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PORTSMOUTH. EGAN AND CONTINUING CONCERNS ABOUT DIOCESAN FUNDS.

EGAN

“Dear Bishop Buckley,

I’m afraid we clergy in Portsmouth have suffered yet another blow to our trust in the bishop following the revelation that he has been raiding another fund, set up put of goodwill abd in good faith to help those in need in our diocese.

Having been told to back away from the PRIEST RETIREMENT FUND, a fund which exists to help, support, house and to take care of sick and elderly priests, Egan has now raided the SCHOOLS BUILDING FUND.

We are still unsure if it was Rome who told Egan to leave the PRF alone or the Charity Commussionrts itself. Either way, Egan has backed down.

I enclose a letter from a former VICAR GENERAL of the diocese, who was establishing the SCHOOLS BUILDING FUND, in the first place, who explains what Egan and hus cunning advisors are up to.

It it wasn’t for the whistle-blowers in exposing both disgraceful attempts to hack the PRF and also this Monsignor who exposed the underhanded ways of taking money donated to the SBF (donated by some of the poorest areas of the diocese and by parishes struggling financially as ot is by the way) we would be none the wiser, which begs the question: “what else is going on that we don’t.know about YET”.

PAT SAYS

There is obviously great concern among the priests of Portsmouth over the financial affairs of their diocese.

And many of them will have scrimped and scraped over the years.

Remember, English priests have never been as well paid as Irish priests.

When I started in Cardiff in 1976, my pay was £ 5 a week and my lodgings.

And, these are men who have given up to 50 and 60 years of their lives to the diocese.

Now, they see all their sacrifices being mocked by a spendthrift bishop and his £100,000 a year COO.

Not nice! Not nice at all!

RECEIVED WITH A DUBLIN POSTMARK

Who is the “Eamon”?

Eamon Martin?

The communication is very cryptic.

Obviously, from a cleric.

I think Gallagher, Ledwith, and Lavery were all Maynooth profs.

What are they supposed to have done to our Amy?

192 replies on “PORTSMOUTH. EGAN AND CONTINUING CONCERNS ABOUT DIOCESAN FUNDS.”

Raymond Gallagher was a senior teacher at st columbs college in Derry who spent too much time around the changing rooms. He wasn’t a PE teacher….

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I attended St.Columb’s. It was well known in the 70’s and beyond by staff and pupils what Gallagher was up to. Nothing was done by the presiding lay and clerical Presidents. Eamon Martin was head between 2000 and 2008.

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The heart of the Roman Catholic Church is rotten to the core festering and hiding lies, deceit, gross acts of immoral financial and sexual exploitation against children and vulnerable adults by its clerical and lay hierarchy worldwide.
Their expensive lawyers and ecclesiastical insurers can expect to be extremely busy for the foreseeable.
Some Diocese will last longer courtesy of pro Bono favours from prominent Roman Catholic law firms and self interested wealthy benefactors returning favours.

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The upper classes and the nouveaux riche types have always gotten away with abuse. Money speaks.

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It must be remembered that Bishops believe themselves to be the supreme authority, therefore they will do exactly what THEY WANT, SELL WHAT THEY WANT, HIDE & COVER UP WHAT THEY WANT and spend what THEY WANT.

This is exactly what Bishop Egan and the other Bishops are doing.

Priests such as Fr John Paul Lyttle who know too much are consistently protected, financed and accommodated, given plum parishes away from what they’d view as the poor and the great unwashed, facilitated to partake in lifestyles that they hide and deny in public and as part of this duplicitous lifestyle they CHOOSE, these priests, as we see repeatedly, emotionally and financially abuse victims that they target & prey on for covert sexual and financial gratification.

Fr John Paul Lyttle, Fr Rory Coyle who also uses the Irish language version of his name to avoid detection are recent examples on this blog and elsewhere.

There are many others.

Would anyone care to comment on others?

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That’s because they are the ultimate authority in a diocese. The church is hierarchical, hadn’t you noticed?

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I first heard about this latest scandal during lunch after the Chrism Mass. Many of the priests were discussing the Schools fund. Utterly disgraceful.

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Is there any stopping this man? This is outrageous. How much of the building fund was used to pay JP LYTTLE’S legal fees?

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Well, the top few earners at the firm took over One Million Pounds each last year, so somebody needs to keep their partners well-fed. I am so glad the Diocese of Portsmouth can afford such expensive lawyers. However, judging by the quality of their correspondence and legal advice, it’s not a case of being “reassuringly expensive”.

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Lawyers not laicisation for Fr John Paul Lyttle, WHY? WHY? WHY? & what about other deviant clergy with outstanding issues against victims of RC related abuse.says:

Bishop Philip Egan exercises his own discretion on what he considers to be in the long term interests of the Diocese.

Fr John Paul Lyttle obviously has him over a barrel in some way. Otherwise, why not laicise him.

There are many other situations across UK & Irish Roman Catholic Diocese where deviant clergy who have been the subject of controversy for decades, are also not laicised, some with convictions, who remain in back room roles hidden from the general public but very much active in the overall modus operandi of ongoing covert intimidation, stalking and harassment of victims and survivors and whistleblowers of Roman Catholic Church related sexual and financial corruption by its members.

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Del – (Calls) Hoy, hoy, Tom – Silverstream Priory.
Man on Rig – Tom
Del – Which way to Ireland?
Man on Rig – Tom – (Points) It’s over there.
Del – Cheers pal. Albert it’s to the right, Ireland is that way. Thank you. Rodney see, you don’t know the way, you just got to ask someone ain’t you? Hey diddley dee a sailor’s life for me.

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School Chaplins and Hospital Chaplins from Roman Catholic Church have been yet another point of concern for decades.
The privacy rights of students and patients should have been paramount.

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10:42 at least Ledwith and Lavery left under the cloud.
Many others stay around in full clerical garb inside the whiffy cloud fully accommodated and financed by their Bishops and cohorts with motives.

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What I’m seeing here is actually great hatred from the priests of the diocese for their bishop. I dont think they’re wrong – I think he’s a c*** – but this hatred is disguised as concern. If they were actually concerned they wouldn’t have been up in arms about performance management.
Hey guys, if you don’t like the high pressure world of priesthood there are no fewer than two Benedictine monasteries without parishes in the diocese you could join.

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Catholic schools are a waste of money that could be used more productively in other parts of the mission. Dioceses spend millions on them every year and then all the pupils lapse and emerge from the schools lacking even rudimentary knowledge of the teachings of the Church.

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7:15 Bishop Phonsie Cullinan in Irish Diocese of Waterford & Lismore is an advocate of catching them young.

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@7:15am
You’re wrong, because there is no attempt as you call it to ‘indoctrinate’ Catholicism, as students leave and haven’t a clue. They usually know more about other false religions than their own.

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@12:23: And a jolly good thing that is too. If free from the guilt induced RCC stranglehold, they’ll be free to make up their own minds about the “truths ” and relevance of the “God Franchise.”
And it’s remarkable, and telling, that most realise religion is a massive con-job and then get on with happy productive and moral lives, …….without all the guilt hangups of indoctrinated Catholicism.

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I hope and pray that the new Nuncio has been briefed about the unholy goings on in Portsmouth! He will have his work cut out for him with Phil and Heather (AKA Harry and Megan)!

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The Scottish newspapers have been reporting on Archbishop Leo Cushley and his “interesting” approach to financial “management” which seems to include safeguarding issues relating to elderly/vulnerable parishioners on finance committees receiving intimidating individual letters from him. It seems parishioners and parishes have complained to the charity commission and the matter is being investigated. The Charity Commission’s current remit doesn’t fully cover safeguarding issues, but it’s there to ensure that a registered charity uses its finances to operate for the benefit of its stated recipients. Register a complaint with the charity regulator if you feel your bishop and his cohorts in the diocese are failing in their duties. Parishioners and priests need to start taking a stand and calling mismanagement to account. Bishops could readily cut costs overnight by dispensing with overpaid COO’s.

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4.29
Sorry to disabuse you of that misconception (well, in fact, very pleased to fo so).
There is no nuncio to the UK. There is, on the other hand, an Apostolic Nuncio to Great Britain. Documentary evidence provided yesterday.
When a diocesan vacancy in the Six Counties occurs, it’s the Nuncio to Ireland who oversees the provision.

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8:50pm Don’t worry, they can always be a foster carer. Daddy at the Presbytery gives good references to their types. Birds of a feather flock together.

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10:19
Where’s your mother gone- chirpy chirpy- cheap cheap- far far away!
Yea, birds of a feather, including social workers, flock together.

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I’ve never heard of anybody being turned down for social worker training. There’s a massive shortage because it’s not the sort of “work” that appeals to normal people.

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4:32
The same can be said for psychiatry because it’s not the sort of “work” that appeals to normal people.

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@5:10
Psychiatrists are considered glorified bill pushers by many, even
by members of their own profession. Check out Breggin.com.
Peter Breggin is known as the conscience of psychiatry.
See his psychiatry-psychology section for more or his book
‘Toxic Psychiatry’ 1991 which provides a complete overview of
psychiatry and psychiatric medication.
https://breggin.com/Books

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@7.45. Your comment is an assertion. However, from my understanding of UK politics over past 30 years, and from reading many analyses, I believe there is a scarcity of reliable facts to substantiate your assertion.
But I’m sure you do have facts and figures to support your contention.
Do please share them…….please.

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4:32 priesthood is like social work & psychiatry nursing, no one is turned away.
They shag their way through Seminary, manage about 5 years in a parish before moving on or embark on the international move it, shake it all about route that some Bishops advocate for their “favourites”

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7:36
Wat you describe can be termed de hokey cokey or cokey hokey in reverse.Or, shall we say, wit a twist .This condition I find difficult to treat due to multiple factors associated with this quite common contagion. Unfortunately this is precisely due to bishoprics tendencies to advocate for de favourites.

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@10:50. A careful reading of the background to this indicates that the organisation at fault was an independent profit oriented company. Such organisations invariably employ non trained poorly paid workers to deal with some of the most demanding clients.
With central government starving councils of funds, curtailing those council’s abilities to build, equip and provide childcare facilities with good quality well trained staff, such councils have been forced to use these profit seeking companies. And in pursuit of profits, corners are cut everywhere, particularly in recruiting low paid poorly trained and motivated staff.
The current UK government’s slashing of public services across the board has led to greater crises in the provision of services right across the whole spectrum of need: the present NHS strikes is the most obvious example.

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9:47 both the UK and the Irish Health Service are in chaos.
Instead of spending money on front line doctors, nurses & other carer & medical staff, the money allocated is frivolously spent on butt covering in-house lawyers and various levels of cover up merchants, unnecessary property deals, sweetheart deals, non disclosure agreements and in the meantime waiting times get longer and longer and patients die.

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Yes indeed @ 10.33.
Speaking for the UK situation, I see strike action now by the Environment Agency in relation to low pay, inadequate staffing,work overload, and the government ‘s inadequate pay offers.
It’s same story everywhere in the public sector. The Tories place no “value” on public sector workers. They only appreciate what “makes money”, so they and their buddies can siphon off some profits.

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There was no mystique around priests at first. There were plenty of priests then, and no catholic schools (that wasn’t in Portsmouth). Priests were less useful than the coalman (but seemed to have roughly the same religion as me, and my secular teachers) and less nasty than the Australian dentist.

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Appears the English bishops are no better than the Irish ones. Bishop Monahan here in Ennis is trying to sell off land left to expand our children’s school to the highest bidder. These bishops seriously do not care about the welfare of our children. Disgusting,

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Fr Conor Staunton-Polland knows Orme-Paul allright.
Fr Conor is also an excellent Elvis impersonator.

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@10.45 seems to think that the Diocese of Portsmouth would run much more smoothly if the troublesome priests all went and became monks!
Of course, the problem is not all the scandal, the JP LYTTLE cover-up and what seems to be deep corruption with gross mismanagement of finances, no! It’s because the priests all hate the bishop! And its not the fault of the poor bishop or the utterly devoted COO for making all of these scandalous decisions at all that’s the problem in Portsmouth, no! @10.45pm says it’s actually the priests fault! And they should go and become monks!
Who’s role would all of a sudden become a piece of cake, if only SHE could get the priests out of the way? HAUSCHILD.
If @10.45pm is Heather, then look what she calls the bishop! Sounds like HARRY AND MEGAN are more closer to a divorce than first thought!

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5:51 Actually I don’t. I think the whole thing should be shut down. However having seen what the clergy are like by their continual moaning on here think the world outside should be spared them.

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If these revelations about PORTSMOUTH were unfounded or even fabricated, then the motivation may be hate but that’s not the case here.
It seems to me that there are (thankfully) some who are not willing to continue a cover-up culture.
Holding those in authority to account, who habitually decide upon an immoral course of action is to be encouraged, it must be called out. The kind of behaviour identified time and time again in Portsmouth is exactly the kind of behaviour that gives the church a bad name.
There’s absolute concern, not hate and I, 100’s of miles away from Portsmouth, share that concern.

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“Bishop-elect Paul’s appointment will be a loss for the priests and people of his home diocese of Meath, as well as for his colleagues working in the secretariat of the Bishops’ Conference in Columba Centre, Maynooth. However his pastoral gifts, spiritual leadership and Episcopal calling today, especially at this time of renewal for the Church in Ireland, will greatly assist the Church in Ireland as we continue to walk the Synodal journey at local and national level over the next five years.” ++Eamon.
How does the erroneous episcopal appointment of Fr Paul Connell, the clerical gangster complicit in the persecution of Dom Benedict Andersen, assist the renewal of the Church?

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A ruling on Macron’s pension overhaul looms

Hundreds of thousands of protesters marched in cities across France yesterday ahead of a crucial ruling today on President Emmanuel Macron’s decision to raise the legal age of retirement to 64, from 62.

The ruling could pave the way for the measure’s final implementation, even if it does little to dispel persistent popular opposition.

The overhaul, which became law last month after Macron decided to push it through the lower house of Parliament without a vote, has led to 12 days of nationwide protests and strikes since January.

The standoff, marked by sporadic violence between the police and protesters, continues.

All eyes are now on the Constitutional Council, which reviews legislation to ensure that it conforms to the French Constitution.

The measures in Macron’s pension overhaul cannot be officially enacted until the nine-member council gives them the green light.

By the numbers: According to the French authorities, protests on Thursday attracted about 380,000 people, though labor unions said that the number was one million to 1.5 million.

Both the authorities and the unions had estimated that turnout at demonstrations last week was higher.

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7:42 This is a very difficult situation for workers in poor health who are being forced to work additional years.
Sick and elderly Workers in manual low paid jobs are particularly vulnerable in this situation.

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The Catholic Schools are Catholic in name only, in Ireland certainly. There are a few good exceptions where religious education is taught well. But the majority are not really concerned but use the sacramental moments as a showcase for their school. Many teachers are not religious and do not practice their faith. We must respect this reality. Therefore for me, the sooner all religious faith and the receiving of sacraments are taught and prepared for at parish level only, the better. We as a Church should only be present at the level of pastoral care in schools but all sacramental moments and faithb formation should be done at parish level. It is incongruous in a multi cultural society and in growing secularism that the Church has so many schools in patronage. I will never be a chairperson of any school board again. Ever.

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Certain types of clergy and their close personal associates have their own self interested reasons for clinging to school board and management positions.
It has nothing whatsoever to do with student welfare and everything to do with controlling outcomes on behalf of their clerical and lay colleagues and associates.

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9.16: You’ve never worked in or had very bad school boards of management. The overstating of your comments is utterly stupid. All School Boards I worked on until 14 years ago were run correctly, transparently and we followed all departmental and CPSMA guidelines and protocols. In 31 years in schools I had one very challenging incident which involved two teaching personnel. I resolved it without any consequences to the school children but was disliked by some teachers. Only that I had worked for 9 years in Holy Faith Schools where everything was 100% thorough in all matters, i may have missed a financial glitch whi h opened a pandora’s box! !! Had I left the situation as I found it, a certain school would not be there today. Thankfully by following all procedures we succeeded in rebuilding a great school. It’s a stupid statement to make in today’s context where schools are subjected to supervision, assessments and all policy documents required . You make errors at your peril. So, 9.16: all school boards work for the well being and betterment of the pupils. Always. Take off your bigoted blinkers.

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‘Only that I had worked for 9 years in Holy Faith Schools where everything was 100% thorough in all matters’
This sentence alone indicates 12:18’s comment is fantasy. 😂

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12:18 I speak from years of professional and voluntary experience.
Stop ranting and wind your neck in.
I’ve had your types for a snack.
Happily retired now but will always keep my eye on the ball to protect those that need it from the likes of you.

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7:48am: I await your evidence of “ There are a few good exceptions where religious education is taught well.”. Does your definition of religious education extend to world religions or solely based on Christianity and/or Catholicism? The religious education syllabus in secondary schools is very progressive and outward looking. I accept not all schools teach RE thoroughly but to state that “ There are a few good exceptions where religious education is taught well” is an outrageous assumption. Are you including multi denominational and non denominational schools in this assumption? I prefer comments based on objectivity and not subjectivity. Also, evidence would be useful but we both know your view is based on ignorant bias and is not evidence based ……

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1.18: My comment earlier us absolutely true. I was both chairperson and chaplain for 9 years in Holy Faith run schools. The level of attentiin to detail for all issues for BOM meetings was admirable. Their preparation of financial information and all such batters was superb. The scrutiny of all matters of relevance stayed with me re: assessing financial management. It was this matter alone which, when I followed same in another setting, all he’ll broke loose. 11.52: My experiences are based on primary school experiences and in schools run by religious. The religious education was given priority and certainly the preparation for all sacramental moments were brilliantly done. Presently a principal I work either doesn’t give a fug about religious education but waffles lyrically about the wonders of Catholic Ethos!! I l’m sorry if your sensitivities are hurt if I made “outrageous assumptions”!!, which of course I didn’t! Again my experiences are based on primary schools but the tines I helped in secondary schools, I wasn’t impressed with my experiences. Also, in educate together schools, parishes prepare the Catholic children outside if school time which, when we’ll organised, is a great template fir parishes in the future. I accept that school curriculums have to adapt to new cultural, religious and social realities. “Ignorant bias” is a phrase thrown out all too easily and used wrongky. Those who argue from their own rooted convictions against others can be accused of “ignorant bias”. I’m very ecumenical re: all faiths and none and have worked with wonderful teachers…But there’s no doubting that Catholic religious truths and teachings are not well inculcated into students today.

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@ 11.52. You make a very valid point about the need for objectivity. That’s true in many areas, particularly education. Mind you the blog has many different perspectives on every subject raised, so all fair comment is fine.
It’s when commentators voice their own opinion as the one and only indisputable reality that hallmarks that regular trait of many reared on the RCC diet of absolutism in all matters religious and moral. From there it’s only a short step to assuming wider controls. Fortunately these are increasingly challenged as clerical control diminishes in a more multi cultural and secular world.
MMM

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Catholic schools in the UK should be handed over to the State. It’s a farce, as the overwhelming majority of pupils do not go to Mass (except when frog-marched into weekday school Masses) and neither do the teachers or the parents. I don’t dispute that most Catholic schools have a good reputation, but I do not give credit to the church for that – only the teachers, but surely the high standard of education found in most Catholic schools should be reached or expected in all schools, which is becoming more apparent.

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11.55: Catholic Schools gave a good reputation. Of course they gave bacause of excellent Catholic Ethos and Management and seeking to provide the best in all ways. Parents consistently vote with their feet for Catholic schools but we should have greater diversity. My 2 nieces taught in Catholic run schools in Cardiff and Bermingham and when they came home to Ireland, they were not too impressed with the Catholic ethos schools! They’d ho back any time to where they were but for their new family commitments…

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Check out the Presbyterian and the Priest podcast. Kieran O’Callaghan & Jonny Frazer’s outlandish behaviours, innuendo and chemistry is brilliant. They are like Andy Dick and Alan Carr. Fr Cringe meets Rev Frabjous!

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Surprised this podcast has not been outed before now. Just as well it’s a podcast. One word sums up the podcast. Cringe

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I remember the School Building Fund roadshows. I’ve been a priest in this diocese for long enough to remember Building some of the churches and schools in the first place!
I was in a deanery (as a young priest) full of hardworking, dedicated, faithful priests who loved God and loved the people. They were visionary. They were Building for the future.
It is very sad to see what has become of all that zeal and devotion of the priests and, of course, the personal sacrifice of the people who built the schools, buying a brick at a time!
Your observations, bishop Pat, obviously come from a pastors heart. Your commenting on the situation brings comfort. To the commentator who suspects hate, you are wrong. It is simply a deep, deep sadness in and across our diocese.

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I don’t fully understand the ins and outs of the finances of the Schools’ Building Fund in Portsmouth Diocese and the full implications, right or wrong, of the changes that have been made. However, what is really significant about this letter (other than some alleged malfeasance in the the SBF and how it is administered) is that a very senior priest of Portsmouth Diocese, a former Vicar General, has seen need to write this explanation letter to other priests, and as importantly has felt the need to talk to the Bishop about eroding trust of the clergy and parishes in the Bishop and his administration. That is pretty serious, really an admission of a loss of confidence in priests and parishes in the Bishop of the Diocese. I am sure a new Nuncio and the Vatican will be looking very closely at such a situation, particularly where the Bishop has lost the confidence of his clergy and parishes. I suspect + Egan’s days at bishop are limited.

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BISHOP Pat BUCKLEY
The Unvarnished Super-Ego of the Ecclesiastical Id.
“Who are you and what are you doing Pat Buckley?” I asked myself that question when I was at meetings in Italy recently and I saw your blog coverage regarding Father John Paul Lyttle.
You were the focus of a minor disciplinary process by Bishop Cahal Daly that transmogrified into existential angst over the incongruities of existence and withering complaints against the Roman Catholic Church. Are you an arch-hypocrite? Are you a self-appointed universal sin ombudsman? Are you a disgruntled former employee vexatiously criticising an organisation because one of its local branch managers cancelled you? Well, just like everyone else who is asked the opening question “who are you?”, the answer is neither pure nor simple, and may be difficult enough for you to answer, never mind everybody else.
You published anonymous accusations about me on your blog that were without merit as there was no credible fact base to them. They were also completely untrue. I pointed that out to you, and you removed the offending items from public purview. I think that you are much more circumspect nowadays about what you do and do not publish. You have never apologised to me for doing that to me but I regard the matter as satisfactorily resolved.
I have come to the conclusion that you are justified in exposing clerical hypocrisy, the incarnation of the seven deadly sins among priests and the abuse-cover-up-abuse. I believe that many Roman Catholic bishops have erected a façade of opprobrium about sickening crimes only because they know that they will be prosecuted for conspiracy to pervert the course of justice if they are proven to have concealed them.
I do not care to use categorical imperatives like “should”, “ought” and “must” but I understand that crimes necessitate disambiguation about the ‘wounded’ offender. I know that you have reported crimes in the past and not mentioned it on the blog.
I now wish to mention the crippling Roman Catholic concept of admiratio. Scandal. Not crimes: sticky clerical fingers down the knickers of a drunken, vulnerable ADULT, public masturbation, importuning tired drivers for sex at truck stops etc. The Roman Catholic Church is afraid to blush. The only crimson evident in the visage of worthy prelates is the colour of their uniforms.
I think that if Father John Paul Lyttle contacted you personally and said “Pat, I’ve fucked-up; I’ve broken all of my vows; I have been leading people astray and prostituting my cloth … please help me.” I believe that you would call him up; you’d probably pay for his plane ticket to Belfast and pick him up at the airport and inform him that he would have the august dignity of the priesthood in his back pocket – if he could only find his trousers.
People who work the social scene, regard themselves as superior human beings and condescend to us little folk with a “blind them with bullshit or baffle them with science” routine, would most likely, like Father Lyttle, attempt to intimidate you with fancy letterheads and insipid legal jargon. Oh, did he ever miscalculate!
All of this is leading up to a question for you and any of your readers who care to respond, Pat: if Father Lyttle and a clutch just like him arrived on your doorstep, weeping into their beer, assuring you of their absolute determination of making a conversion of their life and renew their ardour with which they publicly mouthed their vows … what would you do with them? I also ask any interest reader of the blog .. what would you do with them?

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5:20
Irish NGOs is big business. I once met a fellow working for an NGO
who subsequently went on to call himself a consultant in homelessness.
Did you ever…!

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Shame on Irish NGO representatives who attended state banquet for President Biden last night in Dublin Castle. I am appalled the way our homeless were treated to facilitate Biden. Homeless forced out of the Phoenix Park and the park closed for two days. Not good enough. NGOs love the pomp!

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I was invited to the State Banquet and turned down the invitation due to the homeless and other issues.

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5:51. Shame on you
It would be more use to the homeless if you showed up, ate your dinner & did a bit of networking to aid their plight.
Were ya born under a cabbage or what, ya big eejit.

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5.20: Phoenix Park closed off and homeless moved away…to ensure President Higgins wouldn’t have to tell Pres Biden we actually have homeless people living close to the Aras!! Imagine the indignity for Higgins!! And he, the socialist who limoves reminding us all about our moral and civic duties and who gets irate when he dares to lecture us about not doing sufficient. Imagine..

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9:00
How come the Irish Government can house those from majority world and those fleeing wars yet cannot afford to house native Irish out of home? Where’s the money coming from…? Keep on networking…!!

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@9:18. Ordinarily I avoid making ad hominen criticism. So I’ll just say here: “I know what I would do to you.”

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Jeez, I bet you love the sound of your own voice. What a gasbag you are.
Pat has already answered the question you finally get around to asking after your prolix and ultimately unnecessary preamble.
He’s said it before – he would try to help them in whatever way he could. It’s his duty as a Christian.

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Several priests and some lay people are now asking if the Diocese of Portsmouth bought the Lawside Academy and Convent of Mercy in Dundee, so that the Franciscan Sisters and Friars from Gosport and Bridgemary could be housed?
Did Portsmouth Diocese buy this site?
If so, we need an honest answer.
Is that the main reason why the Retirement Fund valued at least 10 million pounds in real estate is being transferred?
Bishop Egan and his Trustees, (we need a bona fide word to describe the Portsmouth Trustees) claim that one reason why the Sisters and Friars were transferred to Scotland was their lease on the properties had run out, but the leases for both places belong to the Diocese of Portsmouth?!
Why was the official name of the Friars changed twice since they came to Portsmouth?
Was it because this community was disbanded by the Vatican?
The Friars are still incardinated in Portsmouth Diocese and they have retained occupancy of St. Joseph’s Church and Presbytery, Copnor, Portsmouth.
Does that mean they receive their salary from Portsmouth Diocese?
And finally, why did Bishop Stephen Robson, the Bishop of Dunkeld, suddenly announce his early retirement on the feast of Holy Innocents, December 28th 2022?
This is just a small sample of many outstanding queries on Portsmouth diocese and that’s before one begins to scratch the surface elsewhere.

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Even in 1976, £5 a week wages was very poor Bishop Pat.
You can tell the company men by the affluent parishes populated by strategically influential residents where they are assigned.
It’s a modus operandi guaranteed to maintain their mutual interests and protection rackets.

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Notice that @10.45pm brings up the ‘performance management’ she had hoped to force on the clergy in June, before Bishop Buckley blew her cover!
The only performance management we need in Portsmouth is a way of managing her lousy performance. We’re certainly not getting value for our money!
I cannot believe what she calls the bishop!
Most had forgotten all about the ‘supervision’ but it seems one at least is still lacking her wounds!

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RESIGNATIONS OF TWO MEMBERS OF THE PORTSMOUTH PRIESTS RETIREMENT FUND MANAGEMENT BOARD.says:

“Dear Fathers,
It is with regret that AS and SB had to resign from the Priests Retirement Fund Management Board earlier today, and we wanted to explain the circumstances.
The PRF Management Board has been in a difficult disagreement with the Diocese for some months regarding its and the Diocesan financial difficulties. Both are short of capital for different reasons. The PRF also has a short-term cash flow problem for this year only, created by several trustee decisions about the CLOSER TO CHRIST fundraising receipts and loan payments. The Diocese has a significant structural deficit over a number of years.
We are unhappy that a number of decisions were taken by PRF trustees, advised by the Curia without any involvement of the PRF Management Board, and when they knew they were conflicted ( as trustees of both the PRF and the Diocesan Trust.
These decisions have been to the detriment of the PRF. We have reported the matter to the Charity Commission and have also complained to the Moderator of the Curia who brought the complaint to the full Ttustees meeting earlier today. We await their findings on our complaint.
At the same meeting, the trustees agreed to a proposal from te Curia, advised by several solicitors for the merger of the two charities, subject to the approval of the Charity Commission.
The Fund itself will be transferred into a Special Trust within the Diocesan Charity. We have been advised that the two solicitors that the Fund is then secure from civil litigation but, of course, will be controlled by a new Diocesan arrangement still to be specified, but not an independent charity.
In addition, no work has been produced to the PRF Management Board or to the Department for Clergy by the Curia on a transition plan, a business case or an operational model for the new arrangements.
The Trustees have taken the decision to merge, not knowing how it will be done and whether it will be effective, confidential, or safe.
Unfortunately, the decisions taken are, in our opinion, so detrimental to the PRF and against the foundation document setting up the PRF that we can not remain to try and assist with the new arrangements whenever they are proposed. We will, of course, cooperate with any timely handover. “

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JP Lyttle’s solicitors letter has opened old wounds and reminded people of things they’d rather forget. @10.45 has just done the same thing! Thank you for reminding us all of the plan to force psychological labeling on those rebellious priests you would have confined to a monastery! HILARIOUS!
Looking forward to reading reports of the June meeting here on this blog!!!!

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Strange how these priests don’t like what their bishops do. Lucky they didn’t vow to obey them at ordination then…

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8:51 they weren’t obeying them before Ordination but Bishops still ordained them and then spent the following years covering up for them in any way necessary and to the detriment of victims.

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9.51
A puerile and jejune reaction from someone with an obsessive fixation on ministerial priesthood.
Of course bishops’ decisions are open to scrutiny. Of course, clergy and lay Christians are entitled, bound even to review bishops’ actions as these relate to the mission of the church.
It’s surprising you haven’t introduced the crime of CSA to complete the compulsion to sound off on another obsession.

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‘Of course bishops’ decisions are open to scrutiny.’
Who by? Bishop Pat Buckley?
Nice try.

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No, 11:08 , it is you who have introduced the subject of CSA, obviously to kick off a row.
I smell cleric. 🐂 💩

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11.08
We met the other day, you and I. It’s easy to tell, especially with the overuse of the word ‘jejune’ This, and your obvious antipathy, which is nothing if not obsessive (and a constraint on your soul).
9.51 is not who you think. But, then, you don’t think all that well; paranoid, embittered, envy-ridden obsessives rarely do.
To say that you have issues is an understatement.

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It’s curious, 11.08, that you refer to child sexual abuse only by the abbreviation ‘CSA’. Would it have embarrassed you too much to have referred to it in full?
Are you a priest?

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9.01
I imagine you normally refer to the Electricity Supply Board, Radio Teilifís Éireann, British Broadcasting Corporation.
Because using an acronym would be to denigrate the institutions and the people involved.

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2:40
Pull the wool why don’t you with your attempt to mix and match i.e. create confusion.

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Spiritual abuse is, quite frankly, probably the most serious form
of pastoral abuse, resulting in, for many, alienation from sacramental access to the Lord, particularly, ‘the Bread of Life’. Very serious consequences!

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Ducking and diving
Changing their name
More of the same
Crooks and criminals international

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….what has happened to + MacMahon’s Liverpool report on + Bobby Byrne and H&N ? It was supposed to be out by now. All gone quiet. As I think we knew it would, as the Church does what it usually does and tries to make the problem go quiet and go away. I think you need to shake up the hornet’s next again, + Pat, and put them on notice that they owe us an explanation….

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I was just about to post this about H&N. The new nuncio must be delighted to have so many exciting things going on at once!

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@9.15am: your warped understanding of obedience is much the same as Egans. Priests obey bishops who are upfront with them (as his co-workers), faithful and honest and obedient to the church himself. EGAN is none of those things. Your kind of ‘obedience’ is the kind of submission that allowed the covering up of abuse for decades. Rhe immoral silence your kind of obedience led too is dangerous. It sounds as if not only the priests but also the people of PORTSMOUTH don’t like what their bishop is doing to them. Who would?

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1.05
Yes. A priest is obliged to not obey a command he knows to be immoral.

You seem to confuse military obedience with evangelical obedience.

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1:33 You mean like the way every bishop spent decades covering up and facilitating crime after John XXIII told them to?
I swear it’s like taking sweeties from children.

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2:49
You forgot to mention John XXIII document was preceded by one issued on June 9, 1922, by the Congregation for the Holy Office. It was signed by the prefect, Cardinal Merry del Val, and was approved by Pope Pius XI. Like the 1962 document, it was issued in strict secrecy and its content was never published in the official publication of the Holy See.

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5:10
‘Crimen sollicitationis’. Fr. Thomas Doyle also wrote a report commonly called ‘ The Manual’ which was handed to Pope John Paul in 1985, if my memory serves me correctly.

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3:20 Thank you didn’t know about that one!
What was the name of the document please?

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Bishops will try to do what they want with diocesan and church monies and funds. It has ever been the case. Which is why it is important that trustees are willing and able to stand up to the bishop and the diocese. The trouble is that so many of the trustees in these cases will be priests, and those priests rely on the goodwill of the bishop for their lives, such is the feudal and medieval relationship that still exists between a bishop and a priest. So, it is a very brave priest who will gainsay a bishop about something such as. money and funds. Bishops know that and use it to their advantage. I am sure that +Egan will find a way of inveigling funds from various sources for his own ends, and it will be difficult to stop him. Which is why it is important that blogs like this tell it as it is, and hopefully give him even more to go even more red-faced about !

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So, surely some of our correspondents around the various dioceses do know the whereabouts of some of the cast of characters that have appeared on these pages in the last few weeks. Where are: JPL, Rory, +Byrne ? They are not the kinds of characters to keep their heads down. Are they living in church property ? Are they being supported by the church ? Who are their protectors and supporters ? Should we not know where they are, if only for safeguarding purposes ? For, all three have considerable safeguarding concerns about them – getting someone drunk for the purposes of sexual activity; sending genital pictures to an ex-student; alleged sexual assault of a priest. Have we forgotten all that ? I don’t buy that we should just let them be and let them get on with things. I think they should be very closely surveilled until such time as the concerns about them are finally resolved. Until that time there is a responsibility for an eye to be kept on them. Is anybody doing that ? It seems to me that the only oversight that is happening happens through this blog. Mind you, they don’t help themselves by sending lawyers letters and saying public mass on the QT, and bringing themselves back in to the focus. These are questionable people with significant concerns hanging over them and their behaviour, past and present, which should not be ignored or swept under the carpet.

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How has +EGAN managed to surround himself with people who are willing to go along with his devious plans? This Mr Field (I see in the ‘line-up’ provided on this blog yesterday) is the finance man according to the Portsmouth website and the letter that was sent to schools. But the website states that a Canon PJ Smith is the ‘episcopal vicar’ (whatever that is) of schools. Who is Smith? Why has he allowed +EGAN to raid the school fund? What role does Canon Smith have? Does every diocese have this particular office? I’ve never heard of it before?

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I heard Canon PJ had landed himself a plum job as chaplain to a very expensive girls school linked to royalty. He will certainly not have the smell of the sheep around him.

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I said yesterday (at 1.40pm) that two things are helping to expose clerical practice: the ability to ‘follow the money’ and the phenomenon of ‘hiding in plain sight’.
1. Following the money
The Portsmouth annual diocesan accounts show the Schools Building Fund balance as follows:
Aug 2021: £77,146
Aug 2020: £113,130
Aug 2019: £194,220
Aug 2018: £285,043
Aug 2017: £257,809
Aug 2016: £371,497
A forensic accountant could give the wider accounts a closer inspection.
https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-search/-/charity-details/246871/accounts-and-annual-returns
2. Hiding in plain sight
In 2012, the Court of Appeal ruled by a majority of two to one that the trustees of the Portsmouth Roman Catholic Diocesan Trust could be vicariously liable for the actions of an abusive priest. The case involved the rape of a 6-year-old girl and the perpetrator had since died.
A knowledgeable barrister could update on the wider consequences and implications. Certainly, this principle has been applied in Australia in recent times.
https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2012/17-august/news/uk/trust-could-be-vicariously-liable-for-priest-s-abuse
Follow the money. Look more closely at what’s right in front of us.

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Excellent comment.
There’s a third element, which doesn’t have a name in RC circles as far as I know but equates to what is called Disney Princess theology in Evangelical circles.
It’s the assumption that you’re always the good guys in the story. Eg a priest of Portsmouth diocese seeing the bishop as the problem and himself as the conscientious whistle blower, rather than seeing himself as entwined in the problem and actually supporting and perpetuating it.
This comes across most clearly in their faulty narrative about abuse where only a small number of rotten apples are the problem and everyone else is either innocent or actually a victim bc the church is now permanently equated with abuse.
The solution to this is a more honest analysis of the relationships, power and dependence in the situation, but they won’t do that because it would upset them.

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Here’s the thing – clergy lie prostate on an altar and make a solemn vow of obedience to their bishop. Indeed, to him personally but also the office and that’s how it works.
Now, what kind of obedience is it?
Serfile? Obsequious? Healthy?
I’ve never met a priest, ever, who doesn’t bitch about their bishop. They all do – even those who are bishops bitched about their bishops at one stage.
Clerical gossip and backstabbing is as old as the venerable institution.
To rise above this deplorable reality the clergy need to put on their Big Boy Pants and be all grown up and as a body if they have a problem with their bishop – stand up to him, challenge him, be bold and assertive especially if you have information that he’s behaving badly.
Will this ever happen?
Maybe?
Unlikely?
Definitely not, not a chance.

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The note with the Dublin postmark is from someone who is no stranger to the blog. His Achilles’ heel is his poor punctuation. Taken in conjunction with the content, his identity is beyond dispute. The interesting question is why he chose not to include his name.

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CSP can deny ever meeting power bottom but I know for sure they met at a private dinner function in Belfast Cc

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I’m actually a Deacon in Portsmouth so didn’t receive this letter (as it was sent only to Parish Priests) and had no knowledge of the school building fund situation. I’m unbelievably disheartened by it all.

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Come off it. Unless you’re unbelievably ancient the thorough corruption and criminality of your cult was already in the public domain before you became a deacon: you just ignored it or rationalized it to yourself. The disheartenment is merely the reality piercing a chink in your studious avoidance of reality.

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Egan blames Roche privately for interfering in his attempts to raid the sick and retired clergy fund. You said as much on your blog at that time. Roche did interject personally when a few other dioceses tried at that time to cut funding to sick and retired clergy. The monkeys backtracked when the organ grinder turned the handle.

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4:07 That’s why we need Buckley’s Blog to keep us abreast of decisions our Bishops are making with consultation with us.

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A fascinating situation: The episcopal vicar in charge of schools (and therefore obviously AT LEAST has knowledge of the bishop diverting funds raised for schools away from schools) is the same Canon who was until recently the administrator of PORTSMOUTH CATHEDRAL, living with the bishop, who is now no longer in parish ministry. Why? ODD.

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Our PJ Smith always liked the high life by celebrating Mass privately for the Barclay brothers on their island. Helicopter there and back and in his element.

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THE 1962 VATICAN INSTRUCTION
“CRIMEN SOLLICITATIONIS,” PROMULGATED ON MARCH 16, 1962
Thomas Doyle, O.P., J.C.D.
April 1, 2008
“1. The document known as “Crimen sollicitationis” was issued by the Congregation of the Holy Office on March 16, 1962. It was presented by the Prefect, Alfredo Cardinal Ottaviani, to Pope John XXIII for his approval. This is the normal manner of receiving Papal approval for documents of this nature. It was then sent to all the bishops in the world. The bishops were admonished to maintain strict confidentiality about the document and ordered not to allow it to be reproduced or commented upon.
2. Crimen Sollicitationis remained in effect until 2001 when the Vatican…”
See: http://www.awrsipe.com/

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@1.16 Just search Martyn McLaughlin /Leo Cushley…several recent newspaper articles about alleged financial mismanagement

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The Bishops of England have began their strategic plan to offload their Catholic secondary schools. They have replaced their Diocesan section 48 inspections with a national approach based on Ofsted in order to provide detailed evidence to prove that the majority should be secularised apart from Primary schools and one or two ‘Beacon’s of excellence’. At the same time a National textbook has been introduced for 11 year olds which looks like a GCSE textbook and has identical content.All of this is the means to achieving large monetary settlements for the land the schools stand on for each Diocese, I bet they can’t wait

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What is it with PJ’S and JP’S in this diocese? Bit childish! That would raise alarm bells with me for sure.

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Marlene – (Calls) Mum! I want a word with you!
Dora – Yeah, alright, Marlene, talk to you in a minute.
Albert – Can I get you a drink, Dora? You don’t mind me calling you Dora, do you, Dora?
Dora – Of course I don’t mind – Albert. Knock-Knock – I just got Dora a drink.
Albert – Why’d you let Knock-Knock buy you a drink? It was my turn.
Dora – You can buy me a drink in a minute.

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