MORE SILVERSTREAM CARRY ON.

Dear Br. Elijah,

As you are aware, the sham that is “Silverstream Priory” has provided a rich seam of scandal for my blog over the past twelve months. I felt honoured by the oblique reference to my blogging in the accounts of the company known as “Silverstream Priory” company number: 513644:

“The Monastery has received some negative media attention, which may have some negative impact on income for the Company. The actual financial effect of this attention could have is difficult to quantify. However the Directors are confident that the Company has the capacity to continue its activities profitably”. In the years that I have been blogging that is one of the finest backhanded compliments I have received.

Therefore, for the obvious reason, I am always keen to have a conversation with any individual who will provide me with information about Silverstream Priory.

Yesterday, I received a telephone call from a well-placed individual who apprised me about the visit of members of Silverstream Priory to the recent abbatial blessing of Mother Mother Eustochium Lee, OSB, as the fourth abbess of St. Cecilia’s Abbey on the Isle of Wight. The Abbatial Blessing was conferred by the Right Reverend Philip Egan, Bishop of the Diocese of Portsmouth.

The unannounced and unarranged arrival of members of Silverstream Priory to the abbatial blessing was a source of surprise as an invitation had NOT been extended to Silverstream Priory and/or any of its constituent members.

Who then within Silverstream Priory felt it was appropriate to travel from Meath to the Isle of Wight to attend the blessing of an abbess to which an invitation had not been extended? Does this action display a level of egotism and a troubling lack of insight within the Priory?

Was approval for the journey given the Ordinary, Bishop Thomas Deenihan? Was the decision to travel to the Isle of Wight made unilaterally and independently of the Ordinary?

Did the resident cleric at Silverstream Priory, Fr. Hildebrand Houser, OSB concelebrate during the liturgy of installation? If so, did Fr. Houser have a letter of good standing and a celebret personally signed by the Ordinary of the Diocese, Bishop Deenihan to present to Bishop Egan?

How did the scandal-ridden community at Silverstream feel justified inserting itself into the mainstream Benedictine world? Was the visit to the Isle of Wight an attempt to gain credibility within the Benedictine world? Did the Silverstream community hope that by being “seen” at an important event in the life of the Church it would somehow ameliorate the unresolved scandal of Dom Kirby’s behaviour? Did anybody within Silverstream suggest it was imprudent to make the journey to the Isle of Wight? If so, why was that voice of reason, ignored? If you are in the United States would you consider it appropriate to travel uninvited to a similar abbatial blessing?

Because you did not have a conventional Benedictine formation you are possibly oblivious to the etiquette involved in an abbatial blessing. However, gatecrashing is never acceptable. Would you accept it showed a lack of finesse?
While the liturgy is open to everybody do you consider it rude to have travelled without an invitation to the blessing? Do you feel that that you personally, and the community at Silverstream Priory owe an apology to Mother Lee?

If you travelled without the permission of your Ordinary, and the fact that this e-mail is going to appear on my blog, do you think you owe an apology to Bishop Deenihan? He will not be happy to be receiving a copy of this e-mail!

Br. Elijah, have you ever considered the futility of your position as the so-called superior of Silverstream Priory? Unless you have been secretly ordained by Bishop Deenihan — you are not a cleric — hence, you have no jurisdiction over Fr. Houser, Fr. Andersen or Fr. Kirby. How does that make you feel? Do you ever read the Code of Canon Law and reflect on the futility of your canonical status. As a non-cleric, do you accept that you are canonically impotent? Does that cause you to have sleepless nights? Are you searching for canonical legitimacy?

May I ask you a personal question: do you ever reflect that you have wasted your life by joining Kirby’s vanity project? In light of the scandal that surrounds Silverstream Priory — do you consider that your “vocation” has been a worthwhile? Do you hope to be ordained a deacon and priest by Bishop Deenihan in the future? Personally, I think it is unlikely you will ever be ordained because of the indiscretion of Dom Kirby who told everybody about your addiction to gay pornography.

Your secret struggles are widely known because of the repeated indiscretions of Mark Kirby. It was he who told everybody about your addiction to gay pornography, and that is how it got back to this blog. Some priests in Meath love salacious gossip and there were more than happy to share that information with the Bishop of Larne because Silverstream was never wanted in Meath and the sooner it closes the better.

Do you feel angry about Kirby’s indiscretion? I sincerely hope you did not tell him in a confessional setting because he has wilfully and deliberately violated the sacramental seal of confession. That is a delict that needs to be brought to the immediate attention of your Ordinary Bishop Deenihan, who may wish to refer the matter to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

Some more questions. Why did you not join a mainstream Benedictine Abbey? Are you just obsessed about the Traditional Latin Mass? Would you accept that the nomenclature “Benedictine” is misapplied to Silverstream Priory, because, it is not “Benedictine” in spirit?

Br. Elijah, do you accept that Silverstream is hopelessly and irreparably compromised due to the scandals surrounding its founding prior? Do you and there community think it is now time to draw a line in the sand, and petition for the community to be voluntarily suppressed? Have members of the Silverstream contemplated leaving to become members of more “mainstream” Benedictine communities?

Would you and other members of the community feel more at home within the SSPX? If so, why not make a pitch to that organisation for membership? However, how will you explain to them the scandals surrounding the founder of Silverstream, Dom Kirby?

Br. Elijah, I ask you to examine your conscience before God about some of the questions I have posed within this e-mail. I will write you again with some further questions about Dom Kirby.

Because I believe transparency is good for the church, I will place this e-mail on my blog. I know you will not reply, but if you do, I can guarantee your confidentiality.

With prayerful best wishes

+ Pat Buckley

Cc:

Bishop Thomas Deenihan.