Dear Brother Priest,
A letter arrives ten days after it is written.
I imagine the VG wrote it and then handed it up the line to be scrutinised and edited
The fact that Byrne reluctantly submitted his resignation means that he did not go. He was given no alternative and was pushed.
He was allowed to save face by “resigning.”
That begs other questions. Why was he pushed?
– the alleged sexual assault of a priest?
– maladministration of H&N?
– other matters that have yet come to light?
The strength of the alleged priest victim’s evidence will have a strong bearing on the police outcome.
The priest’s bishop has been very good to him and is supporting him.
The Church investigation will be held in secret, and the main aim will be a major effort to avoid scandal and to protect the reputation 😀 of the Church.
Byrne’s treatment of the native clergy was despicable but sadly not uncommon.
Making any member of the Congregation of the Oratory is dicey. They are a strange and eccentric bunch, and so many of them seem to carry pink handbags.
The fact that Byrne wanted to allow a convicted paedophile to live with him in the Bishop’s house was crazy and when his safeguarding office opposed his plan, he had it in for them afterwards.
His relationship with the deceased Canon McCoy was also crazy. Byrne showed an atrocious lack of judgement.
A bishop buying a million pound house in these days of unheard economic disaster is a disgrace and a scandal.
Byrne’s appointment is a massive condemnation of the RC’s way of appointing bishops.
BISHOP PAT BUCKLEY 