I have been informed by a very reliable clerical source in Birmingham that there was a secret meeting recently between the “disgraced” bishop Robert Byrne and the current archbishop of Birmingham, Bernard Longley.
There were two items on the agenda.
1. Did Longley have any objection to Byrne moving back into the Oxford Oratory, which is in Birmingham archdiocese?
2. Byrne wanted to know if he could exercise his priestly and episcopal orders in Birmingham.
In no uncertain terms, Longley replied:
1. “I have no problem with you seeking refuge anywhere”.
2. “Until the investigation into you is complete, you can not minister.”
Byrne was quite taken aback and reminded Longley about the suicide of the cathedral Dean in Newcastle – Canon McCoy
Byrne reminded Longley of how clerics can go on to do extreme things when their superiors, etc, put too much pressure on them !!!
Robert Byrne has been accused of sexually assaulting a priest of the Diocese of Arundel and Brighton.
Malcolm McMahon, Archbishop of Liverpool, informed me by email that the Byrne case has been reported to the UK police and to the Vatican.
When the police are finished with the matter,there will be a church investigation.
BISHOP PAT BUCKLEY 
209 replies on “SECRET MEETING BETWEEN BYRNE AND LONGLEY”
If what your informant reports is correct, then it seems really quite sensible and reasonable for + Longley to take these positions, viz yes to seeking a place of refuge and lodgement, but no to exercising a public ministry while an investigation is ongoing. What else is + Longley expected to say ?! If + Byrne was trying to blackmail him with stuff about people under pressure doing silly things to themselves, then that is unfair. If he is vulnerable in this regard, then his Cong Orat mates and friends need to ensure he is well cared for. + Byrne has to be subject to the same procedures that would be applied to any priest in these circumstances, and what + Longley is reported as doing is completely fair and just. If + Byrne has done nothing wrong, then that will come out eventually and he can return to his ministry. In the meantime, difficult though it might be personally for him, he has to be patient and bide his time. It’s what he would have to do if he were in + Longley’s shoes. Time will tell.
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No need to keep stating +Longley and +Byrne: once is enough.
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11:10 Byrne will be defrocked in due course, he doesn’t have a leg to stand on unless he can pull a stroke with something he has on them.
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The involvement of the police in this investigation should assist the victim in achieving a successful outcome than may otherwise be the case were they relying only on the traditionally less than transparent Roman Catholic investigation system.
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Depending on how deeply rooted the rot is ”statutory authorities” can mean the likes of Albert Kirby of the Anglican Diocese of Liverpool, and/or HHJ Graham Wood, head Judge for Civil Courts–while also being Chancellor of the Diocese.
A judge presiding over a clerical abuse case in his own Diocese- especially when he is personally acquainted with an abuser (and knowing the abuser has previous past-accusations lying on the record) – demands and cries out for transparency. Justice, sometimes, can seem so ‘remote…”
”Remote Justice” could, very well, become another ”appendage” of the justice system!
It’s all about transparency, you see- and accountability- transparency and accountability must be important elements of a fair and just justice system.
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If only Byrne had been a monastic superior in the Diocese of Meath. He’d have no worries at all about sexually assaulting a priest.
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11.12: I imagine your utterly “if only” inane, speculatuve comment is meant to be sarcastic…you failed in your stupidity.
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10:45, touchy! Where’s the lie? Mark Kirby suffered no consequences unlike his victim.
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1:03 Wake up, the RCC don’t care about victims, after all it’s all the victims fault for reporting them, how many times have we seen that before.
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1:03 Abusive Church members are very well protected by the church pixies,
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11:12 Fr Jerry Carey remains on Diocese of Killaloe website contactable at Bishops residence. Noted for decades as a controversial individual largely unliked outside of his arrogant cliques, School Chaplain, Carey remained on records for Colaiste Mhuire secondary school in Ennis for a considerable period after his arrest for indecent exposure on a Galway beach. The office boys and girls know where the bodies are buried = a job for life. Byrne displays similar disregard and arrogance. That what they do.
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12:00. Bishop Monahans pet hate is Bishop Buckley’s blog. He openly & proactively supports Fr Jerry Carey and other errant Killaloe clergy mentioned on here in a display of defiant solidarity. This blog has done wonders for the tenure of those who were previously only hanging on by their finger nails. It is noted that Abbot Richard Purcell continues to enjoy “useful” links in Killaloe & surrounds.
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Perhaps if +Pat wanted to remove priest living a false life, he’d instead need to praise him to high Heaven and then that priest would be done for.
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12:21 Is Coffee Cup’s pet hate also Bishop Pat’s blog? Someone from Glenstal sent an email to Killaloe and shared my personal data without my permission, including who I listed as my next of kin. Naughty Monks!! ✌️
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Ah. Another day Another scandal. Aleast one least pope around the place. UK bishops conference almost as sordid as Ireland’s now..
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https://youtu.be/TNl7JXR3ei4
Spot the usual suspects
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Robert Byrne is fully aware that in law he is innocent until proven guilty, however, however it’s a mystery that he would expect to minister whilst the police investigation is ongoing. However, presumptuous arrogance and disrespect for the judicial process is endemic amongst key players & company in the Roman Catholic Church. Zero regard for the victims is obvious in all cases.
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Bergoglio has banned it from St Peter’s and replaced it with Pachamama. Pat, any chance you might report on Paglia, one of Bergoglio’s cronies, who diverted €500k from charitable funds to do up his Vatican apartment? Or Wilton Gregory in DC and his €12m penthouse?
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12:05. Clergy are obsessed with residential and commercial property acquisition, development and interior design. It’s something they can do “behind the scenes”.
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Apart from advancing their own creature comfort and the gay predilection for interior design, the mania among clerics for building and renovation mania is something to do with the fact that most of them don’t have children. They want to leave behind a tangible legacy to live on after the die, as a monument to them, hence the millions also spent on reordering of churches and the constant rebuilding of the city of Rome by successive popes, with each addition proudly bearing their name, even on the facade of St Peter’s Basilica.
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This is why the dangerous cult and its clerics need to be contained by law: because of their culture of not accepting societal norms.
Were Bishop Byrne in any of the professions and be under that investigation he would be suspended.
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11:33 Agreed, the Roman Church is a law unto itself, it uses it wealth & connections to circumvent the system.
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Well done, Nursie. The same rules would apply to any priest placed on administrative leave following an allegation of sexual assault.
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All very shocking, Pat, thanks for reporting it.
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11:50 Why! What are you going to do about it? As if! There are not enough of you.
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Langley is not Bunter’s superior. He is answerable to the pope.
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In which case, he’ll be found not guilty and will be given a soft job, just like Grassi, Inzoli, Barros, Zanchetta and the latest, Rupnik.
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Tell us you don’t understand what’s happening here without telling us you don’t understand….
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Who is this lunatic who keeps saying “Tell us you don’t…”? Is it the alcoholic howler or somebody else?
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11:38 demonstrating that the church mafia tries to find out who commenters are here to cause trouble for them with employers, etc.
Personally I’m loving that they haven’t even noticed that people have started copying stock phrases from each other, just as the church trolls have started copying and pasting whole comments from one post to another. I was very chuffed to see my words of wisdom the other day without having to write them.
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11:49 Now we know what they do in church offices all day. Covering up the truth via various means is obviously a very lucrative and rewarding exercise for them and their associates.
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11:38 Tell us you don’t understand a common idiom used in social media without saying you don’t understand it.
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11:38 I despair of these drunken complainers moaning about our church.
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If Byrne wants to seek refuge in Longley’s Birmingham Diocese, then Longley is perfectly entitled to withdraw Byrne’s priestly faculties within Birmingham Diocese, Pope or no Pope.
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11:50 Answerable to Fraudulent Frankie! We rest our case. Next……..
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Fr Cupcake thinks he can have his cake & eat it.
If he became MR Cupcake, he & his pals wouldn’t need to stalk this blog.
Simples.
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12:25 Mind your own business.
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11:47 Grace, you are truly amazing.
We don’t know how you do it.
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The current legal position requires urgent clarification in line with European & Irish Data Protection legislation.
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Archdiocese of DUBLIN @ 12:36
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Given the international dimension, the people scratching their heads in the picture are clearly weighing up their options for when they become ex-laypeople.
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Interesting to see what the outcome will be.
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Make up the foundations of the Roman Catholic establishment worldwide.
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1:22 Prove it!
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“While the current world situation is far from peaceful, this Christmas, like every other, offers you and I opportunities to bring peace and joy. As we rejoice once more in the commemoration of the birth of our Saviour, let us take the opportunities offered by the Prince of Peace.” – A Christmas message from the Bishop of Meath, Tom Deenihan.
While Tom Deenihan’s current persecution of Dom Benedict is far from peaceful, this Christmas, like every other, offers Tom Deenihan, Declan Hurley, Joseph Gallagher and Paul Connell opportunities to bring peace and joy. As we rejoice once more in the commemoration of the birth of our Saviour, let Tom Deenihan, his vicars general and his chancellor take the opportunities offered by the Prince of Peace to stop this most cruel and relentless persecution of Dom Benedict.
Who’s taking the horse to France? Who is going to sort out this Silverstream scandal, that has the well respected Abbey of Saint-Joseph de Clairval caught up in Deenihan’s web of deceit?
The Archbishop of Liverpool responded to Pat. Tom Deenihan, his vicars general and his chancellor also must respond swiftly to Pat. They must explain their reasons for deceiving Dom Bories.
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5.15am: The insomniac is back with his bitching about Bishop Deenihan. Seamus wiukd you take an extra skeelung pill and by now you must require anti stomach acid reflux medicatiin. You deserve your sleepkess nights. I hold no brief for the Bishop but FFS, stop your obsession. Its very weird, bizarre and strange. Grow up.
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10:51, any update from Dom Bories? Is he going to withdraw his support for Silverstream?
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10.51
You sound the vlgar type.
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The Cong Orats are used to ‘disappearing’ people when the need arises – Paul Chevasse after his chaste / non-genital intense infatuation with a young man, Fr Daniel ‘here today gone tomorrow reappearing today’ Seward, the Birmingham Three (Dermot Fenlon, Philip Cleevely, Lewis Berry) who were disappeared from the Birmingham Oratory in order to clear the ground for Benedict XVI’s visit…… All conveniently got out of the way when the need arose. So, it should not be too difficult for the Oratorians to do something similar for + Byrne in his present difficulties, surely ? Except that both + Byrne and the Cong Orats, although protesting to be faithful and obedient sons of the Church, really think of themselves as above the Church, perhaps indeed even considering themselves to be the True Church, and therefore not bound by the rules and constraints which apply to the rest of humanity. So, no surprise, as we see, that + Byrne is pressing the likes of + Longley to make an exception of him in circumstances which would see any other lesser mortals dealt with according to the normal and usual processes and restrictions which apply to a someone when there is an investigation in to the alleged behaviour of a cleric. Well, they might have to learn a lesson in humility this time, because I suspect + Longley, ineffective and non-confrontational as he is, will not be pushed around on this matter, and will dig in his heels. + Byrne will not be celebrating the sacraments or practicing any kind of ministry in public in Oxford or the Archdiocese of Birmingham in the foreseeable future, at least until such time as + McMahon of Liverpool and the Vatican have concluded their investigations in to the accusations about + Byrne. And then, of course, there is the matter of the police and what they might decide ! + Byrne needs to retire to a life of prayer and penance in the short to medium term, and let the process work its way through. And then we will see….
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“Rednal Cemetery” is where St John Henry Newman was buried and this locked cemetery is owned by the Birmingham Oratory and contains a house where Oratorians can sojourn……..
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1:28 You should read Bishop Fintan Monahans book he wrote about John Henry Newman or maybe you the man himself. He is now a Saint after all.
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In case you didn’t know, Paul Chavasse is PP at Swynnerton, Staffordshire, Dermot Fenlon has recently died R.I.P., Daniel Seward is at the York Oratory, Philip Cleevely is in Toronto, Canada, and Lewis Berry in South Africa (Port Elizabeth?)
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Paul Chevasse after his chaste / non-genital intense infatuation with a young man, — what’s wrong with that? It’s what Newman felt for many, and what Benedict felt for Georg.
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What was Bunny Longley’s intentions as auxiliary taking a senior altar server Paul out to be wined and dined? He argued at the time with a Westminster priest that his intentions were purely innocent when he was challenged.
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How old was Paul ? If an adult then then he could make up his own mind if he wanted to be wined and dined. Did he ever complain ? Mind you, I agree that the optics do not look great. Especially if the said Paul was a looker ! Interesting that he was challenged by a Westminster priest. Someone was watching. Oh, who would want to be a bishop with all those people watching your every move ! A mug’s game. Which is why I think that they are finding it increasingly difficult to get priests to say yes when invited to meet the Nuncio.
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The Westminster clergy think Fr Michael Daley was brave to question Longley over his Dinner rendezvous with Pau.l
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No doubt Paul is one of many. BL was forever falling in love with seminarians whilst teaching at Wonersh.
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Quite how a secret/private meeting is reported on is itself fascinating. Not doubting the veracity of the source and given Byrnes propensity for indiscretion and gossip it is possible he brought the internal forum very much into the outer forum and hence a secret/private meeting is is the public domain.
One wonders who else was in the meeting – rarely would Nursie meet without his Dominic present and I can’t imagine him rushing to break the seal – and I doubt this meeting was set up by his female lay secretary.
And I doubt the Brum source was anywhere near the meeting but hot news travels v fast in Birmingham facilitated by its preponderance of bitchy gossipy Queens.
Proving a long held view that clergy are fecking hopeless at respecting the seal of privacy, confidentiality or the confessional.
Byrne is highly manipulative but finds himself boxed in on this one – and the complainant is A&B a long way from H&N – v interesting and hope it has legs, proving sexual assault v difficult as thresholds high and if it travels Byrne will have his lawyers- it isn’t yet in the public domain but people aren’t stupid and won’t buy the nervous breakdown smoke screen – if it becomes public he’s toast but then again he was pushed so he’s toast anyway.
Nursie asked what he should say to Byrne and delivered the bullet – as IICSA proved Nursie obeys orders and doesn’t think for himself but clearly Byrne can’t dress up as a bishop in Birmingham.
Like Egan they will be pissed a private/secret meeting is being discussed on this blog – Long Live the Blog.
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10:29 Clergy & their types thrive on creating gossip designed to steer the public and the authorities in the completely opposite direction to the TRUTH.
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10.19am
He doesn’t need a Paul he’s found his Dominic. Ah bless.
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The Westminster queens who queued up to flirt with Paul were raging when, to everyone’s surprise, he married a woman, though sadly the marriage didn’t last long.
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unlikely any of the priests lovers or ex lovers will make contact. Sensible people just cut off any contact to avoid providing any more opportunities for harassment where possible although of course they continue to be slandered just like the parent in Ennis that they are now hounding for calling out the plush lifestyle of Ennis priests that she observed when she called to their house with a form she was requested to return confirming that her child was not allergic to gluten. Another good reason to remove them from schools because they & their self interested laity clearly access what should be confidential school records to target families via student file information.
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Longley clearly flirted with Paul as did Mark Langham and others at that time. Paul was flirtatious and far from innocent himself. The Westminster priest was merely alerting Longley that wining and dining Paul could be misconstrued. Longley was naive but was horrified when he was challenged by a mere curate.
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11:43 Elton John also had a short lived marriage to a woman.
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Paul used to brag about the Cathedral clergy who bought him aftershave, expensive boxers and meals out in exclusive places. He knew how to manipulate them and they were quick to shower him with gifts because he was a tease.
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Pat, are you confirming that the alleged victim of the abuse is a priest? If the sexual abuse occured by Bishop Byrne on any person, it must be reported. No equivocation. Can you confirm too if the victim has made himself known to you? What’s going on?
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The alleged assault has been reported to the police.
I know who the alleged victim is.
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The absolute failure of bishops to be spiritual fathers of good standing is alarming. We’ve seen on these shores the absolute appalling mistreatment of Dom Benedict Andersen by Tom Deenihan. There needs to be a clear out of these episcopal charlatans. Episcopal leaders must lead with integrity.
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12:22, bishops must indeed lead with integrity as per my comment that you have copied and pasted!
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+Pat, I am assuming that you know some of the detail of the alleged assault / behaviour ? Given that it has risen to this level, and seems connected to Byrne’s resignation, I am assuming that this behaviour is not just some minor indiscretion ? Of course, the alleged victim could just be some wuss that invites / creates trouble around him ? There are people and clergy like that. A bit like the Sistha Space one at Buck Palace a few weeks ago. She was looking for trouble whether it was there or not. Got her name in the newspapers. No publicity is bad publicity, they say. Anyhow, lots of detail to be forthcoming before we can know the full story.
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11:52 is an example of a typical contribution from a “devout and faithful” mass going Roman Catholic attempting to undermine and discredit the alleged victim – the normal Roman Catholic modus operandi meted out to anyone reporting church associated wrong doing. Leave it to the police to investigate. The predatory and opportunistic attacks on seminarians and others on church related duties have led to the vocations and mass attendance crisis & public recognition of the dangerous toxicity and malicious intent of laity closely involved in unchristian church related matters.
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I thought Fulton J Sheen was dead?
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Ah the good auld mushroom school of church leadership. Cover them with plenty of shit and keep them in the dark. MO of the church ab initio.. secrecy secrecy secrecy
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Well done Pat. Great start to this year. Armagh’s Ryan McAleer and England’s thugs well caught. You are hot on their trail.
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Decades of ongoing church related crime and criminality concealed by circulating false narratives,
engagement in slander, libel and data manipulation, travel document forgery, kiddy fiddling, money fiddling, people trafficking and so on and so on.
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The church investigation is conducted in secret!! Of course it is, ongoing zero transparency across the board in the Roman Catholic Church also confirms zero commitment on truth and reconciliation. Most parishes fail to publish names of their various committees yet continue to appeal for donations & government grants to fund their ahem! “activities”…….
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What personnel inquiries are ever conducted in public in any organisation?
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11:54 the Roman Catholic Church is the only business that maintains an active database of customers that haven’t been informed that they are customers.
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Endless scandals usually involving money and/or sexual misconduct of its cover up merchants whilst holding office in an allegedly celibate Roman Catholic Church are now daily occurrences on this blog & elsewhere.
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The weight of covering up for all manner of crime, corruption, fraud and all manner of criminality on a daily basis in the Roman Catholic Church worldwide.
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Someone on the blog recently said that there would now be concerted attempts to sanitise Benedict’s abuses. Well, his personal secretary Georg Ganswein, is bringing out a book shortly on the former pope’s life. You can bet it will be nothing short of a whitewash.
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Well done + Pat. And well done + Gugerotti on responding so quickly and clearly. I don’t have much confidence in + McMahon of Liverpool who always seems like an overconfident big bumbling idiot, with a penchant for dipping his toe and other bits in to lace and satin as often as he can. Note the picture. And it takes a lot of purple to cover him up, big man as he is ! Moving away from the ad hominem, and on to the substantive matter at hand, namely a complaint of alleged sexual misbehaviour, I glean that this was allegedly towards another priest ? Are there shades of + O’Brien here who was brought down by his own priests and their allegations, many years after the fact ? Anyhow, the plot deepens, and I suspect + Bryne is going to have to withdraw from public life completely if there is even a glimmer of truth in these allegations. It might not even be appropriate for him to return to his beloved Oratory, which reeks of that Oxford / Oratorian homoerotic atmosphere, albeit amongst rather odd looking young men with round spectacles and bad haircuts, all trying to be camp posh ! Not my type at all, but each to their own, I suppose ?!
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Many years ago when I lived in Oxford I took a friend to see the Oratory. As we stood there, some clerics passed, and one said to another ” he’s gorgeous “. Sadly, this was aimed at my friend, not me.
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Which Oxford is that? The one on Fantasy Island?
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We need some information / insight from Brum priests. They know what is going on and what Byrne has been up to. Come on, boys, spill the beans to your confreres ! You know you want to tell us !
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Yes, + Pat, the priest victim really does need to go to the police. A police investigation will take precedence over the church investigation. The church investigation then becomes redundant, really, until such time as the police / legal process is over. Then the church can do what it needs to do, although if there is a finding of guilt by the police / legal process, then they will not be able to deny, coverup, and do what they generally do. If it is just left to the church, with no police involvement from the start, then + McMahon will do the usual denial stuff and will coverup – for the good of the church, of course !
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I think if the priest alleged target does not report this to the police we can assume he is another priest reluctant to risk his own ‘vocation’ and suffering from cult brainwashing and Stockholm syndrome.
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I think it’s increasingly unlikely that Byrne will spend the rest of his days in 19th century gentrification in Oxford. If there is even the slightest hint of sexual misdoing, he will just have to disappear, like Conry has done. They won’t take away his episcopal status, unless he is convicted of a crime. At the very least, Byrne is toast and just has to accept that his credibility is shot and that he should just do the dignified thing and retire in to prayer and penance and silence. Best thing for everybody, I think. One observation – I don’t sense much sympathy for Byrne in the comments. He doesn’t appear to endear any affection. Perhaps this has to do with his pompous, self-satisfied demeanour, and being ineffective and promoted beyond his capabilities. I’m thinking that they won’t miss him in H&N and will be wanting to move on as quickly as possible.
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Pat I am so fed up with all these perverts taking over your blog. I hope one day we can have a positive title and blog piece.
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12:00 So many pervert clergy to report, so little time!
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To everyone gagging for Byrne to have his collar felt by Lily Law: don’t let your eagerness to have the bishop humiliated blind you to the fact that a criminal investigation is LESS likely to come out with him guilty of any crime than the church’s investigation is to have him reduced to convent chaplain for life.
This is because of the high level of proof needed for a criminal conviction, the difficulty prosecuting sexual offences and the lack of police to do the work.
A criminal investigation will also allow the church to wash their hands of the whole thing.
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This must now be reported to the Police + Pat – It will be a total cover up aimed at protecting the Church .If there is a criminal allegation should not the church report this to the Police as a matter of procedure ? Why is the Church with holding information from the Police ?It is in the Priest best interest to go to the Police whatever the Church says to him.
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A complaint investigated in secret .Where is honesty , transparency , putting the victim first ?No one can have confidence In the church investigating itself .There should be an independent body set up by the with professional people from outside Church membership to deal with all such complaints , and support victims .The Priest should protect himself by going to the Police .
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+Pat, well done on taking it that far. I do hope the police get involved as a Church investigation is a 50:50 thing depending on what the investigators are told to find. Also, I giggled a bit reading about the swiftness of the response. I genuinely wonder if the outgoing Nuncio may have believed you to be an official member of The Irish bishops conference when he replied so fast.
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Pat, I hope you have made contact with Archbishop Malcolm direct.
Archbishop Malcolm has a duty to go to the Police however the Priest needs to go as well.
In the KOB saga there were NO Police involvement as it was consenting Adults and when they did not get what they wanted up to the level of a mitre then they brought KOB down.
Byrne will likely say that is was with consent however this usually opens a can of worms and more may come forward and rightly so.
Archbishop malcolm is as cold as fish and sly as a fox but will act to protect Malcolm.
Hopefully Pope Francis sacks Byrne like he did to KOB.
+ Keenan is in a panic as he does not want +Nolan investigating his Diocese of Paisley as + Keenan has said Bill will do all the dirty work and he will arrive in 2030 somehow I think not.
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You’re a bit behind on this one, and in fact the blog post says it’s been reported to the police.
Did you read it?
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I wonder if Auxiliary Bishop Neylon from Liverpool will be posted to Hexham and Newcastle on promotion.
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I wouldn’t be surprised if someone like Swarbrick in Lancaster, Hudson the Auxiliary in Westminster or Hendricks the Auxiliary in Southwark were appointed. Safe hands who are not conservative like Byrne and get on with their priests. Relationships between ordinary and clergy need to be restored….
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Here’s the bit nobody is saying: the RC church is a byword for sexual offences and their cover up so if you belong to it you can only expect to experience sexual offences and then for the perps to get away with it or be promoted.
Haven’t any of you read the news lately?
Or did you think you would somehow be treated differently?
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My favorite thing about the Church of England is the way its mere existence makes the Catholics™️ spit feathers. You don’t see the Orthodox behaving like that over the Romans, even though they split from them and took their churches, nor the C of E over the methodists.
Its almost like the RC church isn’t Christian….
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Thank God Bishop Byrne who is a good man has faithful parishioners who will continue to stand by him, we trust him implicitly and he knows that he can trust us implicitly.
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Pat, while you rightly ask that the abuse of a priest be thoroughly investigated and action taken, isn’t it strange that you then abuse a priest in effeminising his name – “fanny” ? And by circling those present, are you not descending to abuse of another kind? I’m confused about your mind at times!
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Women’s names are a very long tradition among priests and seminarians and bishops.
We have Amy in Armagh. Elsie in Westminster. Dark Mavis…..
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+Pat: neither tradition nor common usage make it decent or proper. You’ve ignored many requests to desist from the practice yourself and to cease posting other similar usage on the blog.
Fair enough: your blog; your choice. Just follow the clerical crowd’s example. Yet you decry many of their other unacceptable practices?
MMM
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Didn’t know that Pat required an imprimatur from MMM.
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@2:09: What else don’t you know?
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I agree. Of course, there should be an enquiry when accusations are made. Byrne is basically a good man sadly promoted above his abilities
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1:05pm Oh! that’s just terrible altogether, Ireland should promptly send a delegation of Irish clergy & their lay hierarchy to reconvert them as a matter of urgency. We just cannot have lapsed Catholics in North Korea of all places. The world could come to an end or anything if that’s allowed.
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I don’t have much confidence in the archdiocesan Tribunal to investigate Byrne. A former judicial vicar, Father Anthony McCaffrey, who had a penchant for Versace and Gucci and sexually assaulting young men, was imprisoned. Fr. Tom Woods, also a canon lawyer and judge, was downloading kiddy porn, and Fr. Matthew Jolley of the same diocese tried to meet to have sex with a toddler. They will undoubtedly cover it up.
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Why did RN not address concerns we have about his obsession with young hot men masturbating? He also never went near the accusation by some that he is a closeted homosexual.
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So, the situation in H&N appears to be this. The ex-Bishop is a nice man – prayerful and clever. As an Auxiliary he was outstanding. When he moved it was clear that he was out of his depth and he did not handle the situation of the much loved Canon from the cathedral well at all, he of course sadly went on to commit suicide. Many of the clergy blame the Bishop for his poor handling, both prior to and after the untimely death. The Canon was one of the nicest guys you could meet and was well
loved and respected by laity and clergy. The Bishop lost the shop floor and many clergy told him so. He therefore could not continue. There is also an allegation by a serving Priest (from the same Diocese?) to be investigated. The Bishop did the right thing in stepping aside. This sums it up?
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Just wondering if Henry (Ciaran) O’ Connell has any connection with Byrne. Henry was an Oratory priest and cc Westport…he left the priesthood for gay lifestyle..
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What attracts sexual monsters and homosexuals to the priesthood? I would be mortified if any of my sons came to me and told me they were going off to seminary
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12:09 How would you react if your daughters wanted to be nuns?
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Pat most of the last dozen comments have been copied and pasted from previous blogs about this.
You’re being trolled and presumably the intention is to keep you busy moderating them.
Perhaps it’s the same cathbots who harassed Robert Nugent’s kids?
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Aux Bp Em Kenney only got moved from another jurisdiction entirely, because his order wanted to move him and because CBCEW were a sociologist short at the time
– have high profile portfolios got anything to do with this?
– Bp Byrne appears very converted to the synodal (out of date 2023 anyway), at least the people in the background have the decency to be scratching their heads
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Surely, once a religious becomes a bishop (such as Wm Kenney of the Passionists), the religious order loses all control over them and cannot ask for the bishop to be moved?
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Tom Deenihan is an Episcopal gangster. These episcopal charlatans must be forced to step down. Tables were overturned in the temple.
Tom Deenihan is scheduled to be in Episcopal office for at least another 20 years! These bishops should not serve for more than 6 years.
Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits.
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The RCC only cares about its own interests, it has no respect for any law other than its own laws of lie, coverup, harrass, intimidate, slander, villify to hide the sordid truth about itself.
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12:19 That’s not true. Lies from you.
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Pat, if your investigative work has any truth, this is a sordid story. I cannot fathom why, after all the sexual abuse scandals for the past 30 years or more that a bishop or priest does not realise that the public faithful are scandalized by the behaviour described above. The events as described are a scandal. None of us is totally perfect and I do not approve of a deliberate targeting of any person in a malicious or vindictive manner, but truth is essential and paramount. These revelations are faith shattering.
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This appears to be a remarkable lack of judgment by Bishop Billy Bunter. A desire to cohabit with a convicted paedophile and provide him with a job, appointing a young sacristan who had partied with the accused dean, and knowing of gay parties with a drag queen. He may celebrate pontifical masses, but all the Brum clergy will laugh at him behind his back. He will have to be exiled like Fr. Paul Chavasse after his infatuation.
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Wow!! I knew there was a back story behind Byrnes resignation but didn’t know it was this juicy – bloody hell Byrne was out of control and exposed as grossly incompetent, even dangerously so.
Do Brum really want him back?
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Byrne offered to be an Assistant Bishop in Westminister, Southwark, Birmingham or Liverpool and was told just pack your bags and go back to the Oratory.
Because there is NO actual case the Holy Father Francis cannot strip him of being a Bishop however he is finished.
Byrne is doing the “poor me” and thinks he has been badly treated by the Papal Nuncio and Rome.
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12:24 The “poor me” is a common theme to garner money & sympathy that is exercised daily by church laity and clergy. Secrets and lies, misrepresentation and manipulation of the TRUTH is where they sit immersed in their own webs of deceit.
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Well done Pat, don’t take your foot off the pedal though, no doubt in my mind there are many more out there that need to be outed. A never ending story, you will never be without fodder for your blog. There appears to be no end to the corruption, lies, double standards, amongst Roman Catholic church clergy.
There was a time where sex and Roman Catholic were never mentioned in the one sentence, now sex and Roman Catholic are synonymous.
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It’s not just Byrne who needs investigated. There are many many more. Yes, due process and truth and fairness are essential in any investigation. However any member of the clergy who is accused should be removed until due process is carried out. That is not to say they are guilty but where wrongdoing is suspected it is the duty of each bishop to protect those who use the church for their faith. Far too many episodes have been swept under the carpet. Take the case of Dallat. That he is considered acceptable to lead others to Christ is laughable. This church goes from bad to worse each passing day. Shocking is an understatement. Speaking out to condemn those asking for truth, fairness and openness makes those people apologists and enablers. Surely the time has come for all right thinking Catholics to say enough is enough.
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Does anyone know if James Leigh was a seminarian when Byrne was bishop of H&N?
Does anyone know if he was a student at Oscott?
Does anyone know what happened to him?
He was gaoled for 1 year for going to meet a 14 year old for sex – the awful video of him being caught by vigilantes (it was a sting) is excruciating to watch.
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Where can we watch it?
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Here is the James Leigh video.
https://fb.watch/hQ709WVpMs/
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He got a 1-year sentence, so is out and about now.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5345063/Trainee-Catholic-priest-snared-paedophile-hunters.html
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What’s remarkable in this video is that seminarian James Leigh keeps on saying that being caught has ruined his life, but he has no words about how the 14-year-old that he thought he was meeting would have their life ruined.
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Remove all insinuating comments about me off your blog from yesterday
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Garrett you need to calm down and take the rough with the smooooooth
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You should be lying in your beds alone! If you aren’t then you will be exposed!
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It appears that the former Abbot of Roscrea Cistercians Richard Purcell still has friends and connections in the Killaloe diocese. The turmoil that is being experienced in Cistercian monastery Roscrea should be a major concern of the Bishop of Killaloe. Malachy Thompson’s disastrous reign as ‘abbot’ allied with his insistence in the College remaining open despite sizeable deficits raises serious questions. I am informed Dom Richard Is making sure the Bishop does not get involved in Roscrea despite he receiving 3 letters from Cistercian monks ( 1 from Roscrea, 1 from Portglenone and 1 other). Some priests in the diocese are not impressed. My guess is that the bishop is awaiting a move of the monks to another abbey, a decision being made in Rome & Paris.
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I’m fairness the profits at Pernod Ricard, the owners of Jameson, have never been so healthy.
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12:44 rest assured Bishop Monahan will cover his own butt & carry on regardless.
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What has Robert Nugent got to do with todays blog?
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If Byrne goes just outside Oxford to the Carmelite Priory, Boars Hill, he will be in Portsmouth Diocese. Egan may give him permission to officiate. I’m not sure what the Nigerian prior and the wee jock would make of Byrne!
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Irish Government reports confirm that the average Irish home now costs 7.7 times the annual average Irish income. Meanwhile the Irish Roman Catholic Church sits on thousands of unused and or under-utilised properties whilst furiously fundraising on a daily boasts from the public purse and consistent calls on the public to contribute to the Roman Catholic Church whilst Bishops like Tom Deenihan indulge in antiques and outlandish interior design projects etc.
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1.13pm: Utter lies. Lies. Lies. If you did some homework you’d discover that many religious orders have offered land and properties to the government for housing. It hasnt been hughlughted sufficiently. The Church in Dublin offered potential lands to Dublin City Council for housing but many of the councillors objected to the lands offered as they thought the lands should be green spaces…Imagine…Now the head of Dublin City Council has renewed interest in the original offer by the Diocese..The church is NOT responsible for the mess this government and city and county councils have failed in their tasks and promises.
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@2:50: And can you assure us that these “offers of land” you refer to were offered for free and with no ‘quid pro quo’ attached?
Go on, tell us about one such “free offer.” Just one: with proof.
I won’t hold my breath!
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The Irish GOVERNMENT, City & County Councils are handing over vast amounts of taxpayers money in grants to the Irish Roman Catholic Church on a daily basis whilst church sits on thousands of empty properties around the island of Ireland. We are not responsible nor willing to feed your greed in the RCC
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Interesting how the Vatican’s daily bulletin no longer stipulates whether a bishop resigns because of section 1 – reaching the age of 75 or section 2 for some other reason of canon 401. A section 2 resignation often had the whiff of a scandal about it.
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1:16 Scandal?? heaven forbid!
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Was a nuncio to Ireland appointed today?
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Archbishop Ivo Scapolo
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Archbishop Ben Dover.
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Please don’t let it be Scapolo. He covered up for and urged the appointment of Francis’s friend, Bishop Barros, despite knowing about the Karadima case.
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@ 1:17pm
Can’t have been, you know who would have been on right away to inform us.🙄
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Pat you need to contact a few priests in the Armagh/Dundalk area and make enquiries as to the two Pp who are widely known to be ‘dating’. It’s all going down there, and Amy has been told about this, but just like Treanor, it gets shoved under an expensive rug.
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Long runs the fox. The Brady bunch are still active and in existence. Eamon is part of covering up for Brady and his bunch. The next scandal to blow Armagh totally out of the water is simmering and it involves Cookstown.
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@1.46pm Interesting that Cookstown is mentioned because Amy surprisingly turned up there on Christmas Day above all days to celebrate Mass. The PP was all flustered so there is something strange going on. Is it McAleer related or the antics of the present PP or ex curate Emlyn or all three?
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Well, it had to happen. Let’s see what happens now in is own diocese. There will be the usual news blackout, and obfuscation. Until such time as it is decided that he should be, inevitably, defenestrated from his home diocese. There is too much on this man to make him safe to handle. Sadly….
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A National Truth and Reconciliation forum needs to be established in Ireland for victim/survivors of Rcc abuse/cover up. Rcc apologies are meaningless at this stage.
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Why is the Bishop of Clifton having a special collection for clergy training when he has no seminarians?
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Farrell is the invisible man. He’s a backroom, desk priest with a subdued personality and zero charisma.
At a time when Dublin needs hope and dynamic leadership we get a dull man who is already giving out the vibes of someone who is coasting along in what they know is their last job before retirement.
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The curse of the desk priest strikes again. He looks and sounds depressed and unengaged all the time. A desk priest succeeding a desk priest is the last thing that Dublin needed.
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I think that every archbishop of Dublin has been a desk priest before their appointment, same with the bishops of Down & Connor.
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What’s wrong with the priests. Out here in the world of work you get your manager appointed and if you don’t like it, in the absence of provable wrongdoing, you can take a hike.
If the rumours are true it means the clergy of the diocese are a bunch of spoiled princesses.
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Paul Tighe is also staying with Diarmuid Martin in Aughrim Street this week.
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Never met Diarmuid Martin bu saw him by a distance. I have nothing but praises for him. Re his work with victims especially in deaf community in the past. He was quite decent and fair. My friend met him in lourdes as he says DM has a compassionate heart towards the victim.
If I were in the shoes of frankie gaslighter, I would give him the red hat for his great work. I was quite surprised when his representative acknowledged the impact on myself re abuses.
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Denis is one of the good ones, like Eamon Martin, Ger Nash and Dermot Farrell.
A selection system that results in Phonsie Cullinan leading an Irish diocese in the 21st century is flawed. Early retirement would be good.
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In the case of Amy, Ger and DLF it’s a case of the bland leading the bland. What memorable thing have those three invisible men said or done? What’s Ger’s USP? At least Fonzie has a bit of drive and passion and gives the appearance of believing in it all, whereas the other three are like regional sales managers for parts of a business that is going to shut down.
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Pat, do you know it was DM and Tighe that set you up for detention by the Vatican Police on your last visit.
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No. But I had told DM I was going.
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Dairmuid Martin has a heart. In private he was very kind to clergy who found themselves in a spot of trouble.
Dermot Farrell does not have a heart. In private he is not kind to clergy what find themselves in spot of trouble.
Martin cared about people, Farrell only cares about money. To the Dermot Farrell supporter, give it time and you will see the truth and the truth will be revolting.
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I second the comments re: Ledwith Farrell. He is arrogant, unkind and ruthless. Ask the priests in Dublin Pat.
Diarmuid Martin please come back. All is forgiven.
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Let’s hope Bishop Pat we can look forward soon to more clergy scandal especially the gay sexual type. Any tit bits and morsels are always gratefully received, anything trashy at all. Anything that’s of the clergy’s own making. Like watching the clergy squirm at their own hypocritical double lives. Nothing much in the Sunday World these days abd daily Irish Star worth reading by the way of clergy downfalls.
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I was pleasantly surprised to read that Cahal Daly presided at your father’s funeral. There must have been some good in him. You have been very critical of him over the years. thanks for saying something nice.
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There were 86 of us in my first year class in Maynooth, and all the other Irish seminaries (Clonliffe, Carlow, Thurles, Waterford, Wexford, Kilkenny, Belfast and the Irish College, Rome) were all still open and admitting their own first years. The ordination class in Maynooth was bigger than the entire seminary community today.
Amy and co should resign for allowing it to come to this.
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J McK?
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People in need, seeking Christ are being manipulated and used by the RCC for its own ends;power, money ,influence , sexual gratification. It is truly a nest of vipers. It is a cesspit that needs constantly exposed. When will the sheep decide that enough is enough
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3.00: Sir, can you tell me how the Church is using those in need to manipulate them for its own ends? When I give frequently to the needy who knock in my door – literally a daily occurrence – and visit those in need – I am doing it to enhance and make better in some small way their lives not my own. How can you make so errant a comment when you should, if you have a logical brain cell, recognise the fallacy of your premise and conclusion. What school of thought sent you into the world? Your confused script is a travesty of the TRUTH..
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@3:41. You immediately go from your first sentence, a question about ‘the church’, to your own see bit of charitable work. Good for you. But if you can’t already see the wider picture of a corrupt, greedy, evil institution, and think your own wee efforts represent or excuse the RCC, ……
Read Matthew 9:26-27
MMM
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3.41pm is a good example of why there shouldn’t be lay students in Maynooth.
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I was an undergrad at the university and I (as well as some other students) would sometimes chat up with some of the seminarians. I’d lie to say that I didn’t make out with a seminarian during my time. I did get very affectionate with this seminarian (c. 2014). The both of us were so frustrated over the stupid “celibacy” rule. He was so much comfort to me and helped me so much during the many pitfalls during my time in Maynooth. But at the same time, I wanted to protect him, why we had to make the decision to cut off the contact. There isn’t a day that passes that I don’t think of him. But it wasn’t uncommon. So many of us know of a former officer of the Student Union who flung himself onto more than one seminarian – there was a lot of hypocrisy with that union by throwing the seminarians under the bus, but loved using them for the sex. Oh, the stories are endless.
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All priests are loaded, no rent, no electric or gas bills. Come on I am not listening to the poverty wails
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3:51 don’t forget the secretaries and administrators, accountants, solicitors, cooks, cleaners, gardeners, handymen, window polishers, various volunteers in house & offices – not forgetting the guy or gal that holds the tissue when they want to sneeze.
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@3.51 pm
Add to the list petrol allowance etc. I totally agree with you. They don’t do too badly with all the add ons which they don’t have to pay for.
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Bishop Buckley, if you were Bishop Treanor, how would you have done things differently than what he did with his time in D&C?
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If ANYONE knows of a priest sleeping with ANYONE then abide by your duty and name them NOW
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Will Fonzie tell the faithful the current status of those MIA, those on early retirement (fit as fiddles) those gone but not forgotten such as the priest at the centre of a major AIDS scare controversy in Dungarvan in the mid 1990s. How many are the faithful still funding?
Can we have full accountability and transparency since a new precedent has been set.
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4:12 of course they are fit as fiddles, they’ve been fiddling all of their lives.
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I know of a priest who takes crystal meth along with family members. It’s incredible that a man of almost 70 would be doing that.
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Using drugs isn’t new. One of our family members had been taking heroin, cannabis since 1980s. He survived that long to my surprise until early 2000sand dropped dead fast.
Its a common theme to me now that newly ordained priests taking drugs and alcohol at early years of their priesthood.
His face is obviously gay by the look of it as I’m no expert.
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I went on holiday to Rome about six years ago and used Grindr. I had left ministry but put up a picture of me with pope John Paul on my profile – and was bombarded with angry messages from men who were obviously priests. Hilarious.
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I wonder how the many past commentators who derisively referred to ex-seminarians as “not good enough”, or “rejects” can explain how this fellow managed to ‘get through’ their supposedly stringent “formation & screening” processes? It can’t be very effective in determining the unsuitable if ‘O Connell can con it.
But maybe there are unspoken reasons operating in the selection process?
Personally I think many of those critics using terms like “rejects” are clerics demonstrating their insecurities inferring that having been ordained they are a superior class of “ontologically changed” paragons: though many might say PARASITES.
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What do members of the St. Joseph Young Priests Society who financially support seminarians in Ireland think of the state of the priesthood in the Irish Church?
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Ask John Rooney, Chairperson
Tel. 083 843 1779
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While you’re at it, ask what Mr Rooney thinks about the destruction of young priests like Benedict Andersen.
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The world has become a strange place- it certainly wasn’t like this when I was working as a young man.
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Farrell is not leading Dublin well. He was DMs choice! He is surrounded by drips with no vision. Fellow priests are now annoyed with the extra work and extra parishes. Lots of us now have to work with health issues. I’ve heard some of the lay staff are underwhelmed with the new vision of Building Hope. A few are considering leaving. They have that option we priests don’t. Seven more years of this….
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All the messages today exclude Rev Garret Byrne in their mention. Since moving to the Archbishop’s office, Byrne has proven himself to be very ambitious. As a priest I find Archbishop Farrell kind and pastoral. Fr Byrne is somewhat cold and unkind. Dermot Farrell has been handed a financial task, he is doing his best. I would suggest that the people Dermot has surrounded himself with are not doing him any favours. Once Byrne gets appointed as an auxiliary and given a full Mitre I suspect things will change for the better.
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+Pat, did you mention that St. Finlan’s Trust was de-registered as a charity? If so, did that occur at the same time as financial irregularities were identified in Silverstream? Is that the missing link?
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Kevin Heery is quiet these days.
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4:57 the more that is “going on”, the “quieter” they become.
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What does the diocese of Down and Connor know about the sad events that overtook the late Noah Donohue R.I.P.
What do HM “Conservative” government know about these sad events.
The war against boys is the same war as the war against women.
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5:01. Agreed, there are very serious answers outstanding to Noah’s mother & loved ones – this could easily happen again if it goes unanswered.
Maria Nolan avoided a prison sentence for fencing the stolen computer of 14 year old Noah. Her co-accused Daryl Paul aged 35 was jailed for stealing a rucksack containing Noah’s computer and school books. Nolan has since made court appearances for new shoplifting charges.
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Addicts that are well in with clergy are well protected
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What has D&C got to do with that poor lad Noah Donohue? Please explain. I don’t see what the connection is.
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Ray Browne is a total dick-head. Elphin has a barn full of them including Kevin Doran ( Dublin).
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Does anyone else think it’s high time the hierarchy stopped trying to revise church teaching by stealth and just came out and did it? All that would happen would be a schism and both sides would spend several centuries bickering over who was Catholic™️. Hopefully you’d be so distracted you’d leave the rest of us alone and die out quietly.
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The variety of ongoing financial, sexual & all manner of corruption in the Roman Catholic Church & defended by hierarchy is truly shocking. It’s a Completely untrustworthy organisation now. Very sad, it’s like the plaque spreading its germs into peoples lives & all based on a foundation of uncontrollable greed.
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The modus operandi of Armagh is to ignore and hope the “problem” will go away…they have been at it for decades.
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Sean Dooley was also one of the nice students. Credit where credit is due, and as a mature student/late vocation he could see through a lot of the hothouse psychodrama of Maynooth life and could laugh off the clumsy machinations of Niall Ahern, Tom Clancy and the other movers and shakers.
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++Longley is quite a smart person and quite a nice person as well. I would be surprised if he doesn’t do the right thing.
With regards to the blog comment
“Byrne reminded Longley of how clerics can go on to do extreme things when their superiors, etc, put too much pressure on them”… Longley is doing nothing to Byrne, Byrne’s alleged behaviour is the active factor in what is happening to Byrne. Longley is obliged to respond appropriately. At priestly ordination Byrne, like all priest, was informed that it was his responsibility to remain above suspicion. This an allegation is sufficient to curtail his ministry.
Happy New Year to all.
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