Recently I was castigated by certain types, with their own agenda, for asking why Fr Gay Slattery suddenly disappeared from the priesthood 14 years ago.
I was accused of being like a Peruvian scavenger pulling apart the dead body.of a wonderful human being and one of the best priests that ever lived.
So today I have a few questions to ask of my accusers.
1. Was Gay Slattery dismissed for homosexual activity with seminarians when he taught them philosophy in Clonliffe seminary?
2. Gay Slattery was in charge of the 1 st to 3 rd years. Why was he put in charge of new and nervous 17 to 21 year olds? Were they like “lambs to the slaughter”?
3. Was Monsignor John Dolan approached by Clonliffe seminarians and told of their abuse? Did John Dolan act immediately or delay acting.
4. Was Slattery involved in the wider homosexual clerical clique in the Archdiocese of Dublin?
5. Was there a secret canonical trial of Gay Slattety who told him to go voluntarily or be defrocked?
6. Is it true that there was a large number of witnesses at this trial – former seminarians and ordained priests,?
7. Did the new bishop of Cork Fintan Gavin, the then vice chancellor, preside over the trial as the chancellor Monsignor John Dolan had been a teaching colleague of Slattery’s in Clonliffe?
8. In view of the fact that it is practice not to make a priest who presided over the trial of a priest a bishop, because of the potential for scandal, how was Fintan made the bishop of Cork?
9. Was Slattery forbidden by the tribunal to be involved in any form of public ministry or to say Mass in public?
10. Diarmuid Martin was the archbishop of Dublin at the time of the trial. Why did he keep this trial a secret when he has a reputation for making the sexual misbehaviour of priests known to the public? Was Diarmuid Martin compromised in this case as he was a fellow seminarian of Slattery’s in Clonliffe?
11. Why did Gay Slattery get a full, public priests funeral with the current archbishop, Dermot Farrell presiding?
12. Did Dermot Farrell know about Slattery’s trial and departure under a cloud, and if he did why did he preside at a “cover-up’ funeral?
13. Or has the Slattery case and trial been withheld from the new archbishop? And, if so, who decided to withold it from him?
14. Are the victims of Gay Slattery still suffering from depression, anxiety, flashbacks and post traumatic stress? What is the archdiocese doing for these victims?
COVER UP. COVER……………UP.
ARMAGH WASHING LINE.
The item below was spotted on a washing line at a big house adjacent to Armagh Cathedral?
FATHER PAT BUTLER
Does anyone know the whereabouts of Father Pat Butler of Waterford diocese?
UN special rapporteurs have criticised the Vatican over child sexual abuse in stronger terms than ever before, highlighting that there have been “tens of thousands of alleged victims” over “decades”.
This week the office of the UN high commissioner for human rights has released a letter which it sent to the Holy See in April (English translation available).
It details significant abuse in eight countries and highlights concerns over the Vatican’s “obstructionist practices”.
The letter expressed regret that there had been no response to a separate communication which the rapporteurs sent in 2019.
The latest letter has only been made public, as they had threatened, because it had not been replied to either.
‘Obstructionist practices’
The rapporteurs referred to “persistent allegations” that the Catholic Church had obstructed and failed to cooperate with domestic judicial proceedings, in order to “prevent” accountability for abusers and compensation for victims.
They urged the Vatican to “refrain from obstructionist practices” and to “cooperate fully” with the judicial authorities within states.
The rapporteurs also raised concerns over concordats and other agreements which the Holy See has negotiated with states, which limit civil authorities’ ability to “interrogate” or “compel the production of documents or prosecute persons associated with the Catholic Church”.
They cited as an example a refusal to provide files to a prosecutor in Argentina, which the Catholic Church justified by citing a concordat which had already been declared unconstitutional.
The rapporteurs also expressed regret that the Vatican had not yet made it mandatory to report crimes to the civilian authorities, as the UN urged in 2014.
The letter also highlighted a series of other concerns, including that the church had:
Undermined legislative efforts to “improve the justiciability of sexual violence against children”.
Allowed perpetrators and concealers to escape national judicial proceedings.
Invited aggressors to flee to the Vatican and then denied their extradition.
The National Secular Society has observed numerous examples of the various complaints cited by the rapporteurs. The NSS sent the rapporteurs two detailed reports on the subject last year.
NSS comment
NSS president Keith Porteous Wood said: “The Vatican has largely ignored the recommendations of UN experts for years, despite the horrific extent of clerical abuse becoming ever more evident.
“We commend the rapporteurs for their efforts on behalf of justice and abuse victims. We urge state parties to support victims by applying pressure on the Vatican to conform to human rights obligations and to heed what the UN experts call for.”
Vatican accused of meddling in Italy’s legislative process
Meanwhile the Vatican has been accused of “unprecedented” meddling in Italy’s legislative process by Italian politicians and activists after it formally opposed an Italian bill expanding anti-discrimination protections for LGBT people.
The Holy See claims the proposed law violates a 1985 concordat regulating relations between the Catholic Church and the Italian state.
This concordat amended the earlier Lateran Treaty, which was signed in 1929 by Benito Mussolini on behalf of the Italian government and later confirmed by the Italian constitution of 1948.
The website concordatwatch.eu details the many concordats which are still in effect.
PAT SAYS
Lets call a spade a spade. The Vatican is now a dangerous rogue state and needs to be brought to heel by the UN and the international community.
It is another Syria, another Iraq under Sadam Hussain, another Afghanistan, another Russia.
The pope and his cardinals and bishops are TERRORISTS – not gun slinging and bomb throwing terrorists – but MORAL and SOCIAL TERRORISTS.
They have been always involved in forms of ethnic cleansing.
They have been involved in the consistent torture and murder of children and women through their international children and women concentration camps.
They have hidden MASS GRAVES in Ireland and Canada and God knows where else.
They have kept billions of people imprisoned in cruel, dogmatic mind prisons.
They have created and promulgated LIES and FALSEHOODS while not believing those lies and falsehoods themselves.
They have cynically laughed at the poor people who do believe their lies.
They have fleeced people not only of their money and possessions but also of vital things like joy, happiness and pleasure.
When will the nations and peoples of the world come to realise they are facilitating and encouraging this moral and social terrorism?
Italy needs to revoke the 1929 concordat with the Vatican.
The UN needs to put them on their lists of rogue and terrorist states.
As human beings ( although bad ones ) we have to tolerate their existence.
But they should be treated, for tax, social and other purposes, as a corrupt global international corporation.
215 childrens bodies were found in secret graves in the grounds of Kamloops Catholic Indian Residential School
More recently the bodies of 751 other Indian children were discovered in the grounds of Marieval Catholic Indian Residential School.
Thats a total to date of 966 children’s bodies.
Chief Bobby Cameron of the Frderation of Sovereign Indian First Nation says that they are expecting many more secret graves and children’s bodies to be found.
Chief Cameron
STATEMENT OF CHIEF CAMERON
The Marieval Residential School gravesite was overseen by the Roman Catholic Church from 1886 to the 1970. During this time children who attended Marieval and passed were buried at this gravesite. In the 1960s the Catholic Church removed the headstones and today, we have over 600 unmarked graves” says Cowessess Chief Cadmus Delorme. “This is not a mass gravesite; it is unmarked graves. Our end goal is to locate, identify, and put a mark down honouring our loved ones.”
“Hundreds of First Nations children went to Marieval Indian Residential School and did not leave. Sadly, this is just the beginning. There will be hundreds more unmarked graves and burial sites located across our First Nations lands at the sites of former Indian Residential Schools” says FSIN Chief Bobby Cameron. “There are thousands of families across our Treaty territories that have been waiting for their children to come home. Saskatchewan had the highest number of residential schools and highest number of survivors. There will be hundreds more.”
“Our community is in mourning and our families are in pain. Every one of our Cowessess members, has a family member buried there. The pain we are feeling is real” says Chief Delorme. “Please respect the privacy of our families and community at this very trying time.”
PAT SAYS
Among all its other stenches and scandals the Roman Catholic Church is now emerging as the international torturer and murderer of little children.
This brings them under the umbrella shared by the Nazis and the Third Reich.
To date, the only difference is numbers.
We know the Nazis murdered about 6 million.
We don’t know yet how many were killed by the RCC and its operatives.
I dont think Hitler killed in the name of God.
But the RCC did.
They claims to be God’s one true church.
Their pope claims to be Christ’s vicar on earth.
They claim Jesus told them: “Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven”.
Did heaven approve of and agree with the torture and murder of the children?
Personally I cannot see much difference between the RCC, the Nazis, Mussolini, Stalin, Saddam Hussein, etc.
Respectfully, I direct your attention to the affidavit annexed to the present sworn before a Co. Antrim-based notary public. Therein, a number of allegations of sexual misconduct are averred against the current Abbot and Ordinary of Mount Melleray Abbey, the Rt. Rev’d Dom Richard Purcell, OCSO. During my seminary formation in Waterford, I visited Mount Melleray Abbey on several occasions. It is a place that is deeply close to my heart, and indeed the hearts of a great number of people in Ireland. It is a monastery founded during the persecution of the church in France that has been a source of immeasurable spiritual succour to a multitude of faithful both in Ireland, and across the globe. It gives me no pleasure whatsoever to be writing this letter; it is, in fact, a source of considerable personal sadness.
The Known Misconduct of Richard Purcell.
People active on the Irish gay scene have confirmed to me that Dom Richard Purcell is well-known and has been active on the gay scene for a considerable amount of time. In order to contextualise the present, before these allegations started appearing on my Blog, which led to Dom Richard Purcell changing the privacy settings for his Facebook profile; it was clear that a number of his “friends” were quite active on the Dublin gay scene. As a homosexual man in a civil partnership, who actively ministers to the gay community in Ireland and Northern Ireland, I found this a most surprising characteristic for a Cistercian monk.
Within the affidavit, it is stated that a former priest of the Diocese of Killaloe acknowledged to another priest that he had consensual anal sex with Dom Richard Purcell in the monastic guesthouse of Mount St. Joseph Abbey. In the initial e-mail that I received from another priest of the Diocese of Killaloe reference is made to the fact that Richard Purcell “pounced” on a younger man while visiting “The Boilerhouse”[1] who positively indicated that he was receptive to anal sex. For the avoidance of any and all doubt the said sexual act was consensual. But, the affidavit does not address the significant detail that the younger man who was the recipient of Purcell’s engorged penis after the act recognised Dom Purcell from a retreat that Purcell had led when the recipient was a seminarian in Maynooth.
The indifference of the Abbot General, Dom Eamon Fitzgerald.
As avowed, it is indisputable that these allegations of Purcell’s sexual misconduct were previously known to the incumbent Abbot General of the Cistercians, Rt. Rev’d Dom Eamon Fitzgerald OCSO. His comment to me on the telephone that [the Cistercians] they were hoping that the event in Roscrea was a one-off evidences the wilful complicity of Dom Eamon Fitzgerald in the on-going cover-up of Dom Richard Purcell’s wholly unacceptable behaviour.
It would be churlish and imprudent for Dom Fitzgerald to deny what was expressed within our conversation – as telephone recording technology is now mainstream. However, for the time being, the motivation(s) of the Abbot General of the Cistercians, Dom Fitzgerald, in this matter remains arcane.
Obviously, these events raise serious questions about the judgement and the integrity of the Abbot General of the Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance and by extension; it raises questions about the governance of the congregation.
By the present, I wish to apprise you that Dom Eamon Fitzgerald upon his election as Abbot of Mount Melleray Abbey, appointed Fr. John Gerard McCallion as the novice master of the aforesaid community. It is not unreasonable to presume the appointment was made by Dom Fitzgerald with the knowledge that Fr. McCallion had been ordered to return to Mount Melleray Abbey having been found in bed with a ten-year-old girl by the then parish priest of Creggan, city of Derry, Fr. Francis Lagan, who subsequently was appointed an Auxiliary Bishop of Derry.
The said same McCallion pleaded guilty on January 25, 1996 to nine (9) charges of indecent assault on three (3) primary schoolgirls in Northern Ireland while ministering as a priest in the city of Derry between May 1987 and August 1988. McCallion was described by the judge as a “sexual parasite” was sentenced to two (2) years imprisonment as a result of his guilty plea. Less than two (2) later on November 28, 1997, McCallion was given a suspended sentence of eighteen (18) months as a result of admitting four separate occasions of indecent assault on a young woman in her hospital bed after a charge of rape was dropped.
Fast forward to December 9, 2014, The Belfast Telegraph reported that McCallion who at that time had fourteen convictions for offences involving children was facing three (3) further charges of indecently assaulting a boy, and one (1) charge of committing an act of gross indecency. When the prosecutors offered no evidence, the judge directed a not guilty verdict.
Thus, rightly or wrongly, it is legitimate to infer that Dom Eamon Fitzgerald is comfortable with the sexual misconduct that is contrary to the expected and vowed behaviour of any Cistercian monk.
The Cover-up Merchant, Dom Brendan Coffey, OSB.
The website of the Congregation of the Annunciation, officially records that the Abbot of the Glenstal Abbey, the Rt. Rev’d Brendan Coffey, OSB is the safeguarding co-ordinator of the aforesaid congregation. Glenstal Abbey, is also renowned for its boarding school.
When credible allegations of sexual misconduct were made against the founding Prior of Silverstream Priory, Dom Mark Kirby, the bishop of the Diocese of Meath, Thomas Deenihan ordered an Apostolic Visitation. Two (2) the three (3) of the people appointed to conduct the visitation by Bishop Deenihan were monks: a) Dom Brendan Coffey, OSB of Glenstal Abbey; and, b) Dom Richard Purcell, OCSO, of Mount Melleray Abbey.
During the period in which the visitation of Silverstream Priory took place information was provided to me by a number of priests about Silverstream Priory. Of course, around that time, I had received further information about the sexual misbehaviour of Dom Richard Purcell. But, in the paranoid and intellectually indolent mind of Dom Brendan Coffey, he conflated a number of events about Silverstream, Richard Purcell and my blog without a scintilla of justification. And, as a result of same, in an act of incomparable stupidity; he requested from the whistle-blower Dom Xxxxx Xxxxxat Silverstream Priory an exculpatory statement on behalf, and to the benefit of Dom Richard Purcell.
Let us look at this objectively and dispassionately. It is inconceivable and unjustifiable that Abbot Brendan Coffey, OSB, (with a background in Canon Law) a monk of a Benedictine Congregation with the school was seeking an exculpatory statement for the benefit of Abbot Richard Purcell (accused of serious misconduct) from another monk, Xxxxxx xxxxxx who had been the recipient of unwanted sexualised behaviour from Dom Mark Kirby with the approbation/approval of Bishop Thomas Deenihan. All of this was taking place while the complaints made by the whistle-blower at Silverstream were referred to and investigated by An Garda Síochána. It is utterly perverse.
Potential Implications.
A number of months have now passed since the allegations made against Dom Richard Purcell first appeared on my blog. In that time, a number of concerned people have instructed lawyers, a Rome-based Rotal Advocate, and engaged the services of a Dublin-based Senior Counsel; a leading junior in criminal law who will probably take Silk next year to ensure that what has happened at Mount Melleray Abbey is exposed. This has the potential to create grave scandal both in the biblical sense and, it will further traduce the good standing of the church in the mind of the Irish people.
It would behove everybody involved to examine their conscience. A positive first step would be for Dom Richard Purcell to resign and/or step aside while these allegations are investigated. Under no circumstances should Dom Brendan Coffey be permitted to continue as the safeguarding co-ordinator for the Congregation of the Annunciation. In fact, I would respectfully submit his position as the abbot of Glenstal Abbey is completely untenable; hence, he should consider submitting his resignation.
Of course, I anticipate that people will attempt to undermine the contents of the present by highlighting that I am a schismatic bishop. However, the harsh reality is I have a demonstrable track record in calling out clerical recidivism and wrong-doing in the Irish church. If there was anything untrue in the allegations I have made against Dom Richard Purcell and/or Dom Brendan Coffey both of them would be more than welcome to issue proceedings against me; but they have not done so because they know what I write on my blog is true, and more importantly evidenced-based.
Furthermore, the fact that I have attested to the facts within an affidavit that is replete with supporting evidence as a citizen should not be dismissed. Indeed, the church would be very foolish to ignore the contents of the affidavit, because I can assure you what is coming afterwards will be far more damaging and toxic.
Conclusion.
As a fair-minded and reasonable individual I am sending you a copy of this letter as a PDF, which will be followed-up by a signed hardcopy. It is my intention to publish a copy of same on my blog, however, I will not do so — if I receive a request from the Nunciature not to publish same.
The future of the Irish Cistercians is far too important to permit inaction. To this extent, I respectfully request that you transmit a copy of this letter and the attached affidavit to the Secretariat of State of the Holy See with a request that this matter is brought to the attention of, HE João Card. Braz de Aviz the Prefect of the competent Dicastery. I further request that the Dicastery launch an immediate investigation into these allegations, and an important positive first step would be the appointment of an individual by a Decree authorised to conduct an investigation into these allegations in accordance with the dictates of Canon Law, cf Canon 1717, and the law proper of the Order of the Cistercians of the Strict Observance. If, Dom Richard Purcell, OCSO, refuses to step aside, the Dicastery can be invited to render a Decree forcing the imposition of an interim superior on Mount Melleray Abbey, and/or an apostolic administrator for a period of eighteen (18) months.
An important further step would be for the Dicastery to write to the Ordinary of the Diocese of Waterford requesting the peremptory suspension of the faculties of Dom Richard Purcell to minister in that canonical territory.
Respectfully, in Christ, I remain,
Most sincerely yours,
+Patrick Buckley
Presiding Bishop
The Oratory Society
[1]“TheBoilerhouse”, a Dublin-based gay sauna for men only aged over the age of (18) eighteen. According to its website: “The building consists of five rooms consisting of a dry sauna, Jacuzzi, steam-rooms, play areas and private rooms”. https://www.the-boilerhouse.com. Accessed: June 18, 2021.
PAT SAYS
As I knew I would get no response I deliberately sent my letter in a way it had to be signed for. It wouldnt be the forst time they claimed notbto getca letter. They got mine.
My purpose was not to get a meaningless reply from purposeless individual.
My purpose was to make sure the things I wanted to say were firmly on record. Now they are.
The letter was sent with a ten-page affidavit notarised by a duly appointed notary.
I have been advised not to place that affidavit on this blog.
Bit it was emailed to every serving Irish RC bishop in time for their June meeting earlier this month.
Again I wanted people not to be able to say they did not know about the very serious situation I was addressing.
I am not expecting the RCC to do anything about this latter.
This is simply a step in arranging for sources outside the RCC to act in the future.
Having said that a copy of my affidavit is being delivered by hand to the relevant Vatican office.
One of the worst priest pardophiles, Tony Walsh is due to be released from prison this year after 16 years locked up.
It is estimated that he abused hundreds of children.
He raped one boy with a crucifix!
The Archdiocese of Dublin did not report Walsh to the Gardai for 17 years after discovering he was a child abuser!
In 1989 the archdiocese was going to appoint him to the marriage tribunal which only dealt with annulments and sepetating couples
But there was already two paedophile priests working in the Dublin marriage tribunal – Father Ivan Payne and a man names “Fr Cicero” in the official report into Dublin.
Payne
Payne went to prison for four and a half years.
AND LISTEN TO THIS
He is still a priest, was never laicized, and still has accomodation and a yearly salary from the archdiocese of Dublin.
Cardinal Connell lent his 30,000 to pay compensation to one of his victims!
Connell
“Father Cicero”, who was 63 when he died in 2002, was the chaplain of an inner-city parish.
In the mid-1980s he would invite young girls back to his house. He had a personal computer and was an expert programmer.
He developed a computer programme that commanded the girls to remove their socks and tops, to kiss each other and to kiss him.
He also built a swimming pool in his back garden to attract children.
Complaints were finally referred to gardai in April 2002, but the priest had died before an investigation could take place.
PAT SAYS
Is it not mindblowing and staggering to think of a Christian and a priest abusing a child….but using a CRUCIFIX to rape and abuse them !!!
I cane across a case like this myself in a convent in Newry. A religious order priest was invited in by the nuns to minister to the girls.
The priest based himself in the convent parlour and a nun guarding the door pushed girl after girl into the priest.
The priest penetrated all the girls vaginas with a crucifix.
On the way out the smiling nun asked each girl: “Did you enjoy your time with Father”.
Its simply Satanic.
WALSH
Walsh is now 67.
He could live another 20 years.
Is he a danger to children?
He’s bound to be.
Unlike Payne he is no longer a priest and will not get a church property to live in or a salary – at least I hope not!
But do you ever reall know?
WHAT DO READERS THINK SHOULD BE DONE ABOUT PEOPLE LIKE TONY WALSH?
Fr Gabriel Slattery was buried yesterday in Mount Merrion parish in Dublin. Archbishop Dermot Farrell was present.
But Fr Slattery disappeared off the radar in 2007 after finished as PP of Clontarf. Thats 14 years.
Then in 2016, someone put it on my blog that he was an aromatherapy masseur in a private sports injury clinic.
That would suggest that he had left the priesthood behind him?
I never heard of an active priest being a masseur of any kind.
But then he dies and he gets a full prorsts funeral with the archbishop presiding.
What arrangement had Diarmuid Martin come to with Gay Slattery?
When a priest leaves active ministry early ( and Gay was only 63 ) it would be normal for his situation to be addressed by either voluntary or imposed laicization.
But it seems Gay’s situation was allowed to drift?
Why? We are entitled to ask.
Was Gay’s someone’s favourite?
Was he “protected”?
THE PREACHER AT THE FUNERAL
The preacher at yesterday’s funeral was a John Daly, a friend of Gay’s for 42 years apparently.
John Daly playing games
I noticed his white sneakers sticking out under his alb.
Why do so many priests dress so badly for Mass, funerals and weddings?
Everybody else in the church yesterday was dressed for a funeral. Its just respect!
I thought the sermon was very “new age traveller”.
He spoke about sharing Eucharist with Gay – but rarely in a church – on a balcony or in a garden.
And about Gay exploring other world religions.
He spoke about Gay keeping his medical condition a secret for years – even from his close family and friends.
All very strange.
Maybe there is an ordinary explanation to all this?
You did mention if I remembered anything else to forward it on in an email.
My apologies for the delay. It has been a very stressful few weeks and meeting make me nervous.
I have remembered sone details to be updated on your report which I feel are important and relevant and would be grateful if all the facts could be included.
Ger
Ger Fitzgerald disclosed to me that he had sexual intercourse with a wonan in Maynooth in 2012 within his forst twelve months of his ordination. It only lasted 23 seconds and hence the jokes about it with me, the captioned jokes I previously forwarded during our conversations.
Ger Fitzgerald’s previous girlfriend that I previously mentioned – he and her were seeing each other for years, although he intentionally never told me her name and where she is from, for protection. He spoke about regularly.
They spend every New Year’s eve together as the married man she is now having an affair with has to be with his wife that night.
They broke up as a couple six years ago but still see each other weekly and every New Year.
She is 38 years old, he said.
Ger disclosed to me that they broke up. It was her choice, not his, due to complicating factors. She is now seeing a married nan who is a bus driver, with a big gut apparently.
In January 2020, a couple of weeks prior to us having intercourse, Ger sat me down and stated:
“Before we go through with this, it can only happen one time, I don’t want you getting the wrong idea….it happened before”.
Thats at least three women accounted for since 2012.
FIRST GAY EXPERIENCE
On mine and Ger’s first trip together to Limerick Ger pointed out all the brothels in the city to me. He also appointed out another building to me and said: “That’s where I had my first gay experience”.
I do feel its important for the diocese to be aware of all these details and the lack of integrity, morals and principles exercised by a man in his position and that maybe Ger should also be considered for counselling, therapy, assessment for these issues to be addressed.
I also requested an apology from Mr Fitzgerald in my sworn affidavit and after the meeting two months ago. Cleo did mention that it was not the right time.
I never did get an answer.
Has Mr Fitzgerald given any more consideration as to whether I will receive a sincere apology. It would give me closure from all this trauma as he was denying everything and led to me being ridiculed as a liar and being at the receiving end of abuse from his supporters.
An apology would start the healing process and we could all move on peacefully from this situation.
PAT SAYS
Yvonne never dought to get involved with Ger Fitzgerald
Ger asked her out on a date 3 to 4 times and she refused. She had no time for priests.
Eventually, she agreed to go out with him.
They then dated for 6 months.
After they had sexual intercourse Get cooled off and distanced himself.
Ger in white
Naturally, Yvonne felt used and cast off.
Yvonne was by no means Ger’s first sexual conquest.
Ger was a priest with a public promise of celibacy.
Yvonne has no such attachments.
Get acted improperly.
He needs to apologise to Yvonne.
FATHER GAY SLATTERY
Fr Gay Slattery passed away this week in Dublin. RIP.
He taught philosophy in Clonliffe for a while and later worked in Clontarf parish.
He was quite a looker as a young man and a great favourite of Archbishop McQuaid.
He disappeared very suddenly 20 year ago as a relatively young man.
Unsurprisingly, Father’s Day on Sunday made me think of my dad Jim.
As a big smoker, he died at the all too early age of 60 in January 1985. So I have not seen him for 36 years.
Jim was born in 1924 in a place called Pollagh, outside Tullamore, Co. Offaly.
Due to family poverty, he was forced to leave school aged 12, to go minding cattle and bring home a very small weekly wage of £2.6d – £ 5.93 today.
He was a bright lad and deepy regretted not getting a better education.
At 18, in 1942, he got a job as a factory worker in Salt’s spinning mill in Tullamore and quickly became a supervisor.
Salts spinning mill – former Tullamore jail
While at Salt’s he got involved in the trade union movement and became the union rep there.
In 1956 a vacancy for a full-time trade union branch secretary in Carlow. Jim applied and got the job and we all moved to Carlow.
In 1960 he was moved to the IT&GWU (Irish Transport and General Workers Union) at Liberty Hall in Dublin and we all moved to Dublin.
He became branch secretary of Branch 13.
During his union time he studied at home and got his A levels.
He then took evening classes at University College Dublin and gained a BA in philosophy, archaeology and economics in 1972.
Then he studied at the Kings Inns in Dublin and was called to the bar in 1978.
During this time he had left the union and had become the personnel manager for Avon cosmetics at Portarlington in Co. Laoise. Avon sponsored his studies for the bar.
So the 12-year-old cattle minder was now James Buckley BA BL.
During all this time he fathered 17 children – 11 of whom lived to adulthood. For much of the time he had two jobs to support the family.
I was the firstborn.
Jim was a very strong anti-establishment socialist and from the age of 3 I was brought to union meetings and picket lines.
So, its hardly surprising that I have turned out to be anti-establishment and a rebel.
Jim became a big smoker as a result of attending union meetings where cigarettes were passed around like biscuits.
He died during his 9 th heart attack while the doctors worked on him in resuss. I anointed him while the doctors worked on him. The doctors, presuming me to be the hospital chaplain, said to me: “Im afraid he’s done for Father”.
I celebrated his funeral at our parish church at Ballygall in Dublin.
It was the second hardest thing I’ve done.
The hardest was celebrating my mother’s funeral 21 years later in 2006.
Currently the American Catholic Bishops are publishing a document which will ban Joe Biden from receiving Holy Communion because of his political support for abortion.
I am very happy to ssy that I have never, in 45 years of priesthood, refused anyone Holy Communion.
As a sinner myself I do not think that I have the right to judge another as being unworthy of Communion.
Neither have I ever refused absolution to anyone.
As a sinner myself, how could I?
God is the ultimate judge.
And we are told in Scripture that God does not judge by externals, but by what is in a person’s heart.
Apparently, Joe Biden, personally does not approve of abortion.
But that, quite rightly, he does not feel he can impose his own Catholic morality on the whole population of the USA, most of whom are not Catholics.
I think that Biden has it right on this one.
ABORTION AS THE WATERMARK.
Many Catholics and clerics have made abortion into the watermark of who is a good Catholic and who is not.
This is very narrow thinking.
Morality is a great big, complex sphere and cannot be reduced down to one issue.
Christians cannot be one issue moralists.
And abortion itself is a very complex moral issue and those who reduce it to a simple black and white issue are either stupid or malevolent.
CATHOLIC BISHOPS AS MORAL GUARDIANS:
The RC Church and its bishops and priests have lost all their credibility when it comes to morals.
This has come about as a result of:
1. The widespread and global reputation the RCC has for being totally corrupt.
2. The global clerical sex abuse scandal.
3. The global scandal of bishops covering up abuse and moving abusing priests around the globe, for them to abuse again.
4. The homosexualisation of the priesthood with bishops and priests secretly living lives that would out the make the ancient Romans blush.
Even the Vatican (for politiking reasons of course ) have told the US bishops to hold back.
My feeling is that the US pricks will press on with their plans to block Biden from Communion.
The only good outcome of that will be the RC in the US and world shrinking more.
BISHOP PAT BUCKLEY 