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CARRY ON “MONKING” !

Dear Bishop Pat,

BUCKFAST ABBEY

I trust that all is well with you. I write because of my experiences with two troublesome priests.

I joined Buckfast Abbey as a postulant some years ago. Fr Xxxxx (now a priest of Liverpool) was a junior monk who had been voted out by the community prior to solemn vows was allowed to re-join the community in the same year I joined.

To keep it brief he was a sex pest who constantly entered my cell and sought me out whenever he could. Nothing ever happened because I was not interested and was able to push him away. Some years later when staying as a guest at Buckfast he entered my room and got into bed with me. He was dealt with, and I’ve never been back there since or had any further dealings with him. I believe he is now a priest in Liverpool. Should I report this or just forget about it?

FATHER JAMES COURTNEY

JAMES COURTNEY

Fr James Courtney OSB was someone I thought of as a good friend who I visited from time to time when he fell out with Abbot David Charlesworth and was placed in more than one parish as punishment. His words not mine. The last time I stayed with James and the last ever time I saw him was whilst he was PP in Tiverton if my memory serves. James was gay and was never anything other than open about that, however I was deeply shocked and angered at the amount of gay porn littered around the presbytery and more so with the fact that he walked around the house naked for most of the morning upon my arrival. I left that same day and apart from one phone from him with regards the death of Br Joseph OSB in 2006 I had no more dealings with him either. James is dead now but again should I report this to Abbot David? I feel angry that so much has been said about what a good priest he was when he clearly wasn’t. I can’t have been the only victim of his attentions.

I’ve been married for nearly ten years, and I’ve discussed this with my wife on many occasions but it’s not something she is comfortable to talk about and I fully understand that. I have no belief in any form of god and despise the RCC and all it represents. Your opinion would be most valued, and I look forward to hearing from you at some point in the future.

Every best wish

COURTNEY WAS SAFEGUARDING OFFICER FOR BUCKFAST !!!

The scale of abuse now being uncovered at Buckfast Abbey is disturbing. Paul Crouch “Father Benedict” had already been jailed for ten years in 2007 for a string of offences with boys stretching over 20 years. One victim had been “so terrified that he hid in his locker” and had “complained to the school Matron in 1987”, After an internal investigation, Crouch was allowed to carry on teaching and the police were not alerted. Father William Manahan, called “Daddy Prior”, was jailed, also in 2007, for 15 months for abuse between 1971 and 1978. Revealingly, he had become Abbot in the meantime.

Doubts have since been raised about a (now deceased) monk, Father Edward Stewart who is alleged to have repeatedly abused a young boy over three years. Even worse is that it has become clear that Stewart was moved around parishes inBritainandScandinaviadespite (and of course because of) “frequent complaints about his behaviour”.

Buckfast Abbey’s current safeguarding co-ordinator Father James Courtney discovered a trunk of photographs of adolescent boys engaged in sexual activities belonging to Stewart but neither he nor the Abbot reported them to the police, and the incriminating material was destroyed.

http://www.secularism.org.uk/132702.html

IS KIRBY STILL IN SILVERSTREAM?

This is the latest offering on the DISGRACED SILVERSTREAM website

As you can see – no sign of the abuser KIRBY.

Maybe he was the one taking the photo?

I’m sure he is still there.

No one can even begin to take Silverstream seriously until Kirby goes.

God help the two new postulantts.

TOMORROWS GOSPEL

Gospel
Luke 6:39-45
Can the blind lead the blind?

Jesus told a parable to his disciples: ‘Can one blind man guide another? Surely both will fall into a pit? The disciple is not superior to his teacher; the fully trained disciple will always be like his teacher. Why do you observe the splinter in your brother’s eye and never notice the plank in your own? How can you say to your brother, “Brother, let me take out the splinter that is in your eye,” when you cannot see the plank in your own? Hypocrite! Take the plank out of your own eye first, and then you will see clearly enough to take out the splinter that is in your brother’s eye.
‘There is no sound tree that produces rotten fruit, nor again a rotten tree that produces sound fruit. For every tree can be told by its own fruit: people do not pick figs from thorns, nor gather grapes from brambles. A good man draws what is good from the store of goodness in his heart; a bad man draws what is bad from the store of badness. For a man’s words flow out of what fills his heart.’

181 replies on “CARRY ON “MONKING” !”

Now made under licence, not by them, but it was a traditional medicine of sorts.

The Benedictines have some horrors. A perv safeguarding officer is probably not too rare. High functioning pervs seek that responsibility. Soper of Ealing Abbey is another horror. I would perhaps say worse given the rape and battery of young boys, but sometimes we don’t the full story, so I hesitate. I certainly get how horrors can make a man lose his faith, but St John Chrysostom said aptly: ‘The road to hell is paved with the bones of priests and monks, and the skulls of bishops are the lampposts that light the path.’ Prayers for those who have suffered.

Can I offer the Gospel for Quinquagesima Sunday +Pat? It is a reminder to us all, and a well loved Gospel pericope.

1 Cor xiii. 1-10.

Brethren: If I should speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have charity, I have become as sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal. And if I have prophecy and know all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith so as to remove mountains, yet do not have charity, I am nothing. And if I distribute all my goods to feed the poor, and if I deliver my body to be burned, yet do not have charity, it profits me nothing. Charity is patient, is kind; charity does not envy, is not pretentious, is not puffed up, is not ambitious, is not self-seeking, is not provoked; thinks no evil, does not rejoice over wickedness, but rejoices with the truth; bears with all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Charity never fails, whereas prophecies will disappear, and tongues will cease, and knowledge will be destroyed. For we know in part and we prophesy in part; but when that which is perfect has come, that which is imperfect will be done away with. When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I felt as a child, I thought as a child. Now that I have become a man, I have put away the things of a child. We see now through a mirror in an obscure manner, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know even as I have been known. So there abide faith, hope and charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

R. Thanks be to God.

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What about Fr Joe Williams who is buried at Buckfast Abbey. His diocese was so concerned about him he lay In Morrisons car park for two days over the Christmas period and nobody notiiced. How sad is that?

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Aww that sounds wonderful. Can I put on the kettle on for a cup of tea you poor thing did you never get the email about how to report a crime. I guess not since you always so tense.
You you seem you need it to Pat Buckley, you poor saddo. . Lesson one on n001. When you suspect a crime contact and report it to the cops. not here, not with your mates in the pub go to the cops you mmoronic idiot.

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12.01am Who hit your nerve? The only person speaking of a crime is yourself. I think it sounds more like neglect. It’s horrible to think that a diocese couldn’t really care for this priest. Soul destroying.

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Yes, report directly to the Venerable Persons / Referrals at Merseyside Police. You’ll be amazed at the responses and reactions…

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Buckfast monks don’t give a monkeys about anything that is said about them, because they are RICH. The place is awash with money from the licensing of their Buckfast Tonic Wine, which brings in oodles of cash. They are able to spend it on all sort of new building, projects and living very nicely, thank you very much. I’m sure the monks who have spent time at HM’s Pleasure are royally looked after even if they have had to be ‘let go’ from the monastery. A monk of Buckfast is ensured a rather nice life. No shortages there. Join up, join up…..!

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11:17 that’s the bottom line throughout the RCC, it is so RICH, it ultimately gets away with everything. It can afford the very best of everything including well connected lawyers for its abusers if they are ever outed in first place which is rare enough on the grand scale of things. Freemasons and Mafia throughout.

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Jesus. I never heard about this priest laying dead in a car park. for three days in England. It seemed his diocese didn’t care.

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The Monks must be making a fortune from the Buckfast Tonic Wine they’ve been making for decades since it got its revival & became so popular with the younger generation. The product had gone into a slight decline but all the rage for the past decade or so. They also have a well stocked shop onsite & shipping the tonic wine to the big supermarkets in UK and Ireland.

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+Pat: with respect to you as an individual who I recognise as trying to “do your best”, but I have some questions I think go to the ‘heart of the matter.’
Therefore:
Given the significant level of clerical abuse now revealed, ( in part thanks to your efforts certainly here in Ireland), and the consequent revelations of episcopal/hierarchical “cover-up” operations:
1) Is it reasonable to understand these abuses, of persons, power and privilege, as straightforward human frailties, such as is common in all large institutions?
2) While frailties “of the flesh” , ie. weak human nature, are understandable on an individual and “occasional” basis, how does one explain long standing patterns of continual clerical abuse of many victims, by very many clerics, supposedly celibate, who, by reason of their “vocation” and ontological excellence, one might expect to avoid such transgressions at all costs?
3) What explanation would you offer to someone who says that the whole religious system of beliefs is one huge con job where its principals, clerics, capitalise on human insecurities, albeit they, the principals, recognise that their “credentials ” are false, yet nevertheless continue to propagate religious mythology meanwhile enjoying their status benefits and offsetting their own behaviour by a belief they are “helping” the faithful?
4) In simple terms: do a lot of them recognise that religion and its basis is a huge delusion, but just can’t admit it?
Oh I’ve lots more questions: but meanwhile, “just asking!”
MMM

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Once you get to the point where the church’s treatment of children is described as torture by the UN the only reasonable reaction is to recognize it as a con. Other churches have abuse but are not in that position.
The reasons for denial of this reality are ones you are familiar with:
1. You’re part of the con.
2. You enjoy the kickbacks.
3. You have believed the cover story of being the one true church.
4. Other people have dirt on you.
5. Other people exert pressure on you not to leave.
6. Your friends and family will also likely belong to the cult and leaving means letting them down or even estrangement and so on.

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Thank you Anon@ 10:12. Spot on.
Looking at your third one:
I think many altruistic cradle Catholic reared young men entered seminaries with good intent. The point at which some subsequently left will reflect individual circumstances: …..developing awareness of the RCC as a charade, personal strength of character, simple naivety, fear of and lack of alternative opportunity etc etc.
And there will inevitably be a core looking out “for the main chance” who have not left, and, as greater disillusionment merged with sexual and other frustrations, embarked on seeking alternative satisfaction: the pathways to abuse.
And I always acknowledge that there will be some who have always preserved their personal integrity, faith and vocational promises. I have sympathy for their predicament.
Question is: how many.🤔
MMM

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MMM,
‘And I always acknowledge that there will be some who have always preserved their personal integrity, faith and vocational promises.’
I would question whether that is even possible with what we now know about the church. For example, what sort of man would enter Buckfast? And given that what reaches the internet is a small part of the deviance and corruption, what sort of man would stay once they see what goes on in the enclosure?
A criminal, pervert or someone who has no conscience.

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+Pat. Re your 10.59 question.
1) Growing awareness of how contradictory and irrational much of our religious beliefs/teaching was.
2) Unwillingness simply to accept and follow spiritual director’s responses/advice to my expressions of doubts: ie “have faith and pray, ….my son!” Praying had become meaningless ritual for the sake of conformity.
3) Increasing awareness that the celibate life proposed was not for me.
That’s for starters Pat, and articulated now with hindsight clarity I must acknowledge as not as clear to me back in 1960’s.
So that’s YOUR question answered. How about mine at 12:17?
OR ANYONE?
MMM

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Buckfast has been rumoured to be in a mess for years. However it is the richest monastery in the EBC so they will keep it going for certain.

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10.49: MMM: I and most of my class of 16 were all well educated both in seminary and at university with degrees in arts, commerce, law, science, history, philosophy and theology. I left teaching for priesthood. Some of my class who subsequently left had no problem finding gainful employment in education, nursing, law, lecturing, finances…etc…I truly feel I made the right choice because of the depth of faith and idealism but also through a conviction that priesthood was a way of serving people in ministry. The vision given to me as to the kind of qualities expected of me are forever before me, though I fail them often. I think it’s a little presumptuous of you to interpret another’s motivation or conscience. I am angered at all abuse scandals and the trauma for survivors. It haunts me every day. I have thought about leaving but remain because I find the graces of God to continue living priesthood as authentically and faithfully as I can. I am neither naive or desperate nor blinded by “ingrained” faith. My study of philosophy, education, theology and art has deepened my faith/spiritual insights and illuminations.

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11:50 It is characteristic of those who can’t see the problem that they can’t see it. That does not mean that those who can see it should stop trying to make it known to them. You of all people should be able to see that communicating the truth is a way of serving people and ministering to them.
Can’t you?

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It is interesting to read such claims as at 11:50. Within them there is what seems like belief to have “studied” the totality of knowledge relevant to determining the extent to which “religious beliefs” have validity. One can’t help but wonder at the breadth and depth of such studies, and the extent to which other objective saecular perspectives have been considered.
From such an apparent position, Anon @ 11:50 authenticates his clerical role from altruistic aspirations of “serving people in ministry.”
Again, one has to wonder if such aspiration lends any validity to the whole basis of religious belief. Don’t lay counsellors offer similar support?
MMM

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10.59: Pat, MMM is making muck of you today. He keeps dropping up with the repeat comments. Consign him to the bin.

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12.48: What in earth are you saying? I never stated that communicating the truth is not a “necessary ministry”… I have no difficulty with communicating TRUTH because I’m a priest!! Simple as…

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11:57: Don’t like it, do you?
What you refer to as muck, are, in fact, straightforward very relevant questions.
Is this your typical response to questions you don’t like?
Just like this wee fellow: 🙈🙉

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The focus here reveals what you think is important, while the rest of the world is concerned about another European war! Pray for peace.

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1:35 yours is a typical and cynical attempt to use the plight of those suffering at the hands of Putin to create diversion from yet more clerical corruption and cover up. Go and help them Fr, because let’s face it you and your colleagues have well blotted your copy books on home soil.

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8.40: Take the blinkers from your eyes. This blog accepts comments of all kinds even if not related to the main issue of the blog. I wish Pat would not print the silly, superfluous, infantile stuff which comes from impoverished minds. However, since Pat allows comments on all things, it is very pertinent to talk about Russia and Its warmongering against a democratic state, destroying and killing hundreds. This deserves OUR attention. Definitely. And talking abiut it doesn’t diminish any attention from the issues for today. Pray for our world. It is fragile and restless. Pray too for all victims/survivors of any abuse.

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‘Take the blinkers from your eyes.’
Translation: See it my way and talk about the war instead of the church.

This is just a variant of the ‘oh look other denominations have abuse’ distraction.

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Yes. Denial, corruption and crime by the RC church.
The only people who have a difficulty with that would be….?

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1:35, one can write or read the blog story of today and also pray for peace.
Reasonable people are concerned for the two new postulants when the credibly accused DMK remains in the Priory. Reasonable people are even more for the new postulants when Dom Benedict Andersen, who was calling out the wrongful behaviour, continues to be banished to the wilderness.
Dom Benedict Andersen is the true Prior of Silverstream. In Prior Benedict Andersen we can trust.
Pax.

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9:44am Well Said – Is is also very concerning that those who say to pray for victims like Dom Benedict are at the same time totally contradictory in their actions toward all kinds of church related abuse.

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Seamus I agree that Dom Benedict would be the obvious prior of Silverstream absent Dom Kirby and not getting in a monk of another monastery.
But how would this work?
He would immediately face opposition from the community who apparently have sided against the whistle blower.
He has also been wholly formed at Silverstream by Kirby, has not had previous experience of religious life and hadn’t spent long as a Catholic before entering the monastery.
Given this I would suggest he is not the obvious candidate and given that there are problems around internal/external forum, boundaries, finances, following the requirements of Canon law and charity law, I think the best option would be a senior monk of any other established monastery.
BUT given that Silverstream is very idiosyncratic in its charism there may be difficulty finding a prior administrator and I think the absolute best option is suppression.

I would say that with the difficulty Dom Benedict would certainly face if appointed prior your repeated comments that he should be prior give an appearance of being at least mischievous and at worst cruel because you are suggesting a man go back into a situation where he has been treated appallingly.

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12:57, fair comment and I have no problem with being challenged.
“Andersen said he hoped Kirby would be removed or resign, and that the Silverstream Benedictines would be encouraged or directed to join a federation of Benedictine monasteries, for the sake of some stability as they grew, and to provide temporary leadership for the young, small, and — in his view — dysfunctional Silverstream Priory.”
To answer your question “But how would this work?”:
The monastery needs temporary leadership for stability as suggested by Dom Benedict Andersen. That can be a senior monk from an established monastery as you suggest.
After a reasonable time of transition, many years, (how long is a piece of string?), an assessment can be made as to whether the community are ready to function on their own.
The majority of the community have been wholly formed at Silverstream by DMK. The community have sided against the one man from their community who has tried to resolve the problems.
One would hope after a period of sensible transition, that the community will come to their senses at make reparation with Dom Benedict Andersen.
Should the community make reparation with Dom Benedict Andersen and successfully exit a period of transition, Dom Benedict Andersen could very well be well placed to lead the community forward. That should be for the whole community, including Dom Benedict if he is willing, to decide.

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Thank you for a thoughtful reply, Seamus, which I agree with completely.
It would be much different as you say, if Silverstream was in the confederation.
Actually only after I clicked reply on my comment it struck me that there is an English-speaking Benedictine community which has a similar charism to Silverstream and could provide a superior in the shape of the Tyburn nuns. 😂

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Oh don’t worry, ‘father’ at 1:56. We all know that what you say is the truth and what anyone who differs says is lies and spin. We all know how we can rely on a priest to tell the truth.
Did you start your shouty comment intending to make my point for me or was it by accident?

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More Religious busy shooting themselves in the foot but of course there’s always someone else to blame. God Forbid they take any self responsibility or heal those they’ve wronged like that man still reliving the trauma of clerical harassment all these years later. His wife is suffering as well. Dreadful.

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3.26: You express like Magna Carta…God forbid. But, whoever you are, ‘darling’, TRUTH is very very different to LIES and SPIN..I’m so glad you can decipher the difference. I am on the side of TRUTH. And you? Now off back to your cell!!

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Ah, the classic resort of the church – punish and kill anyone who dares to differ.
You’re really letting the truth show as the weasel kindliness slips today, ‘father’.

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4:15pm Go on Father, let all the poison out – just to reconfirm you’re definitely not United Nations compliant either, Sir!

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Bishop Pat, I never knew a priest lying dead for 3 days in a car park. I had to look it up and it’s totally shocking. Who really cared or looked out for him? Have any lessons been learnt?

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8:34 to be fair, this priest found dead slumped over the wheel in Morrison’s car park was only in his early 40s and died suddenly. He probably wasn’t missed until he was due to say Mass. As we’ve seen from the experiences of ourselves and others on and off this blog, clergy are not closely supervised or accountable for their time, whereabouts to the extent that one might in other occupations. Most of them describe themselves as “self employed”. May he Rest in Peace.

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1 11
Patronising rubbish. He may have been on his Christmas holidays. What supervision do 42 year olds require?

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The new Archbishop of Glasgow is being installed today. William Nolan, bishop of Galloway will be installed at Mass in St Andrews Cathedral in Clyde Street.
With churches to close, parishes to amalgamate, the decline in vocations an ageing profile of clergy not to mention the Daisy Chain to sort out I do not envy his tasks. Good luck Bill

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1:29 The RCC has had more than its fair share of Silly Willie Bishops over the years.

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I find this story of the priest’s death shocking. I thought you were having us on Pat. It’s like a total disregard for priests by their bishops. On a similar par to Putin and his disregard for sending his own countrymen into Ukraine. F××k you attitude. Awful. RIP Fr Williams

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Bishops couldn’t give a hoot about their priests. They are all flannel and full of caca. They just use for their own advantage. Look at the lapdogs who surround them for a start.

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The entire existence of Monks is not natural. Active ministries are productive and constructive. When you look at what’s going on in Glenstal & Cistercian Roscrea you really do need to ask why is it being allowed continue? Questionable child safeguarding and rampant alcoholism is not what the Church needs in 2022.

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Kerry Hurler – Well Said, just look at the families that are chosen in parishes to be responsible for Child Safeguarding- guaranteed they’ll “deal” with anyone daring to make a legitimate complaint – handpicked for complicity given skeletons in their own family closets.

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Quite right, Kerry Hurler. No wonder they’re all homosexuals. A nice wife would show the monks the ways of nature. 😉

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12.04
Or any Zoo….you could do with a trip there yourself….the ways of nature would broaden your mind.

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Willie at 2.39, I went to a zoo and was disgusted at what I saw. Unbridled animal sex in all the cages. I didn’t know where to look. It was as bad as any monastery.

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3.36
Highly unlikely.
You would not have a problem getting in.
Your difficulty would be to get out.

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8:33am Exactly, no wonder Church so quick to suggest Police, birds of a feather flock together. If Father dreamed for one moment, that one would get justice via police from church, he would not suggest it.

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3.36 Imagine what Our Lady and The Heavenly Cohorts have to watch every day…..a parishoner said that to me once…..I doubled over with the laughter…..the kind Lady is still wondering why I was laughing…

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3.36: You didn’t know where to look??? For what? A door to get through and enjoy your bestial, animalistic sex…I bet you were turned on big time…Class act you are!

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Whether or not Kirby is behind the camera or not, the intention of the new photo is to give the impression to Pat Buckley and the readers of this blog that Kirby is not present: “The photograph above shows our community present here at this time.”

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Stanullin Stu – if only RCC put half the effort into redressing wrongs by their members that they put into Fake PR and Canon Lawyers to produce these photos & church bulletins full of venemous crap. Toxic coverup and zero support for Dom Benedict plus blatant character assassination by continuing to deny him his letter. A serious Famine of Integrity exists throughout all levels of RCC.

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The English Benedictine Congregation is very small yet two of its monasteries have managed to elect abbots subsequently convicted for child abuse. Anyone would think the praying and making tonic wine was a cover story for buggering boys.

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I don’t think Silverstream is a healthy environment for seventeen young queens, Bp Pat, some of whom look very virile with big beards, among other things, I am sure. The amount of… well, you know, that must go on at that place must be incredible.

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Dom Benedict said nothing of the sort happened and that Kirby was the only offender in that regard.

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10.44: Pat, it’s regrettable that you allowed the horribly derogatory comment by 10.42: Let’s move beyond the language of denigration, defilement and calling names. It does nothing for intelligent, necessary debate on serious matters. The monks may well be doing their utmost to reform and renew. We cannot read their minds or conscience. There is something dysfunctional by the presence of Dom Kirby but let us hope and pray for their well being. If we just allow tomorrow’s gospel be a lens through which we view others, we will have a greater kindness – for all the right reasons. How? By having the mind and heart of Jesus…This must be our template.

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11:29 I have a friend who is a monk in a monastery in England and has told me some of what goes on.
Wise up – it’s far more accurate to assume there are goings on than that there aren’t.
The traddy home schooled, young naive crowd at Silverstream are IMHO far more likely to express sexual guilt, suppression and uncontained sexual activity than men who don’t think gay sex is a sin. So you will definitely see sexual impulses at Silverstream and they will not be dealt with in a mature responsible way for sure.

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1129
Except that tomorrow’s gospel wont be heard in Stamullen. They’re the lace lovers from the TLM cabal and use a one-year cycle of Gospel readings.

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I must confess when I saw the title of today’s post I did read it as ‘Carry on Wanking’ and thought that I was finally making an appearance on here. 😇

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Where is Fr Philip Caldwell? He was at Oscott then went to St Joseph’s Reddish, but it now says he has been replaced as PP by Monsignor John Daly. Diocesan’s website lists him as on sabbatical.

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Another MIA?! The Poor Ukrainians aged between 16 & 60 currently being conscripted could badly do with a fast track course in MIA tactics from the RCC experts.

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1.22: What a childish, stupid comment. What a trivialisation of a very sad, worrying and awful reality for Ukrainians! You are ignorant.

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Minnie Caldwell has spent her entire priestly life in further studies or seminary with all those long holidays and fewer than 4 years as a Parish PrIest and now needs a sabbatical? Hmm very odd.

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3:31pm Parish Priest role is a political minefield, preferable for Caldwell & others to keep the head in the books or go MIA. Nice work if you can get it.

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Like every work of the RC church Buckfast leaves a trail of disaster and trauma:

Buckie is a dark brown “tonic wine” brewed by Benedictine monks in Devon. Their recipe is secret but basically it’s wine jacked up with chemicals and some of the condensed rage from 28 Days Later. Also known as “Wreck the Hoose Juice” and “Commotion Lotion”, Buckie is only about 15% alcohol. But the alcohol content isn’t the problem. It’s not the strongest or (at about £7 a bottle) the cheapest. But it is the most lethal.

Each bottle contains around eight times the caffeine of a can of coke. Drop-for-drop, it has got more caffeine than Red Bull. It doesn’t get you drunk: it gets you high. Really high. The monks, who just bought a new roof for one of their idyllic abbey’s guest houses, have thoughtfully added this caution: “The name ‘tonic wine’ does not imply health-giving or medicinal properties.” But in 1976 my pregnant mum was actually prescribed Buckie by her doctor. He told her: “It’ll build you up.” Luckily for me, floating inside her at the time, she declined his advice.

The monks sell a sizeable chunk of their brew in the Buckfast Triangle, where whole communities disappear – Coatbridge alone, with its population of 40,000 people, is said to account for 10% of the drink’s sales. Growing up it was as familiar to me as Irn Bru. Every Wednesday morning, my uncle and his pals went straight from the post office, where they had cashed their benefit books, to “the wee shop” for a “carry out”. Drunk by noon, wrecked by the time Neighbours started and, if the police bothered to answer my usual call, handcuffed by midnight.https://amp.theguardian.com/society/shortcuts/2014/feb/03/buckfast-triangle-alcoholic-drink-monks-west-scotland

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Kirby is probably hiding in a priest hole somewhere like Saddam Hussain when captured. Didn’t Abbot Soper go on the run to Yugoslavia for several years?

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I often thought that one could pass away as a priest and he would not be found until he failed to turn up at his next public event, sad that.

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Lovely Mass today to install our dear Archbishop Nolan into the See of
Glasgow. On Monday he will likely likely announce his new VG and Chancellor.

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1.43

The mountains clapped and gave birth to a mouse. ( Not original !! Lol ) Those who know…well know!

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1.53
Not as ignorant as you are. You are preparing your extensive accommodation to take how many of the millions of Ukrainians who are now seeking refuge ? Like so many others lets see what real help is extended by all the empty vessels feigning concern…..

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Thank you James. It was a lovely Mass and I enjoyed watching it on you tube. Hopefully Monday will see a clear out and discipline brought into the Archdiocese. The term “Bishops and priests are the servants of the servants” was used. Less pubs and restaurants are needed. More pastoral work please.
Pax

Garngad Lad

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2.47
Less ” servant” and service paradigm : what priest or more importantly bishop ever sat their household helpers ( euphemism ) down at table and served them ? The crap about ” servants” and service is just that in most instances; Crap.

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@ 1:43pm
You’re easily pleased, it was horrendous, with that dreadful woman they have screeching like a pub singer instead of a choir. Let’s hope whoever he appoints as VG doesn’t run off with their housekeeper like the last two!

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I find it highly amusing that in the demographic that log on to The Blog no-one has yet elucidated on why the 20-30 somethings actually do drink that vile libation in the green bottle with the kitch label ( only out of a Monastery!!).

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Translate – Bill finds it funny that those who log onto the Blog, haven’t yet attempted to suggest reasons why the 20 – 30 age group drink the disgusting Buckfast Tonic Wine. ( bit of a general overstatement there Bill, but let’s not let generalisations get in the way)

I love how he mangles the language in an attempt to ‘sound’ educated and mystical. Very often many of his sentences can’t be parsed and I often can’t be arsed to try.

BILL, is a wee drink too many taken ( imbibed would probably be more your style) when you write your contributions to the blog. And ( never start a sentence with and, my arse) are you as insufferable in real life as your posts suggest?

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4.22

Your Royal Highness, in the presence of greatness, how could I possibly reply.
Your blue blood is no match for the colour in my humble veins. Thank you Lol Lol Lol
Bill ( since you seem to be so familiar…) P.S. Buckfast is a fine expertise for your noble cellar !!!

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4.22
Verbs and nouns need a bit of study before “Translate” or did you mean “Translation.” Mystical does not apply to my comments….but there is no accounting from where you are coming from….You are better than a crossword on a relaxed Saturday afternoon…Lol

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One can start a sentence with whatever one likes……who sets the rules ? By the way, your comment is in fact very flattering!!!!!

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Wow! What a turn out Christopher Stalford MLA has for his funeral today. When things matter, our communities come together. The awful gossip he received on this blog is tantamount to slander. Mr Stalford passed away of underlying (not diagnosed) cancer. Not suicide.

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Do you know the cause of death? There is a widow and young family grieving. They need our prayers and sympathy at such a tragic time.
Pax
Garngad Lad

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Pat, ‘cancer’ is not a single disease and it is far from unknown for people to die suddenly (within a day or a few days of presenting illness) with an undiagnosed cancer.
Speculation cannot help or provide any explanation in this case.

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Cancer makes you very ill long before death. Sudden cancer deaths are very rare. I have never come across one in my 69 years of living.

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By Post Author

3:42pm Exactly, Well Said on all of that, William Mulvihill. Everything is constructed to suit the narrative of the well connected who can even influence the wording on post mortems and other official documents. Immoral and repugnant corruption from a self entitled and parasitic mindset.

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3.14 Post Mortem and what is written up afterwards is related to status, income and most importantly connections ( in the deaths where questions arise). Don’t think Pat would have suited it…he would never have got the interview, not malleable on those matters.

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What utter rubbish. There is no medical based evidence to support your hypothesis that he died suddenly of cancer. We all know that Stalford ‘died suddenly’. You do not need to be a medic to know what this means. Why this happened is open to debate. My money is on an exotic private life with someone of the same sex. Hypocrisy akin to being a monk. DUP standards etc.

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3:20 There’s no point protesting utter rubbish with further utter rubbish.
Unexpected deaths do happen, frequently because of undiagnosed asymptomatic heart disease, which will be undiagnosed because the person didn’t feel ill so wouldn’t have felt the need to seek medical help and even if they had seen a doctor for something else, might well not have been noticed.
Utter rubbish.

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@ 3:20pm
There is no evidence to support your hypothesis that he led what you describe as an exotic life. Just because that’s the life you live, don’t judge others the same as yourself.

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@3.01pm Thanks for that Pathalogist. Some in the DUP don’t even know those details. Those who do know the details are keeping their bakes shut. I wonder why???

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I didn’t know they have a new guy in charge. Cleanup needed in aisle 5. First task will be visit the Boilerhouse with a bucket and mop.

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3:34pm Wouldn’t be surprised if Even The Boilerhouse will bar some of that miserable lot soon 😇

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Enough said……..”Over the last year allegations were made against Dom Richard Purcell, Abbot of Mount Melleray Abbey (Ireland). Because of this the Abbot General asked for a Regular Visitation, whose primary object was to establish if there was any substance to the allegations. The Visitation was conducted by Dom Bernardus Peeters, Abbot of Tilburg (The Netherlands) and M. Pascale Fourmentin, Abbess of Arnhem (The Netherlands). The investigation concluded that the allegations were unfounded. However, for personal reason, Dom Richard offered his resignation. Abbot General, having received the consent of his council, accepted the resignation which will become effective on the 25th November, 2021.”

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Okay. So the new AG was one of the delegation who did the visitation to Mount Melleray Abbey on foot of the allegations against Dick Purcell and concluded that the allegations were unfounded. Purcell resigns. You couldn’t make this stuff up!

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Pat why did Chris Stalford fall out with the Free Presbyterians or they him? They slung out their founder in the end too, big Ian and got rid of Willie McCrea too. They are always keen to quote the bible but don’t they not understand in said bible where your enemies come from.

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I am sure Pat Buckley has the facts. He usually does. An old
D &C cleric who is no fan of Buckley at all recently said to me Buckley is
has been a ‘wily fox’. I suppose he has had to be that way. He has run many a chicken coop and many bishops and priests should learn from him.

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5.13

Amen. Many of them for many the long year are not familiar with “learning.” Hedonism teaches nothing…..and its mostly the pleasure of power and sloth that is embraced in clerical lives.

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William I’m almost sure it was August or September 2000. Brother Nivard Was the old style classic monk. Integrity and decency was in every bone of his body. I despair at what has become of MSJ. Purcell and Thompson are 3rd rate compared to the men who have gone before. I am not sure if you knew Peter Garvey, another decent man who I got to know in the early 90s. I am not sure what the OCSO think they are doing!

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5.47 I used to go to Father Columban in Melleray, mystical was mentioned by a Troglodyte somewhere above( used as a barb) but Columban was a mystic….a Derry man I got to know when I was on a Diaconate retreat….I never improved on what I first heard from him as ” the prayer of stupidity.” They don’t get people like that anymore coming forward for priestly, religious or monastic life. Talent recognises dearth….or as someone blogged today: a famine of integrity. Vatican II was and is a disaster for God in Christendom, it was a PR stunt for an organisation already out of kilter with the Zeitgeist. The Best find other lives today.

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5.13
My summation of what I knew of Pat Buckley before I met him in 2018 and what I continue to hold: he has helped more people and extended more pastoral care than the collective occupants of Ara Coeli ( it is close to Hell than anywhere else) in my lifetime: Conway, O Fiaich, Daly, Brady and Martin…..thats saying something with the resources available in Larne and those available in the shadows of Mc Gettigan and Crolly in Armagh. Administrators of a Multinational are not appointed because they care…..theirs is another task!!

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@6.30pm Bill, I totally agree. Pat is not just a Pastor but a friend and Father to me. More so than my own Bishop and diocese. They don’t give a tinkers cuss.

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@5.13pm Fr William, I know I rib you with the Kitchen egg/samphire joke. My attempt at a non offence skit. Others maybe don’t get that. I can’t believe, however, an Archbishoo doesn’t realise that samphire grows in marsh (hench the saltiness) as opposed to beach.

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5.34

The knowledge of an Archbishop can be compared to medical training or Accountancy: very limited and no interest beyond what brings them their glory…or money in the case of medicine and accountancy. Primary school teachers tend to be fenced in in their knowledge pursuits also: the reason Dail Eirenn is such a Think-Tank. Samphire is in fact called after the patron saint of fishermen…..though it is categorically not a seaweed !!! It in its varieties,,,,like an open mind….can be found is surprising places. It is a versatile green !

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5.49 Before they jump in…..it comes in other colours….but not on these British Isles!!!!!!

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5:49 well connected school teachers look forward to a career in politics or to a cosy retirement breaching data protection guidelines on school boards and the like. Company men and women, a “safe pair of hands”. They fence in their one boundaries for their own ends but have no problem crossing the boundaries of others to aid and abet the RCC agenda of coverup.

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How long before the Cistercians announce they are closing MSJ in Roscrea and moving to Mount Melleray? The new Abbot General will start making changes in Ireland. I am betting they will start to cash in on the assets they have and centralise in Rome. Meetings will be had. The lawyers and bankers will be busy.

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Pat, you’d be lost without Mr. Mulvihill: 17 comments so far….all enigmatic, unrelated and so all over the place. I wish he’d follow logical construction of sentences and stop responding to himself…Bizarre.

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6.49
You should drop the Mr. : it gives you away. Bizarre as the confecting of Divinity……you again!! I shall give you the floor for the evening….stage left…just use Bizarre and we shall know its the antithesis of enigma blogging …..ya get it ?

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6:49: He’s actually a pain in the Harris! I never read any for, as you say” all over the place.” His continuing comments are an example of the crap many of us have asked +Pat to diminish. It’s boring beyond belief.

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7.08

Brendan Gerald, I do not like to think you are in pain or discomfort, so I have taken the trouble to research something that might help the problem you outline in your opening sentence; please go to http://www.myharrisregional.com Or are you from Cockney extraction ?

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@6.49pm You seem threatened by Fr Mulvihill somehow. I am hoping to have the samphire with him soon (my long standing joke).

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If you think things are bad in our monasteries, what about in the Russian Orthodox Church ? Putin may crazily go on about drug addicts and neo-nazis in the Ukrainian establishment / government, but he’s really doing a good impersonation of such himself, with just a bit of paranoia, autocracy, kleptocracy and dictatorship thrown in for good measure, He didn’t add sexual deviancy to his list, but that will be alive and kicking in Russia at all levels and most particularly in the Russian Orthodox Church. If you think ‘the usual’ is alive and kicking amongst our clergy, then it is nothing compared with the protected and unaccountable clergy of the Russian Orthodox Church who are given a blind eye in return for their unquestioning support of Putin and his gang of crooks. Well, I guess if they didn’t, they would find themselves back in the Gulag, or those few who had to guts to stand up to Stalin etc. Not many of them are standing up to Putin. Shame on them.

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The patriarch of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church said Covid-19 was a punishment from God. for same-sex marriage, and then caught it. What was he being ounishednfor?

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7.03
You are very accurate. There is a priest who left that organisation in Russia. They did all the RCC usually do and more when such occurs. He had a horrendous time for speaking out about what you term “deviance.” He escaped with his life and is living in The Netherlands,,,there is quite a bit online but I am not sure if its in English. A very interesting man that I have been in contact with. Compliments to the Dutch Government and their help to him.

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7.03
Putin is filling their pockets. Institutions of Religion ( the leaders) usually likes to back the Winners….for their own purposes. Putin probably brought some gold to the Patriarch in the last few days.

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7.17: Mullie narcissist. Take your sedatives. Please. You’re a idiot. Nothing you say is ever of relevance to any subject matter. You must have bored the pants off congregations while in the presbyterate…You did. I thought so. Now, it’s Pat’s contributors who are being bored, bored, bored with all this pseudo shite!

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7.44
You are clearly a very positive person. If you follow that line of thinking in the real world, you will have much success. Between my contributions here today and my most excellent chess moves on Chess.com…..it has been a Saturday of interest. I had success on the Chess board at any rate….and the international aspect of the participants clears the parochial space we occupy here sometimes. I hope that not all too convoluted for you….

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8.12

But the bishop you speak of never forgot the pawn in his heart….and they are the best pieces to have in perilous times…..the glory of the nobility on the board is always eclipsed by the metamorphosing of the pawn who keeps its eye on its final destination. Check…..

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@7:35: Excellent analysis. ‘nuf said.
“Overthehill” is such a pain,
I scroll past all his ramblings.
Just wish +Pat would restrict him to no more than three comments each day.

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One obvious thing is there is some business sense for all their overspending. Their shop has the Divine Office and other books that either come from the US or UK, and so have varying amounts of customs charge on them. One thing, unlike say, Thomas Merton’s Getsemani or La Barroux, they don’t offer food stuffs or condiments for sale, or alcohol like La Trappe, or, of course, granny’s old medicine / commotion lotion, for which Buckfast get some royalties. Maybe that is for the best.

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I don’t think we are in end times. Nuclear war would wipe out the majority of humans and irradiate many of the survivors, but the Church will survive.

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Serious question …
I am a single gay man who presently lives and aspires to continue living chastely.
Would you advise that I become a permanent deacon in my diocese?

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Hitler wanted to die. If you are so fanatical you will die. Hitler killed himself before the Red Army caught hold of him, Eva and Blondie the Alsatian dog.They raped women and men. They said at the time if the Russians had a bottle to suck (vodka) or a hole to fuck (men/women) savages.

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Hitler did not want to die, he just preferred death to being captured alive by the Soviets. Hitler was a fanatic, but he was also a narcissist and he genuinely believed that he would be victorious. I don’t believe he was a self-destructive nihilist. It is possible that Putin has the same state of mind — he is deluded and genuinely believes he will win.

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There’s substantial evidence that Hitler did not die in Berlin.
Those who don’t swallow Russian propaganda should do a little research.
He made fools of those Russians and died in 1962 in Argentina. He was revered by the thousands of Germans whio lived there and well protected by the fascist regime of Peron.
The Vatican has many secrets but their admiration of Hitler is an open one.
Their friend in Spain,Franco,another faithful ,God fearing Catholic boy, assisted in the early weeks before eventual permanent exile to Argentina.
Monsignor Concannon in Rome (yes,of Irish stock)was a big help in 1945.

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I’ve watched Putin when they zoom in on him during various Divine Services. He seems so totally at home, and I’m convinced that he is inspired by the old Russian mysticism. His very name evokes a warrior king. Something that we in the west find difficult to understand. Indeed I suspect that he sees beyond the Soviet Union to Holy Russia and Moscow as the third Rome. Kiev plays deeply in the equation since I understand it is considered the birthplace of Russia.
Sad that Orthodox blood shall be shed by Orthodox.

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RTE showing a programme called Ireland’s Dirty Laundry on Wednesday at 9:35pm. First of a 2 part series. Preview clip of the women recalling the put down and derogatory language used toward them by religious. Reminded me of the language and tube that clerical on here today naming other bloggers moronic etc.

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