Many of the priests of Portsmouth diocese are very unhappy and worried about their diocese under its bishop PHILIP EGAN.
Just yesterday, a very senior priest of the diocese spoke to me in semi despair and called Egan, “a manipulator and dictator.”
The current big storm in the diocese is about the PRF – Priest’s Retirement Fund.
The PRF has always been a completely separate Registered Charity and not connected to the Diocesan Charity.
Egan now wants to haul the PRF into the Diocesan Charity, giving him, Egan, total control.
People specifically donated to the PRF as a donation to support sick and retired priests. Those donors did not wish their money used for any other diocesan purpose.
Two of the PRF board members, both lay, have stepped down in protest over Egans plan.
These people and others – lay and clerical – have also lodged formal complaints against Egan’s plan with the Charity Commissioners who are currently investigating.
At times, the PRF had up to £ 12 million in cash reserves as well as a property portfolio.
A Portsmouth priest told me last night: “Egan wants money, not real estate”.
OTHER PORTSMOUTH ISSUES
The Friars of Gosporth
In recent times, friars and nuns based at Gosport left Portsmouth and headed for Scotland after a lot of controversy.
One monk had put a sermon on YouTube accusing ALL Catholic teachers as “devils”.
They were also telling people in church, NOT to take the Covid vaccinations.
FATHER RAY LYONS
Apparently, Egan is trying to laicise Ray Lyons and another priest called Sean, who lives with him. Is this Sean Tobin who like Lyons and Lyttle are all c/o Bishops House?
Fr Lyons is the priest who JOHN PAUL LYTTLE lived with. It was from Fr Lyons’ window that Lyttle fell nearly killing himself and ending up with serious brain injuries.
John Paul Lyttle had been in Oscott and had a sexual affair with a senior priest staff member.
Egan’s predecessor, Bishop Crispin Hollis, had dismissed Lyttle from the diocese, and the priest staff member was assigned to a parish.
When Egan took over, he quickly and quite surreptitiously ordained Lyttle to priesthood.
Lyttle went on to various things, including trying to ply a young police officer with alcohol and seduce him.
Lyttle is now c/o Bishops House.
MIA PRIESTS
There are many Portsmouth priests missing in action.
All is not well in Portsmout, and Egan is at the epicentre of that unwellness.
***** CAN the clergy and people of Portsmouth please keep us updated on here or on bishopbuckley1@outlook.com
BISHOP PAT BUCKLEY 