THE IRISH NEWS
A victim of clerical abuse has called on Archbishop Eamon Martin to resign, accusing him of a lack of “transparency”.
Sean Faloon made the call after meeting the Catholic primate about the case of former priest Malachy Finegan last month.
From Hilltown in Co Down, Mr Faloon (41) has previously revealed how his abuse began with hugging and kissing after Mass.
Her was later raped and abused by Finegan over a seven-year period from 1990 to 1997.
In 2006 Mr Faloon settled an action against the Diocese of Dromore for a six-figure sum.
He claims that during the conversation with Archbishop Martin he asked why former Bishop of Dromore Dr John McAreavey hadn’t followed up with police in later years.
He claims Archbishop Martin replied by asking him why he hadn’t returned to police when he turned 18 – an age where he didn’t need parental consent.
“The onus was put on me to go back to the police six months later – that’s victim blaming,” he said.
“I think he should resign.”
PAT SAYS
Eamon Martin shouldn’t only resign. He should never have been appointed in the first place.
He was only appointed for his spinelessness, gutlessness, and lack of intellectual and moral integrity.
Indeed, these negative attributes seem to be the most common attributes of recent generations of RC bishops.
When I was a curate in the fishing port of Kilkeel in the early 1980s, one of my parishioners invited me to view his new fish processing plant.
I saw the fish come on to the assembly line.
First, they cut the fishes heads off.
Then they ripped their bellies open and removed their guts.
Finally, they removed their spines.
And you ended up with fish fillets.
The priesthood and episcopate is exactly like that.
Most of them have had their heads, guts, and spines removed.
And we have ended up with filleted bishops and filleted priests.
And, as the Psalmist laments…..
There is neither priest nor prophet to ply his trade in the land……
SCOTTISH NEWS
Bishop Pat,
Today, Friday 3rd of March, Fr Neil McGarritty, will be sentenced at Glasgow Sheriff Court for 5 charges relating to 4 girls.
Let’s pray for these and his many other victims over the decades who never got their day in court.
The clergy here hope he is given a custodial sentence.
BISHOP PAT BUCKLEY 