Month: Aug 2022

Readers have been asking me to do a blog about the RCC’s so called Synodal Way.

Since Vatican II the RCC all over the world has been producing thousands upon thousands of reports that eventually ended up gathering dust on shelves all over the world.

It’s always about talking and there is never any action.

“All cackle and no egg”.

The cynical purpose behind the Synodal Way is to invite people to talk, to give them the impression that they are being listened to, that they have a real say, and then to put the report on a shelf and get back to business as usual.

Do you really think the pope is going to share his power with Mrs Murphy of Mulberry Way?

Do you really think that the Roman Curia is going to share its power with the Ballydehob Pastoral Council?

Do you really think that Phonsie is going to ask the Waterford branch of the Association of Catholic Priests to help him govern Waterford?

Do you really think that the papal nuncio is going to allow the progressive lay group – We Are Church – to help him choose bishops?

There is an old saying in Rome: “Do what you want with women, men and children, but never challenge the POWER”.

The RCC is about clerics weilding the power, controlling the money and regarding morality and moral rules for the laity alone.

It’s been like that for at least 15 centuries.

Do you really think that is going to change?

Of course, things on the ground are changing – fewer priests, nearly no seminarians, very few under 60s attending Mass.

This will force certain changes – closing parishes, amalgamating parishes, fewer Masses, laity conducting baptisms, weddings and funerals etc.

But the power and the money will stay in the bishops palaces and the priests houses.

Who knows – in time to come celibacy could be optional and even women could be ordained?

These married and women priests will be allowed to do the donkey work – if there is donkey work to be done.

But the POWER will stay where it is and always has been.

The hierarchs and the clerics have betrayed the People of God.

A number of years ago I visited the death bed of a Belfast man called Gerry Reynolds – a man who was a daily Mass goer, a man who had been a Legion of Mary lay missionary and a long term Catholic youth worker. With tears in his eyes he said: “Our priests and our Church has let us down badly”.

A NEW WAY?

Christianity will survive.

“The memory of Jesus is both sacred and subversive”.

We might see a return to Basic Christian Comminities modelled on the early church?

The clericilization of the Sacraments and especially Holy Orders was a disaster for Faith and Church.

Going forward Catholic Christians will have to revisit that clericalization under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

For God, all things are possible.

AND

A concelebrated Mass of Christian Burial for Archbishop Weakland, OSB, with Archbishop Jerome E. Listecki presiding was celebrated at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, Milwaukee on August 30, 2022 at 4.30 p.m.

It is reported by more than one news outlet that Fr. James Connell, a retired priest and the former Vice-Chancellor for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee remarked that “Archbishop Rembert Weakland deserves no honour or praise” and that he asked for priests of the archdiocese to stay away from Weakland’s funeral liturgy, adding that their attendance “would put salt in the wounds of victim-survivors of clergy sexual abuse”.

Using any yardstick, the deceased Archbishop Weakland, OSB, (born April 2, 1927) was one of the most controversial and corrupt of the American Catholic hierarchy of the past three decades. The call and observations of Fr. Connell are courageous and well-founded.

In May 2002, Weakland (who had been the Ordinary since 1977 admitted there were six (6) priests within the Archdiocese of Milwaukee with histories of sexually abusing children. Weakland further admitted to shredding the paperwork that would have established that clerics within the Archdiocese of Milwaukee were guilty of child abuse. He also acknowledged that he failed to alert local police about the recidivist tendencies of these clerics; thereby, Weakland admitted his own inexcusable complicity in the cover-up of clerical misconduct.

There can be no doubt Archbishop Weakland was a gifted individual who purportedly spoke six languages to a very high standard. In 1963, he was elected Archabbot of St. Vincent Archabbey, Latrobe, Pennsylvania. He was then elected as the Abbot Primate of the Benedictine Confederation, in 1967. He was appointed Ordinary of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee by Pope Paul VI in 1977.

Weakland abused his episcopal authority by having sex with Mr. Paul Marcoux, a young man who was discerning a vocation to the priesthood. Marcoux claimed he was date-raped by Weakland, however, the archbishop said the sexual activity was consensual. What is not in dispute is that Weakland authorised the payment of $450,000 to buy the silence of Marcoux from archdiocesan funds.

When Weakland was unable to meet the extortionary demands of Marcoux for further hush money, Marcoux went public. As a result, in 2002, Archbishop Weakland was forced to resign in disgrace. Weakland then wrote a self-serving autobiography (2009’s A Pilgrim in a Pilgrim Church) in which he attempted to justify his own misbehaviour. In this memoir, he admitted to a number of other gay relationships, but washed his hands of his lamentable leadership of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee.

When Weakland was unable to meet the extortionary demands of Marcoux for further hush money, Marcoux went public. As a result, in 2002, Archbishop Weakland was forced to resign in disgrace. Weakland then wrote a self-serving autobiography (2009’s A Pilgrim in a Pilgrim Church) in which he attempted to justify his own misbehaviour. In this memoir, he admitted to a number of other gay relationships, but washed his hands of lamentable leadership of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee.

https://eu.jsonline.com/story/news/local/2022/08/29/advocates-slam-funeral-milwaukee-cathedral-archbishop-weakland/7927098001/

I am lead to believe that despite all his unacceptable behaviour, I am led to believe that Archbishop Weakland is going to be given the honour of being buried among the Archabbots of St. Vincent Archabbey. Even in death there is no accountability for those who been elevated to the episcopate; they can do what they like with impunity.

If any other priest or religious had behaved in a similar manner to Weakland they would have been instantly disciplined and dismissed from the clerical state following a canonical process that can be likened to a kangaroo court in a Banana Republic. Therefore, in the Church of today, Weakland, is a demonstrable example of the clear division between the true “children” of the Church (Ordinaries) and its “red-headed stepchildren” (simple priests/religious without jurisdiction). No wonder there are no vocations to the priesthood, when the monstrous hypocrisy of an Archbishop Weakland is honoured even in death!

Kate, who has just died and whose funeral is today, was the wife of Fr Ted Flanagan – priest of Clogher diocese and latterly of The Oratory

Kate and Ted’s relationship began when he was a seminarian on Maynooth.

Kate moved to work in a Dublin hotel to be near Ted in Maynooth.

When Ted was ordained c 1960 he was appointed curate of Cooneen in County Fermanagh.

Kate went to live with Ted as his housekeeper.

Within a year they caused a major scandal by eloping together to England.

There were threats to their lives

They settled in Lincolnshire where Ted became a teacher and organist.

After rearing their five children Kate went to the University of Hull and gained a law degree.

After retirement Ted and Kate moved to live in Kate’s native Fanad in Donegal.

Clogher diocese had never taken any action against Ted. They just ignored the anomaly. So Ted remained a priest in canon law.

Ted decided to join The Oratory and said his first Mass in decades on an Oratory pilgrimage to Lourdes.

He celebrated Mass afterwards both at The Oratory and in various locations.

He celebrated many marriages as a nominated solemniser/ officiant of The Oratory Society.

Ted died in 2019 and is interred at Larne.

Kate will join Ted in the Larne plot.

Ted and Kate were big supporters of the British Labour Party.

They were also great hosts and their parties were legendary in Fanad, Donegal.

I had the pleasure of receiving their hospitality on many occasions.

May Kate and Ted be reunited at the Heavenly Banquet.

AND

ICCB have updated their website.

Letter to O’Reilly forwarded to Duffy – Tuam

Dear Kieran,

I write to you in your capacity as the episcopal secretary of the Irish Catholic Bishop’s Conference.

Your attention may have been drawn to my blog of today on Bishop Seamus Freeman? If not, here is the link for you:

https://bishoppatbuckley.blog/?page_id=3

Here is the quote from a former Maynooth seminarian on Bishop Freeman:

“I was in the Pleasuredome, a London sauna under the railway arches in Waterloo and open 24 hours.

This was around 6 or 7 years ago.

It was very late, around 3 or 4 am.

I was in a cubicle sitting back, naked, with my ass sticking out. An invitation for a top to come and do his thing.

This older guy appeared, removed his towel and displayed a big hard xxxx

He tried to come in to f… me but I waved him away.

I was stunned because I recognised him as Seamus Freeman.

At the time I lived in co Kilkenny and was familiar with his face in newspapers and online.

I had also met him in Rome years earlier when he was superior general of the Pallotines. So I knew the face well”.

I wanted to ask you as the episcopal secretary of the ICBC for a comment and a response to the very serious allegations made against Seamus Freeman, either from yourself or the Conference’s press officer.

In particular:

1. We’re other Irish bishops, including you aware of Bishop Freeman’s lifestyle?

2. If so, had any disciplinary been taken against him?

3. Do you deplore and condemn Seamus Freeman’s lifestyle?

4. Does the Conference, or you personally, know of any other livng Irish Bishop who is sexually active, either homosexually or heterosexually?

Sincerely yours,

Your brother bishop,

+ Pat Buckley

PS: Can I hereby and formally ask you to copy me letter to all the members of the ICBC.

From former Maynooth seminarian.

(Whom I know and have met)

I did not get this story confirmed in writing until yesterday 26th August at 5 pm.

” I was in the Pleasuredome, a London sauna under the railway arches in Waterloo and open 24 hours.

This was around 6 or 7 years ago.

It was very late, around 3 or 4 am.

I was in a cubicle sitting back, naked, with my ass sticking out. An invitation for a top to come and do his thing.

This older guy appeared, removed his towel and displayed a big hard xxxx

He tried to come in to f… me but I waved him away.

I was stunned because I recognised him as Seamus Freeman.

At the time I lived in co Kilkenny and was familiar with his face in newspapers and online.

I had also met him in Rome years earlier when he was superior general of the Pallotines. So I knew the face well”.

PAT SAYS

Reports about Seamus Freeman have been circulating in clerical circled for years.

We know from Bishop Eamon Casey – 1992 – that Irish bishops have sex and father children.

Hence the surname – Mc Anespie – the son of the bishop.

Mc Enteggart – the son of the priest.

Mc Nabb – the son of the abbot.

We know from the above written testimony that Irish bishops have gay sex.

There are some 40 Irish bishops living and retired.

I have reliable reports that at least 4, if not more, Irish bishops have been or are actively gay – and others gay and not active.

I would expect the number to be higher than 4.

Could that at least partially explain how tolerant bishops are of actively gay?

Could that partially explain so many Irish bishops supported Maynooth after the gay Summer of Love in 2016?

AND FOR READERS WHO WANT TO GO BANANAS ABOUT BISHOP FREEMAN – JUST DECEASED

1. I’m sure he has had any sins he committed forgiven and is in Heaven.

2. The story is very important in establishing the whole truth about the Irish Church.

The first thing we need to realise and say is that the Israeli and Palestinian situation is really complex and only a fool would propose resolving it with simple or simplistic solutions.

I have been to Israel twice, liked it and fell in love with Jerusalem.

I could live in Jerusalem no problem.

The conflict is very sad because a people, the Jews, who have suffered so much themselves, are now inflicting great suffering on another nation – the Palestinians.

And of course, Palestine is compounding the problem by shelling Israel causing Israel to retaliate with killings.

It is a very vicious and violent circle.

I cannot see how the situation can be solved militarily.

So the only real resolution can be by negotiation and peaceful negotiation.

That means reading that there cannot be a WINNER and a LOSER.

There have to be two WINNERS.

That will mean that each side will have to make sacrifices.

JERUSALEM

Jerusalem is a particularly difficult problem because both nations regard it as their capital.

Most Jews, I understand, do not want to rebuild the Temple on the Temple Mount until the Messiah comes – as the exact site if the old Temple is not certain.

“The most immediate and obvious obstacle to realization of these goals is the fact that two historic Islamic structures which are 13 centuries old, namely the Al Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock, are built on top of the Temple Mount. Any efforts to damage or reduce access to these sites, or to build Jewish structures within, between, beneath, beside, cantilevered on top of, or instead of them, could lead to severe international conflicts, given the association of the Muslim world with these holy places.” (Wikipedia)

So the Jews and Palestinians would have to agree to share the land – a two nation land.

And, they would have to agree to share Jerusalem and the Temple Mount.

I know that this is very contentious and feelings run very deep.

But should the sons and daughters of God, albeit they call him different names, not be able share a land and a city?

Is it the extremists on each side that are the problem?

I’m looking forward to readers views.

BILL MULVIHILL EAMON MARTIN AND ISRAEL.

Key points:

• The court action was launched by the father of a Melbourne choirboy who claims he suffered “nervous shock” after learning of abuse allegations
• His son has since died
• The Catholic Church had argued it couldn’t be liable, because the father was not the alleged primary victim 

Catholic Church suffers setback as court rules lawsuit brought by Pell accuser’s father can continue – ABC News https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-08-24/catholic-church-george-pell-court-case-can-continue/101366566

PAT SAYS

The Cardinal Pell saga continued.

He now faces the civil courts where the burden of proof is way lower than in the criminal courts.

We will watch with interest.

BLOG NOTICE

We are having a number of problems on the Blog – people using other people’s names, people submitting multiple silly comments to blog up the blog etc.

I have decided that for the foreseeable future I will only publish comments about the days chosen topic.

There are many outstanding issues remaining to be resolved – Ger, Killaloe, Ryan Mc Aleer etc etc.

I will be keeping an eye on all these issues and will blog about them accordingly.

Pat,

I hope you are keeping well. Pat I believe Mc cafferty has finally overstepped the line and if I knew the proper channels to report hate crime to the PSNI I would, I know Mc cafferty personally and have challenged him personally on several occasions only to be stonewalled by him and once contacted the diocese only to be blanked no surprise there.

In a most recent Facebook post he gives a very long speech about the book he is writing about his abuse which we all acknowledge although I’m personally not convinced by Mc caffertys version of events as he did admit under cross examination that he went of his own free will to Donagheys room.

But and it’s a big but at the end of the post he turns it into a homophonic hate speech saying that many homosexuals are attracted to teenage boys and we must continue to pray for our gay and Lesbian brothers and sisters who carry this cross.

Carry this cross? Linking homosexuality to child abuse is the little runt for fucking real. He needs challenging he needs to be reported for his hate filled invective. Check out his Facebook page not the Corpus Christi one his own one. Like I said he has overstepped the Mark.

Kind Regards

PAT SAYS

Fr Paddy McCafferty is a very Wounded man.

Sexually abused as a child and later seriously sexually abused as a seminarian by the then Fr James Donaghy.

Different people cope with abuse in different ways.

I was abused as a child and eventually came to live with that and all my other demons through indepth psychotherapy in my late 30s.

Paddy was not as fortunate as I and to this day he exhibits ongoing pain and dysfunction.

But Paddy needs to be very careful about making judgements about gay people based on his own experiences.

He has suffered much hurt himself.

That should make him very sensitive to not be hurting others who have travelled their own painful sexual journeys.

PAT SAYS

Robert could have answered his critics on the Blog.

He decided not to that – which is his right.

Instead he sent me the messages above.

I publish them in an attempt to put Robert’s perspective.

DR MUIRIS HOUSTON – THE IRISH TIMES 22.8.22

“Ths latest “breakout” virus, which was named after the first animal to show symptoms, was discovered in 1958. It is a rare infection that hitherto had been mainly spread by wild animals in parts of west and central Africa. The World Health Organisation declared the current monkeypox outbreak a public-health emergency last month, having reported more than 32,000 cases from more than 80 countries. The global outbreak is primarily among gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men”.

So it is a fact that global Monkeypox outbreak is primarily present in men who have sex with men.

In his first video Robert basically says that if you “go against nature”, nature will pay you back.

He does not go as far as saying that Monkeypox is a punishment from God. I don’t know what Robert believes about that statement.

Was Tuberculosis nature or God paying people back – and for what?

Is lung cancer nature or God punishing smokers – and even non smokers?

Is throat cancer nature or God punishing alcohol drinkers – even though non drinkers get it?

Are miscarriages a punishment from nature or God?

Does nature or God punish lesbians with ovarian cancer?

Then why do nuns get all the same woman problems.

The things we experience from nature presently in the context of validate change is certainly a reaction of nature.

But I don’t think Nature wants to punish men for putting their Willie’s anywhere.

And in spite of what the RCC says I don’t think God is worried either about willies.

I think God is much mote interested in Love, in Justice and in Compassion.

Isn’t it interesting that Jesus personally never said anything about homosexuals or homosexuality.

If it was important to God then surely would have made a great fuss about it.

It’s about men thinking they know what God wants.

Maybe we all need saving from Religionpox.

UPDATE

THE MAN HAD UNTREATED HIV AND SYPHILUS

One of the pitfalls of the post Vatican IIass in the vernacular is that some very untelligent priests see the Mass as THEIR PERFORMANCE.

The video above shows just how crazy some of these guys are.

This quote sums up what we Catholics believe about the Mass

“The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is not only a ritual which reminds us of the sacrifice of Calvary, but through the ministry of ordained priests, Christ continues, until the end of time, His sacrifice of the Cross in an unbloody manner.

The Holy Mass is the sacrifice by which the Church not only remembers Jesus Christ, but really brings Him, His saving Death, and His Resurrection into the present, so that His followers might become part of it. The Church can do this because Jesus is united to His Church in the Holy Spirit. When the Catholic Church celebrates the Eucharist, Jesus is truly there, and it is He Who does once more what He did at the Last Supper”.

After Vatican II there was the rightful emphasis on the role of the community at Mass and in it also being a community gathering and meal.

But because the Mass is now in our usual daily language some priests think their Mass is all about them and their performance

The purpose of the Mass is for God to feed us spiritually on His Word in the Scriptures and feed us with the Body and Blood of Jesusnin Communion.

Of course good music and the activity and words of a sensitive and appropriate priest especially in the homily enhances our experience of the Mass.

But the Mass should be absolutely centred on God and Jesus – and not on the priest.

Look at the silly Redemptorists here and their carry on at Mass;

Mass is not a pantomime.

If we want a pantomime we visit a theatre.

UPDATE FATHER AIDAN MC CANN CASE

IRISH NEWS

https://www.irishnews.com/news/northernirelandnews/2022/08/20/news/file_against_priest_facing_voyeurism_charge_remains_outstanding-2803954/?param=ds12rif76F

Fr McCann, with an address at the parochial house on Maddens Row in Keady, is accused of voyeurism on March 28. None of the alleged facts surrounding the offence have been opened in court but it is understood the charge arises following an alleged incident involving a female at a changing room in Rushmere shopping centre.

Fr McCann was ordained in July 2015 and serves in the Armagh Diocese.

District Judge Greg McCourt adjourned the case to September 2.