It has now been well established, internationally, that Roman Catholic bishops, ignore, entertain and cover up wrong doing by priests and seminarians.
This behaviour has covered child sexual abuse, adult abuse, priests fathering children and on rarer occasions clerical violence and murder. It has also covered priests encouraging their mistresses to have abortions.
But this entertainment and cover up is apparent these days when it comes to homosexuality and homosexual wrongdoing.
If the RC priesthood is now an overwhelmingly gay profession – which it is – and bishops are chosen from priests – then very many bishops themselves are gay.
Some bishops, I don’t the numbers, are gay and not sexually active.
Others are gay and sexually active.
The priesthood and seminaries provide bishops with rich pickings when it comes to procuring younger men for sex – as we saw with Cardinal Ted Mc Carrick.
Bishops are very powerful men in the context of priests and seminarians.
It’s not easy for a young priest or seminarian to refuse the sexual advances of a bishop or archbishop.
THE PUNISHMENTS:
Bishops can publish young priests for refusing their sexual advances in various ways:
1. You become a pariah in the bishop’s house and offices.
2. You get sent to the roughest and poorest parishes or get sent as a curate to dictatorial and barbaric parish priests who will make your life hell.
3. You get deprived of positions on diocesan committees and bodies and never get offered any of the hand outs available to the bishop – being sent on courses, being granted sabbaticals etc
4. The bishop and his cronies will quietly bad mouth you among the clergy giving you a bad name in the clerical club. Other clerics will avoid you to please His Lordship.
SEMINARIANS
Seminarians who refuse a bishop’s sexual advances will be dismissed from the seminary, without a reason and with no right of appeal.
GAY BISHOPS WHO SEXUALLY MISBEHAVE “BY PROXY”.
Licence paid
Some bishops are so sexually and emotionally immature and unintergrated they get their rocks off “by proxy” – by entering into an unspoken arrangement with naughty gay priests and seminarians.
Just as a parent who never got to university gets to go there through their children, some bishops who never explored their gay sexuality get to go there by:
– Hearing about priests and seminarians sexual behaviour.
– Hearing the detail of all these younger men get up to.
– And joining with these younger men in an unspoken and undeclared collusion. This happens through the bishop showing no disapproval, listening to the young men stories, and by giving them the wink and nod to continue knowing that the bishop is protecting them. This creates a non spoken sexual frisson between the priest, seminarian and bishop.
Like an irresponsible and dysfunctional father taking a secret and terribly misplaced glee in his son’s criminal behaviour.
The Roman Catholic episcopate and priesthood is almost completely dysfunctional.
TO MISQUOTE PHILIP LARKIN
They fuck you up, your bishops do And they mean to, so they do. They fill you with the shit they had And add some extra, just for you.
But they were fucked up in their turn By fools with crosiers and with rings. Who half the time were soppy pious. And half at one another’s things.
Man hands on misery to man. It deepens like a coastal shelf. Get out as early as you can, And never get ordained yourself.
By the way – these bishops and priests do not believe in RCC teaching. They give it lip service.
Serious concerns continue to be expressed by clergy and laity, about two Roman Catholic deacons who are due to be ordained priests in the coming months.
The Scottish Deacon is Christopher Morris of the Diocese of Motherwell overseen by Bishop Joseph Toal
CHRISTOPHER MORRIS
The Irish Deacon is Stephen Wilson of Armagh whose bishop is Eamon Martin.
STEPHEN WILSONEAMON MARTIN
The concerns about the two deacons revolve around how they have handled and are handling their homosexuality
It is fully accepted in clerical circles that both men are of the “antique disposition”.
It is also being claimed that both have been sexually active since entering seminary.
I have had countless communications about these matters from priests and laity in Scotland and Ireland.
I know that these concerns have even strongly communicated to EAMON MARTIN and JOSEPH TOAL.
Both bishops, for their own reasons, have failed to address these concerns.
Why?
EAMON MARTIN has taken great care of Fathers Rory Coyle and Eamon McCamley since their sexual misadventures.
McCamley is back in Dungannon Parish.
Rory has not returned to Armagh yet but is being fully supported by Eamon Martin.
JOE TOAL, who was ruthless in his handling of Father Matthew Despard, who exposed homosexuality among Scottish priests chooses to turn a blind eye to Christopher Morris.
Why ???
STATEMENT FROM GROUP OF SCOTTISH PRIESTS
We have decided to email the Papal Nuncio re Bishop Toal and Mgr Bradley and their connection to Deacon Christopher.
Some of us are seriously considering leaving ministry over this. Some of us are gay and some are not so we have no agenda other than the faith and transparency. We just can’t continue to stand idly by.
The man who likes to pontificate on everything from yoga to cancer prevention vaccines for girls has maintained A SUSPICIOUS SILENCE on Richard Purcell since his shock resignation as abbot 35 days ago !!!
From the beginning of the Purcell scandal Phonsie was written to personally and copied letters and emails to others.
He took no notice of serious concerns.
In fact he went out of his to publish his friendship with Purcell by being photographed with him, concelebrating with him at Mount Melleray and inviting him to be a concelebrant at important diocesan occasions.
All the time that Dick Purcell was giving us all the TWO FINGER SALUTE Phonsie was giving us the same salute.
As the bishop of the Diocese Phonsie was bound to have had discussions with Purcell himself, the abbot general and other concerned parties.
As bishop Phonsie has the solemn duty to protect the Faith in his territory and the solemn duty to see that the Catholic Faithful are not scandalised or have their faith undermined by other persons.
He has NOT performed that duty.
Of course the monastery is under obedience to the abbot general essentially.
But the bishop has the role of protecting the faith in the territory where the monastery is situated.
Phonsie has not spoken about this great scandal in spite of his wide mouthed pronunciations on everything else.
Why has Phonsie not spoken?
Was it because the complaints were started on this blog and Phonsie does not want us to get any credit?
Did he not believe the allegations?
Does he believe them now after two resignations?
Was Phonsie cynically protecting his friend Dick?
Is Phonsie compromised in some way?
Does Richard Purcell have something on Phonsie?
These are all very relevant questions at this juncture.
And if Phonsie does not clear these questions up he is dead in the water as a bishop and moral voice and guide.
In fact he has become Ireland’s Number 1 episcopal hypocrite.
I cringe when people like Amy Martin say that they have been in love and have sacrificed a wife and children to serve God.
I have no proof one way or the other but I believe that both Martin and the others who go on like that are “not the marrying type”
In other words, in my opinion, they are gay.
I’m not claiming that any of them have acted out their gayness. That I simply don’t know – and its not the Blog’s business – unless they have behaved in a hypocritical way.
I would be very surprised if Amy Martin had ever acted out because he strikes me as a deeply repressed man – and as a man who gets his pleasures by being full of himself and having power over others.
There are rumours from Ara Coeli that he has temper tantrums?
His predecessor, Tomas O’Fiaich whose sexuality I haven’t a clue about, was, I believe, very integrated. He had no airs or graces, rode a bike around Armagh ( a man’s bike), and cycled to the GAA club in Armagh for a pint on a Sunday after Mass.
On the two occasions I visited him in Armagh he was very gracious, generous with tea and sandwiches and treated me to a home poured Irish whiskey.
He also spent an afternoon on the booze with my Dad, Jim, in Lourdes.
LOURDES
But I do think that Tomas, had things been different, would have made a good husband and father.
No I don’t believe that Amy was ever really in love with anyone apart from himself.
And I don’t think that the virginity of the girls in Derry’s Bogside was ever under any threat from Amy as they grew up together.
THIS IS A REDACTED VERSION OF A LETTER SENT TO BISHOP TOAL AND PATRICIA MC KEEVER FROM CTS
Bishop Pat, here is a rather sketchy history of Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx0
When Xxxxxxxxxxx was an applicant he befriended his fellow LGBT applicants: the now Rev Fr Xxxxxxxxx one host of Daisy Chain dinners; Mr Xxxxxxx, brother of Fr Xxxx and now a teacher who attended Graduation Mass in St Columbkilles, Rutherglen & Mr Xxxxxxx, the alcoholic Primary School Teacher whose career was saved by Fr Xxxxxxxxx who got him a job in his parish school where they tried to start a boys choir. Each of this quartet have been lovers of each other at one point and indulged in orgies and all attend the Daisy Chain dinner hosted by Fr Xxxxxxxxx They all frequent gay bars together in Glesgay, Rome and Spain. Ask Evan Macnamara.
As a xxxxxxx for Motherwell he was sent to The Scots College in Rome. There he entered into a relationship with an Edinburgh student by the name of Xxxxx Xxxxx. When Xxxxx wanted out Xxxxxxxxxxx would not allow it. Xxxxx was so afraid he left the seminary and fled to Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxx approached Bishop Toal recently before Xxxxxxxx was accepted back but the bishop dismissed Xxxxx’s allegations, otherwise he’d have to have called the police if you get what I mean!?
After Xxxxxx departed Xxxxxxxxxx then entered into a very open, violent and noisy nocturnal sexual relationship with the now Fr Xxxxxxxxx referred to above. Fr Xxxxxxxx, who has a terrible drink problem, has been banned from driving and carried out drunk from gay bars in Glasgow on numerous occasions. This was reported to Archbishop Tartaglia but he ignored it.
Then along came the now Fr Xxxxxx tall, with nice salo skin, eyes like Princess Diana our Xxxxxxxxx couldn’t resist him. Xxxxxxx courted and loved the attention but then couldn’t bare it any more. A leading light in The Faith Movement he was named in this blog as Fr Xxxxxxx bit of stuff and that he is.
Through parish placements, friendships with different priests and visitors to The Scots College our Xxxxxxxxxx then engaged in a ménage-a-trios with Xxxx Xxxxxx xxxxxxxxxx of the Archdiocese of Glasgow and his long term lover, Fr Xxxxxx one time xxxxxxxxxx of Paisley. Bishop Keenan got rid of him as there was only one gay in the Curia village. Xxxxxxxxx also engaged in a sexual relationship with Fr Xxxx These three deviants then initiated Xxxxxxxxxxx into their Daisy Chain group. This all happened whilst Xxxxxxxxxx was a seminarian known to be cruising in Burghese Gardens and the gay bars of Rome. He was outed by your dear friend one Mrs Patricia McKeever and dismissed from Rome.
After returning to Glasgow Xxxxxxxxxx initially was given “rent” free lodgings in the presbytery of St Xxxxxx with the Parish Priest, Fr Paul Xxxxxx – yes him again. Xxxxxxxxxx was then introduced by his friend Mr Xxxxxxx named above to Fr Xxxx Xxxxxxx the long term lover of the Late Michael McCoy, Canon of Newcastle who hung himself this year. Xxxxxxxxxx was quite literally and physically torn between the vultures of two Monsignori Daisy Chain groups.
On his return to Glesgay our Xxxxxxxxx began studying at the University of Glasgow where he quickly become bosom buddies of Fr Xxxxxx and his assistant The Good Dr Xxxxxx Just before his Silver Jubilee Xxxxxx left the priesthood to set up home with his now husband. Together Xxxxxx and his husband attended Xxxxxxxxxxx Diaconate in Oscott.
During lockdown young Xxxxxxxxx was sent to live with one Fr Xxxxand 2 young priests who were in fear of him. Such was their fear and Xxxxxxxxxx predatory behaviour that both young priests reported it to bishop Toal and he moved the 2 priests.
As a Deacon our Xxxxxxxxx was sent on placement to Fr Xxxxxx for whom he was an Altar Boy in Cambuslang where the PP was Scotland’s first openly gay priest the late Fr John Breslin. Deacon Xxxxxxxxx and Fr Xxxxxxx left East Kilbride and journeyed down to Oscott together stopping on the way for an overnight!!! Very soon Deacon Xxxxxxxxx would bring down his dear friend Mgr Tommy after only months in the job as Scottish SD in Oscott.
Priests advised Bishop Toal not to take him back; they’re angry, they won’t attend his ordination to priesthood. Most of them refused to allow him to go on placement as a student or deacon and most will do the same if he’s ordained. Rumour has it Fr Bernard Pug Face Mourninan is preparing rooms in Rutherglen for his new curate Fr Xxxxxxxxx next summer.
He’s a safeguarding concern. He’s a danger to young men. He must be stopped for his own sake, for the sake of the church, the priesthood and for the people of god; he’s a scandal waiting to burst. He must be stopped. We are genuinely
NOTE FROM SOTTISH PRIEST
GLASGOW TERNA
Bishop Pat,
The Terna for Glasgow is in Rome according to the Nuncio.
On 13th of January it’ll be a year since useless Tartaglia thankfully was removed by our gracious God.
On the Terna are 1) William Nolan;
2) Brian McGhee
3) John Keenan.
Heaven help us with these three: 1) is ice cold and heartless; 2) is as thick as they come and 3) well you know all about him.
None of them have what is required to take our parishes forward.
I ask your readers to pray for Glasgow. We’re doomed.
In my opinion the world is a better place because Desmond Tutu lived and a poorer place as result of his death at 90.
He was born into a very poor African family in 1931.
He wA ordained a priest in 1961 and moved to England to study theology at King’s College, London.
He went on to teach theology in both a seminary and a University.
In 1975 he became the Dean of St Mary’s Carhedral in Johannesburg.
He was consecrated Bishop of Lesotho in 1978 and remained there until 1985.
He was a most prominent of apartheid and always stressed the need for non violence.
In 1985 he became the Bishop of Johannesburg and in 1986 the Archbishop of Cape Town.
He oversaw the introduction of women’s ordination.
After Nelson Mandela was released from prison he and Tutu worked together for multi race democracy in South Africa.
Later Mandela chose Tutu to be chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
When apartheid fell Tutu campaigned for gay rights.
Tutu spoke out on a wide range of subjects, among the Israeli Palestinian conflict, his opposition to the Iraq Was and his criticism of South African presidents Thabo Mbeki and Jacob Zuma.
In 2010, he retired from public life.
Tutu polarised opinion as he rose to prominence in the 1970s. White conservatives who supported apartheid despised him, while many white liberals regarded him as too radical; many black radicals accused him of being too moderate and focused on cultivating white goodwill.
Marxist Leninists criticised his anti communist stance. He was widely popular among South Africa’s black majority, and was internationally praised for his anti-apartheid activism, receiving a range of awards, including the Nobel Peace Price. He also compiled several books of his speeches and sermons.
Tutu was a prophet who spoke out for the vulnerable and suffering.
He deserved his long life.
And he deserves admiration and praise and a place in Paradise.
A prophet is not a seer into the future.
A prophet is one who speaks the truth (sometimes God’s truth) to power.
“If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor. If an elephant has its foot on the tail of a mouse and you say that you are neutral, the mouse will not appreciate your neutrality.”
The Rev. Serene Jones is president of Union Theological Seminary. The views expressed in this commentary do not necessarily reflect those of Religion News Service.)
REVEREND SERENE JONES
In a few days, Christians around the world will celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. They will recount how Mary and Joseph made the long, hard journey to Bethlehem and how she gave birth to Jesus in a manger.
It’s a story with beautiful themes of God’s humble love, tenderness and vulnerability. But this holiday season, there’s a part of this story that it’s time to move past: Mary’s purported virginity.
I’m a theologian and am very familiar with the biblical stories of the birth of Jesus, as well as the many views of Mary’s virginity. For centuries, religious scholars have debated whether Mary was in fact a virgin, or whether this interpretation is based on a mistranslation of the text.
Regardless of the truth, one thing is for certain: The focus on Mary’s virginity created the rationale behind centuries of harmful views about virginity and perfect womanhood — how we should dress, act and approach our sexuality. These views are, in turn, tied to the gross inequalities women face still 2,000 years later — from the wage gap to attacks on reproductive rights.
For centuries, Christians have held that Mary was herself conceived immaculately — that is, perfectly free of sin and therefore fit to be a pure vessel to carry Jesus. Then, when Mary was a teenager — and importantly, still a virgin — the Holy Spirit conceived Jesus, another perfect, sinless child. Many Christian scholars say that Mary remained a virgin for the rest of her life.
Theologians have long questioned these beliefs, even as religious leaders have used Mary’s purported virginity as a model for how women should behave. Sex is sin. Abstaining from sex is saintly.
St. Augustine was one of several church fathers who characterized sex for pleasure as a sin because it diverted one’s attention away from God. His work created a strong connection between purity and virginity, and laid the groundwork for countless social movements to control and shame women’s sexuality.
Today, this view remains very much alive. In many U.S. conservative Christian communities, women are still instructed that it is their duty — and notably, not the duty of men — to eschew sex for pleasure and to have sex only after marriage and only for reproduction.
They are duly told to refrain from dressing in a way that draws male attention. They must reject sexual advances from others and repress their own sexual urges. They wear purity rings and, in a few places, still attend purity balls — at which daughters promise their fathers that they will remain virgins until marriage. Unsurprisingly, many women who are raped or assaulted don’t report it because they don’t want to be considered “tainted.”
Similar mindsets can be found elsewhere, and in other faiths. Honor killings remain a fact of life in some countries, while others criminalize premarital sex and put women who have committed adultery to death.
In sum, a woman’s worth is greatly dependent on how “pure” she is perceived to be, and a woman’s sexual agency is at best ignored and at worst punished.
This shaming of women goes against God’s most basic teachings. In one of Jesus’ pivotal parables, recounted in the Gospel of John, he teaches the opposite lesson: A woman accused of adultery is brought before Jesus by a mob that wants to stone her to death. Instead of condemning her, however, Jesus famously responds that only those without sin should cast the first stone. Not surprisingly, no stones are thrown.
The truth is, Mary’s virginity is superfluous and turns a story that is supposed to be about the love of God into a tale that oppresses women. Instead of focusing on Mary’s sexuality, let’s celebrate the true glory of the season.
(The Rev. Serene Jones is president of Union Theological Seminary. The views expressed in this commentary do not necessarily reflect those of Religion News Service.)
PAT SAYS
I think we need to give serious consideration to Serene Jones thoughts.
The whole emphasis on the “virginity” of Mary is worrying.
The RCC has created a VIRGIN GOD rather than a servant of her Lord.
It is clearly stated on the website: http://www.meathsafeguarding.ie that “any general queries regarding safeguarding” within the Roman Catholic Diocese of Meath should be directed to you for answer.
But, first let me introduce myself. I am Bishop Pat Buckey, better known on the island of Ireland as the Bishop at Larne. I appreciate you may have never heard of me, however, I am well-known to — but perhaps not well-liked by Bishop Thomas Deenihan. But, a bit of Christmas cheer might warm his cold heart.
Recently, I have been contacted by a priest of the Diocese of Meath with safeguarding concerns that I now bring to your attention within the present.
Do you not consider it absurd that a priest of the Diocese of Meath, does not report his safeguarding concerns to the appropriate authority in his diocese due to his well-founded fear of victimisation for reporting his concerns.
Instead, the priest feels it is “safer” to contact an independent figure such as myself! Does that not raise serious and significant questions about safeguarding within the Diocese of Meath?
The reason I was contacted by the priest was simple; it is his on-going concern about Silverstream Priory, and its priests. The Priory is an Institute of Diocesan Right located within the Diocese of Meath. And, that means the Priory and its priests are subject to the jurisdiction/oversight of Bishop Thomas Deenihan.
At the time of this writing, Silverstream Priory has three (3) priest on its books: a) the founding Prior, Dom Mark Kirby, OSB; b) Dom Benedict Andersen, OSB, who by virtue of his priestly ordination by Bishop Michael Smith, the previous Ordinary of Meath is de facto a priest of the diocese; and, c) Dom Hildebrand Houser, OSB.
An on-line search of the “Directory” reveals that none of three (3) priests of Silverstream Priory are listed as being priests of the Diocese of Meath. This is most surprising and begets immediate questions about safeguarding.
As previously stated, Dom Andersen, by virtue of his ordination by Bishop Smith is a priest of the Diocese of Meath. That is a matter of Canon Law, so it is surprising he is not listed as a priest.
Dom Mark Kirby has resided in the Diocese of Meath for a sufficient amount of time to have incardinated. If he has not incardinated — are you in a position to provide any guidance, why that is the case?
Is it the canonical reality that Dom Mark Kirby still attached to his previous religious Institute/Diocese, and is he actually subject to another Ordinary, who is NOT, Bishop Deenihan? This is a very important question; one that deserves an immediate answer.
It was brought to my attention that Silverstream Priory earlier this year were looking for a mitred prelate to conduct the solemn monastic profession of Dom Houser? Do you know if the solemn profession went ahead? And, if so, who conducted the ceremony?
We know that Dom Houser was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of St. Louis, Missouri, in the United States. If and when, he makes solemn monastic profession — will his connection with the Archdiocese of St. Louis be extinguished?
If the solemn profession has gone ahead with the concomitant lack of publicity, is Dom Houser: a) still a priest of the Archdiocese of St Louis, who is resident at Silverstream Priory with the consent of Archbishop Rozanski, Ordinary of the Archdiocese of St. Louis; b) was Dom Houser by virtue of his solemn monastic profession incardinated into the Diocese of Meath, and/or, c) is Dom Houser in the process of incardinated into the Diocese of Meath?
If Dom Houser was/is a priest of the Archdiocese of St. Louis, do you know if he complied with all the safeguarding requirements of that archdiocese in order to remain in good standing with his Ordinary? If not; why not?
A recent statement on the webpage of Silverstream Priory acknowledges that accusations had been made against the founder “Dom Mark Daniel Kirby”. It further states that “the allegations were denied” the community “understood that they had to be investigated by various authorities” and that the community “cooperated fully with the lengthy and thorough investigation that followed”. When the allegations were made, why was no public announcement made about the allegations? Why did no statement appear on the websites of the Diocese of Meath and/or Meath Safeguarding alerting people to the allegations?
We also learned from the statement that the allegations were sufficiently serious for “An Garda Síochána, the Director of Public Prosecutions and the Charities Regulatory Authority” to have been involved. We also learned that “Dom Mark [Kirby] is priest in good standing”. So again, I ask: with whom is Dom Mark Kirby in good standing? Can you definitively tell us if Dom Mark Kirby is in good standing with Bishop Deenihan?
What is the canonical status of Dom Benedict Andersen? Where in America is he at the moment? Why has he been permitted to remain outside Silverstream Priory for an extended period of time? Is he subject to the jurisdiction of any bishop in America? Is he in receipt of a stipend from Silverstream or the Diocese of Meath? Is he saying Mass in the USA?
You would accept that the action of Dom Andersen in highlighting the sexual and financial misconduct of Dom Mark Kirby means he is a whistle-blower. We know from a series of articles in the press that Dom Andersen is being punished for highlighting misconduct – what does that tell you about safeguarding in the diocese? His allegations were deemed to be sufficiently serious to be investigated for over a year by An Garda Síochána; they in turn felt they were sufficiently credible to send a file to the Director of Public Prosecutions; hence, there was smoke and fire about Dom Kirby.
However, what characterised the response of the Diocese of Meath about Dom Kirby and indeed this safeguarding office was the silence of a cover-up, and this cover-up is on-going and deliberate. The people of the Diocese of Meath were deliberately kept in ignorance about Kirby. Why?
Would you accept that if a priest highlights misconduct in the Diocese of Meath, he will be punished by Bishop Deenihan for generating negative publicity?
And, as a consequence of that known and demonstrable reality — priests of the Diocese of Meath do not trust Bishop Deenihan, and that the role of safeguarding within the Diocese of Meath is nothing more than a sham? And, that harsh reality has very serious consequences for safeguarding and the culture of safeguarding within the diocese?
And, would you further accept that your role is a charade that provides the thinnest possible credibility for Bishop Deenihan?
But, why does all this matter? It matters, because young boy scouts were repeatedly brought to Silverstream Priory for overnight camping trips. In fact, one of the people, involved in organising these visits to Silverstream Priory is a Senior Counsel at the Law Library. For the avoidance of any and all doubt the Senior Counsel was oblivious to the misconduct of Dom Kirby.
SCOUTS CARRY CANOPY FOR KIRBY
The Silverstream Newsletter for January-February 2015 recorded that “we were happy to have Ireland’s first international troop of THE SCOUTS OF EUROPE in attendance at Holy Mass. The troop, under the expert leadership of Guilhem Fritsch, is made up of boys from France, Poland, and Ireland”.
In the Silverstream Newsletter for “Lent 2017”, it is recorded that on December 3, 2016: “Two patrols of the Gasóga na hEorpa (Scouts of Europe) camp on the monastery grounds and attend Holy Mass in Oratory of the monastery”. The newsletter contains a photograph of Dom Mark Kirby, “directing scouts in the singing of the Kyrie”.
In the Silverstream Newsletter for “Summer 2017”, two separate entries for the visit of the Scouts of Europe recorded their attendance at a camp near the monastery; it also records that on June 4, Pentecost Sunday, that the “small oratory is full beyond capacity for Mass, with the families of the Cub Scouts”
And, it is further recorded that on June 15, 2017, the Solemnity of Corpus Christi that the canopy the over the monstrance was at times carried by Scouts of Europe, which included a photograph of the Scouts carrying the canopy.
For the avoidance of doubt, I am not ridiculing the attendance of the Scouts and/or their families at Silverstream Priory. It is encouraging to see faith been publicly expressed, however, what is very troubling is the failure of the Diocese of Meath to ensure the protection of the Scouts, which in part explains the antecedents of the present.
Hence, these questions about safeguarding within the Diocese of Meath are legitimate, extremely serious, and the scandal that is Silverstream Priory needs to be brought to a prompt end. It is my intention to write to the Senior Counsel referred to, herein, with a list of questions. Once, they have been answered, I will be in contact, and I will bring my concerns to Tusla, and (if necessary) to An Garda Síochána.
In the past, I have directed my concerns to Bishop Deenihan, however, with typically obduracy, (a characteristic often associated with those who are Cork-born), he has not replied, which is deeply surprising given we are dealing with an on-going church scandal.
I am copying this e-mail to the TDs of the constituencies of Meath East and Meath West, because we are dealing with safeguarding issues and the protection of minors. It is noteworthy that one of the TDs is Helen McEntee, the incumbent Minister for Justice. Thus far, the only positive action Bishop Deenihan has taken, under duress, probably due to the intervention of the Apostolic Nuncio, was to involve An Garda Síochána in light of the Andersen allegations.
I await your considered and prompt reply to my questions.
Sincerely,
(Bishop) Pat Buckley
PS: because, I believe transparency is good for the Church, I will place a copy of this e-mail on my blog.
Cc:
Bishop Thomas Deenihan. Archbishop Jude Okolo, Apostolic Nuncio of the Holy See to the Republic of Ireland. Damien English, TD. Johnny Guirke, TD. Peadar Tóibín, TD. Thomas Byrne, TD. Helen McEntee, TD. Darren O’Rourke, TD.
REPLY FROM DIOCESE OF MEATH THOS MORNING
Dear Bishop Buckley,
Many thanks for your email and for contacting me.
Any Priest of the Diocese of Meath with a child safeguarding concern would be best advised as a Mandated Person to report their knowledge, concerns, suspicions, or allegations of child abuse to TUSLA and the Gardai. The Children First Act 2015 places a legal obligation on all members of the clergy as mandated persons to report child safeguarding concerns to the statutory authorities.
As you can appreciate, I am unable to discuss personal sensitive information regarding safeguarding matters with anyone other than the statutory authorities. Should TUSLA and/or the Gardai wish to conduct any safeguarding investigations into any concern regarding child safeguarding in the Diocese of Meath, all of us in the Safeguarding Team, including Bishop Deenihan, would be happy to cooperate.
With every good wish for Christmas.
Kind Regards,
Loraine Byrne
Safeguarding Co-Ordinator Diocese of Meath
Cc: Bishop Thomas Deenihan
Archbishop Jude Thaddeus Okolo, Apostolic Nuncio of the Holy See to the Republic of Ireland
EVERYONE should be interested in the history and development of the HIV / AIDS story – especially in the context of Covid– which can be managed and helped by the sane type of drugs that have turned HIV from being a terminal condition into a life long manageable condition.
HIV treatments have a role to play in addressing COVID and other viruses that will probably develop in the near and far future.
The new 3 part SKY series is called POSITIVE.
I have watched 2 of the 3 episodes and have been deeply touched by the film.
Positive will premiere on Sky Documentaries and streaming service NOW on World AIDS Day, 1st December at 9pm.
The Sky Original docu-series uses intimate testimony from some of the earliest HIV patients and real-life heroes to tell the tragedies and triumphs of Britain’s 40-year battle with HIV.
Positive tracks the recent social history of our country, from a nation mired in prejudice, intolerance and homophobia to a society that’s increasingly accepting of individuals’ sexual and gender choices. Through Positive, audiences will witness the making of modern Britain.
Across the three-episode run, the series takes us from the first recorded UK case in 1981 right through to the present day where prevention methods such as PrEP, and treatment methods leading to an undetectable status, are widely available and accessible to all, helping to create a world with less stigma and fewer new HIV cases.
The Sky Original documentary has been commissioned by Zai Bennett, Sky’s Managing Director of Content and Poppy Dixon, Director of Documentaries and Factual. The series is produced by the award-winning team at Arrow Pictures, where its Creative Director is John Smithson, the Executive Producer Lucie Ridout and the director Grace Chapman.
This is a very tragic and gripping story of 40 years of human suffering and great heroism on the part of many.
In the early 1980s I worked with a few young men dying of AIDS.
At that time there was a special ward for the condition in Belvoir Park Hospital in Belfast.
We all had to enter patients rooms in outfits like spacesuits. It was so scary and tragic.
I saw some lovely young people die very tragic deaths.
Thankfully there has been a total revolution in the treatment of HIV and now most patients with the condition live so long they die of things others die of – heart attacks, strokes, cancer etc.
BISHOP PAT BUCKLEY 