There are those out there, who do not want to face up the the vastness of corruption in the RCC, who want to attack me for this blog and claim I am on a REVENGE FEST against the RCC.
That is NOT TRUE or ACCURATE.
Of course, I believe that Cahal Daly did me an injustice in the 1980s.
But thoughts about that do not consume my life.
In ways Daly did he a great favour in freeing me from the RCC, even though I may not have realised it at the time.
In fact looking back he gave me the Freedom of the Sons of God
My life today and for some years now is concentrated on three things:
1. Thinking about and working on my relationship with God.
2. Being an available pastor – Mass, the Sacraments, listening and counselling and being there for my congregation and the “strangers” who contact daily by phone, email, letters etc. This very much includes very regular contact from people who hurt by the church and its bishops and priests.
3. Do people realise the amount of time and effort it takes to come up with a daily blog, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
When I worked further Belfast Sunday News and the News of the World I had to submit 1500 words ONCE a week. Now I do that ONCE a day.
I was very well paid by the newspapers. This blog pays me nothing and in fact I have to pay a monthly contribution to host it.
HOW A STORY STARTS ON THE BLOG:
Stories nearly always start with someone getting in touch with me about a concern or a hurt they have experienced at the hands of the Church, a bishop or a priest.
The Rory Coyle, McCamley, Deacon Byrne, Ciaran Dallat, Michael King, Ger Fitzgerald, Purcell and Fr Lomansey stories ALL started in this way.
The people who contacted me had all been to other bishops and priests before they contacted me and had gotten nowhere.
Most of them had pictures, videos, letters or emails to back up their stories.
They were all up against denial and cover ups by bishops and priests.
I was often their last port of call.
These people were angry and hurt at being turned away, not being believed and frustrated by the cover up
This situation will continue until the RCC sets an independent complaints office with real teeth and people can witness real action been taken against the people they have complained about and who are found guilty.
Those examining complaints cannot be bishops, priests, religious or anyone with an RCC connection.
This blog plays a role in church renewal.
It also plays a role in advocating for people and seeking justice and closure for them.
Our work will continue…….
I repeat, it is not about revenge.
People who have been named on the Blog have also been helped by the blog author.
That part of the work is unseen by the public and rightly so.
If irrational and orruption covering people out there choose to believe the Blog is about revenge there is nothing I can say to them.
But their protestations will get them nowhere.
BISHOP PAT BUCKLEY 