one knew and the family asked that the details not be published on the diocesan web site.
I understand safeguarding are assisting the alleged victims and the Police will likely have dropped the case as there is no one to question.

Any suicide is very tragic for those involved and their loved ones.

As for Birmingham I would think Archbishop Longley would want to place anyone with any baggage c/o Diocesan offices after all Nichols has left a horrendous legacy and will be the say in Westminster however he will not resign.

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John Gilbert disappeared suddenly. He was called to Archbishop’s House while he was vesting for Mass and was told not to start the Mass but to get his backside to Ab’s House. He never reappeared. So, it is clear that something of substance came and had to be actioned immediately. There is really only one category of stuff that warrants that kind of immediate action these days, and it will be in the area of safeguarding. You will not see John G active anymore. It probably doesn’t raise itself to the level that interests the police and courts, but it will be enough to see that he lays down any active ministry role. Retired now, supported by his diocese in some moderate fashion, and he will just live out his days quietly and out of the limelight. As for Eddie Clare, I suspect the same scenario is afoot. These guys have some baggage that comes up, and off they disappear. No one ask questions, and no answers are forthcoming. Longley is a careful player, not unkind, but he knows how to deal with trouble and not let it dog him. There are quite a few more in his diocese who have quietly disappeared and nothing more is heard about them or from them. Some of them eventually cut ties and make their own way. A good number of them hang on to their priestly identity, quietly. I suppose it still gives them some sense of who they are and some sense of relevance. Perhaps most importantly it keeps them in the economic fold and they are provided for. I admire the one or two I know who didn’t have to leave, but who have decided to lay down ministry because they no longer feel able to support implicitly some of what the Church does and teaches, rather than just hanging in because it is safe. Priests can develop in faith and understanding, even away from the Church and its accepted teaching, and those who come to a point where they can no longer in good conscience carry on implicitly representing a Church that they find themselves increasingly detached from, should be admired for their honesty and integrity. I know too many priests who are just marking time, really not believing much of what they are expected to say and do, but just haven’t the courage to make the move. And, they are not all old ! Gilbert and Clare are not in that category – they were shown the door, otherwise they would still be there.

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Leaving aside the cases of the likes of Gilbert and Clare, I’m not so sure that going on to 75 is good for anybody. I mean, be fair, most people are able to retire between 60 and 65 and then enjoy some time not working. Why not priests ? I’m pretty sure most of them would be happy to wind down well before 75 if only there wasn’t this nonsense business of dying with your boots on. And if they were given the resources to retire.

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I didn’t know Quigley but did know Bede Walsh and while I didn’t like him wouldn’t have suspected what was happening. I always felt he wasn’t real in some way, or not really paying attention. In retrospect perhaps this suggested what was actually happening!
The only priest who has genuinely surprised me was Dom Philip Temple of Cockfosters Priory who should still be in prison. He also surprised other people who thought they knew him well, but then the judge actually commented on how convincing he was.
On one day I visited both Cockfosters and Ealing Abbey so managed to be in the company of three since-convicted paedophiles on one day. And the church wonders at the revulsion it now attracts.

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12.46pm

Thank you for your thoughtful and v helpful post – it would explain why clergy who know/knew him are so jumpy when concerned parishioners ask after them. The clergy forget or don’t care that when a priest just disappears and is heard of no more that people are left hanging and can see through the codes they put out about them.
John Gilbert’s bezzy Fr Jan just said to a little old lady who asked after him, ‘That’s not my story to tell.’ The priest who took over from him runs for cover and refuses to say anything other than ‘I don’t know ask the Archbishop’ and another, young fella, wet behind the ears, Glover, I think is his name just goes, ‘We’ve been told to say he’s currently not available’ to parishioners who have been at the parish all their lives. They clearly don’t want to talk about him – it’s as if he never existed but they reveal everything without revealing nothing.
The staff at Maryvale are the same – they come over all defensive and obstructive about Eddie Clares whereabouts and play the card of C/O Arch B House – again they are desperate to avoid any questions but reveal something isn’t right through their defensiveness – like has he left the priesthood? Is he on a Sabbatical? Is he Ok?
It’s a definite case of: Don’t Ask: Don’t Tell and smacks of Don’t Mention the War.
Funny because whilst they are entitled to privacy etc they were also public figures, leaders of their respective communities and suddenly with no explanation, they are not.
What other walk of life do people holding down responsible jobs just disappear and are heard of no more and no explanation is given?
This much I know the clergy know the full story but for the time being they ain’t saying – but one day the truth will out – hey even if the truth is as banal as they got fed up, felt unsupported, their faith took a wobble and they decided to piss off out of Dodge.
But I suspect it’s way more interesting than that and as Fr Jan so helpfully explained it’s not his story to tell but one day it will be somebody’s.

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It’s clearly not just an apology for the sake of it but rather a way for the woman to regain her good name. Unfortunately, even if she gets the apology there will still be some who will probably always blame her. It’s a terrible state of affairs to observe in a faith community of all places.

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No wonder women and children didn’t come forward back then, that póor girl has gone through so much, even this day in age, despite that she’s still not giving up, her name will be cleared. Not just privately!

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To regain what good name?! Two tangoed and she went public through social media, and also dragged another woman unnecessarily into the mix. Where’s her apology to the other woman? A woman who received an award for her great service to the local community.

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Any truth to the rumour that Fr Jerry Carey has been posted to a new parish in a new diocese?
And any truth to the rumour that years ago allegations of sexual abuse (with a minor) made against him were brushed under the carpet?
If so, why was he allowed to continue his priestly duties??
Why was he allowed to look after youth groups and be chaplain to a school??
And why, if true, has he been put into a new parish??

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4.46
No Gerry Carey has as yet been appointed to any Parish.
What Parish could they send him to he would not pass safeguarding with a criminal record and more so of a sexual nature.

Bishop Monahan has just said he is going through the Canonical procedure.

Why not ask Bishop Monahan as he like to be seen as a people’s Bishop so bishop@killaloediocese.ie

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It’s an awful state of affairs when a priest can’t say sorry. It’s that simple. My heart bleeds for Ennis.

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Killaloe Parishioner.
My heart bleeds for all the people of Killaloe Dioceses as where is the Shepherd Bishop Fintan Monahan he has gone silent.
One of his right hand men Father Tom Ryan read out an email from Father Ger which was a lie or the Bishop is lying however one of them needs to come out and tell the Truth and say Sorry to the people of Ennis and Cloughleigh.
No the “priest” continued to make it worse with his lies.

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No wonder women and children didn’t come forward back then, that póor girl has gone through so much, even this day in age, despite that she’s still not giving up, her name will be cleared. Not just privately!

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Her name will be cleared of what exactly? Partaking in a consenting relationship? Taking to social media?

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6:01 pm – It was not the “act” itself, that of engaging in consenting intimate relations with the cleric, it is what the cleric — and his cohort — did to the victim afterwards.
They “tore” into her and she was cast aside and hounded. The cleric, he lied — and has now admitted to initially lying.
He knew EXACTLY what he was doing to that woman — he instigated it, and, allowed it to continue; all the while the parishioners, who could see no wrong in the cleric, were doing his “dirty” work.
What if she had taken her own life?
THESE ARE THE MAIN ABUSIVE ELEMENTS, HERE — NOT THE “ACT” ITSELF ! ! ! CAN YOU NOT UNDERSTAND THAT, 6:01 pm ?!
Sorry for using higher case in last paragraph, but I just felt I should highlight where the main abuse was in this instance x

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Seamus shes being called a liar, abused, threatened, trying to be laured into dangerous situations, gone into hiding all by hes support network all while he was denying everything until she provided proof.

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I do feel sorry for this woman, it is awful she was used as a scapegoat for this cleric’s misbehaviour.
Of course, she could have gone down the Civil Court route — but that would be a very difficult ordeal and, just as traumatic as the original abuse…
I know what it is like to be subjected to the closed Civil Court system, especially when people are not on your side — even though you are the victim!
In my case I was not entitled to any legal assistance, whatsoever!
I had to get help from various other people just to gain some leverage — leverage in terms of help with filling out my legal documents, response to my abusers’ malicious particulars of claims and that sort of thing.
Everybody knows what I had to do — I had to beg for help with assistance with the legal and documentational side of things especially because of my Attention Deficit and Dyslexia; just gaining just and level ground with all that paperwork and legal jargon on my own, abandoned… it was a living nightmare.
Bishop Pat also advised and gave me spiritual support, he helped me keep my head above the waves.
Thank you to everybody, everywhere, who helped and advises in there own little way.
Love is the key, and love is the way 😎 x

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Clerics misbehaviour? Sure there was a lapse of a vow but there was a consenting relationship and two people tangoed.

Scapegoating? The woman took to social media. There has been a backlash as a result.

May people who are angry at the woman not belittle her. Let there be compassion. Let there be understanding. Let there be forgiveness.

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There’s a been plenty of lapses of vows since he’s ordination…. Séamus.
Love, light & blessings x

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She’s still living at same address, she still goes to work, it’s all totally exaggerated, this isn’t the only drama Yvonne Drake has caused.

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