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HEXHAM AND NEWCASTLE – MORE QUESTIONS.

BYRNE

From H&N correspondent

I hope you are well and that you have had a pleasant Easter. I have been following your blog posts about Hexham and Newcastle with great interest. Very well done to you on bringing everyone this information. 

Pat, when you bloged about the scandal in the Royal English College in Valladolid back in January, one person in the comments section said that former Vice Rector Damian Cassidy is a good friend of former Bishop Robert Byrne and that Cassidy is now in Hexham and Newcastle.

CASSIDY

Of course I acknowledge that the part about Cassidy and Byrne being friends could just be rumour, however a quick Google search reveals that Cassidy is indeed in Hexham and Newcastle working between the three parishes of St. Patrick, St. Joseph, and Sacred Heart. 

Pat, this to me begs a number of questions.

1) Are Cassidy and Byrne really good friends? If so then how? 

2) Why did Robert Byrne allow Cassidy, a Carmelite, to work in his diocese? 

3) Why did the Carmelites allow Cassidy to work in a diocese? 

4) Was there safeguarding measurements put in place considering the Paul Farrer fiasco in Valladolid? 

I hope that this information can be of some use to you as you continue to investigate. 

Yours sincerely

FROM A JANUARY BLOG

UNHAPPY TIMES AT VALLADOLID SEMINARY 😞

176 replies on “HEXHAM AND NEWCASTLE – MORE QUESTIONS.”

In the same way that various methods of control executed by church members is a very powerful tactic utilised in the criminal act of coercive control, moving dangerous passive aggressive abusers from one location to another also creates further opportunities for endangerment by these vile individuals and their supporters.

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Archbishop resigns after turbulent six-year tenure
Prominent French archbishop
Monday, April 24th, 2023
A prominent French archbishop has resigned but strongly defends his turbulent six-year tenure.
Luc Ravel, the Archbishop of Strasbourg, announced his resignation on April 20. However, he gave no reason for his resignation.
“Peace being the supreme good (…), I have presented my resignation to the Holy Father, for whom I pray every day”, he said.
Ravel, 65, resigned from his position, despite being a decade away from the customary retirement age for diocesan bishops.
Archbishop Ravel is known for being heavy-handed and authoritarian and for his commitment to fighting against sex abuse in the Catholic Church.
His approach to leadership had increasingly isolated him from his priests and the Catholic community of Alsace.
The Catholic community of Alsace had long been calling for his resignation and an online petition for this attracted more than a thousand signatures.
As a new archbishop, Ravel did not take the time to meet his priests, angering a large segment of the clergy.
According to reports, he spent too much time in his native Paris and relied more on his secretary than his closest associates.
During Holy Week, Archbishop Ravel did not celebrate the Chrism Mass with the archdiocese priests. He thereby avoided confrontation with demonstrators who were demanding his removal. But his absence aggravated the complaints of priests who said he spent little time with his clergy.
Vatican investigated Archbishop Ravel
The Vatican investigated Archbishop Ravel’s governance in June 2022.
Their focus was a number of complaints about his authoritarian approach.
Bishop Stanislas Lalanne of Pontoise and Archbishop Joël Mercier, former secretary of the Dicastery for the Clergy, conducted the investigation.
The report has never been released.
The former prefect for the Dicastery for Bishops, Cardinal Marc Ouellet, summoned Ravel to Rome for a meeting, during which he was asked to resign and send a letter to the French president, as required by the concordat.
However, the resignation letter never materialised, leading to Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Pope’s Secretary of State, summoning Ravel to Rome again.
This time, the Archbishop cited health reasons for not attending.
The Holy See is expected to transfer Archbishop Ravel to a titular diocese, as was done with Bishop Jacques Gaillot in 1995. Titular sees are usually reserved for bishops who are not diocesan ordinaries, and the move does not require the approval of the French president.
Sources
La Croix International
The Pillar
Catholic Culture

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More than 100 priests suspected of sexual abuse remain in ministry in Portugal (Reuters)says:

LISBON, Feb 14 (Reuters) – More than 100 priests suspected of child sexual abuse remain active in church roles in Portugal, according to the head of a commission investigating the issue.
The commission, which started its work in January 2022, said in its final report published on Monday that at least 4,815 children were sexually abused by members of the Roman Catholic Church in Portugal – mostly priests – over 70 years.
It added that the findings were the “tip of the iceberg”, describing the 4,815 cases as the “absolute minimum” number of victims.
“There is an approximate (number of accused priests) and it will clearly be more than 100,” child psychiatrist Pedro Strecht, who headed the commission, told SIC television.
The commission said it was preparing a list of accused priests still working to send to the Church and to the public prosecutors’ office.
Strecht said those on the list should be removed from their roles or at least should be banned from interacting with children and teenagers during the investigation.
Jose Ornelas, head of the Bishops’ Conference, said the institution was yet to receive the list.
“What Pope (Francis) says (is)… abusers of minors cannot hold positions within the ministry as long as it is proven that the person is an abuser,” Ornelas said, adding the Church would not conduct a “witch hunt” against its members.
Strecht said the Church had the “moral and ethical duty to collaborate with judicial authorities” on the matter.
Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa said the revelations “shocked society as a whole”, adding that government officials, including the justice minister, would meet with commission members.
President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, who came under fire in October for saying 400 cases of alleged sexual abuse by clergy members did not seem to be “particularly high”, said the Church must be held accountable.
Portuguese bishops will meet on March 3 to consider implementing “more efficient and appropriate mechanisms” to prevent future abuses, Ornelas said.
In a statement, U.S.-based support group Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) called on Portuguese church officials to “prominently publish the name, photo, place of residence, and work history of abusive clergy”.
“Immediate action is needed, and it includes the dismissal of any bishop, chancellor, vicar general, or other church hierarchs who is complicit in what has happened,” SNAP said. “Without change at the top, nothing will change.”

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Church opens canonical investigation into Bishop Christopher Saunders
The Holy See has initiated a canonical investigation into sexual misconduct allegations against former Broome Bishop Christopher Saunders.
In a rare statement released on Saturday night, the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference said a Vos Estis Lux Mundi investigation was underway.
“The Holy See has initiated a canonical investigation into former Broome Bishop Christopher Saunders, with Archbishop Mark Coleridge of Brisbane appointed to oversee the investigation,” the statement said.
It is believed to be the first time a Vos Estis Lux Mundi inquiry has been conducted in Australia.
The accountability protocol was introduced by Pope Francis in 2019 and guides the response to allegations made against senior clerics such as bishops.
Bishop Saunders stood aside as Bishop of Broome in March 2020 after media reports that Western Australia Police had begun investigating allegations of sexual misconduct.
At the conclusion of its investigation, Western Australia Police confirmed that no charges would be brought against Bishop Saunders.
Saunders has always strongly denied the allegations. However, he tendered his resignation to Pope Francis, which was accepted in August 2021.
This weekend, a letter being read at Masses in the Diocese of Broome says the Church investigation “could not happen” until the police inquiries ended. The letter is signed by Apostolic Administrator Bishop Michael Morrisey and Archbishop Coleridge,
“The investigation is now underway,” the letter states. But it indicates it is not known how long the investigation will take.
However, the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith “has granted an extension beyond the normal three months for such an investigation”, the letter explains.
Archbishop Coleridge has appointed a group of qualified persons to conduct the investigation.
“Their job will be to gather, as best they can, all relevant information to pursue truth and justice for everyone involved,” Coleridge stated.
The archbishop also issued a decree stipulating that Bishop Saunders is to reside outside the Diocese of Broome “for the duration of the investigation”.
Sources:
ABC
The Catholic Leader
CathNews New Zealand

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Fr Roberto Troy, The Church of The Trojan Horse, c/o Leinster House, Dublin, Irelandsays:

Fr Damian Cassidy has only had 461 views & 2 likes in SEVEN YEARS! Looks like not too many are falling for his two faced s****. Which makes one look much much closest at those mainly extremely cautious and conservative lay types who seem to throw caution to the wind by acting out of character and associating themselves with this church now firmly internationally recognised as in proactive breach of human rights at several levels known and unknown. The Roman Catholic Church is a business and those that associate with it particularly at organisational level would seem to have related business interests be these business interests declared or undeclared.

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@ 8:44
Indeed, why would any self respecting citizen of integrity associate with a criminal organisation when there is absolutely no excuse whatsoever for claiming not to know about all the abuse, corruption and criminality that the Roman Catholic Church and its entities continue to engage in and cover up for thanks to modern day technology and communication.
Ironically, clergy have embraced this modern technology to widen their networks of access to international vice workers and other activities directly in contravention of the religious service they publicly and falsely purport to engage in.

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Not so much paedophilia in the Quaker towns. Catholics are rampant, out of control thanks to all the ongoing cover ups.

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Fr Cassidy has just taken a group from my local Catholic secondary school to Lourdes, and they have come back praising him to the skies. County Durham is a tough gig. We are not easily fooled around here, even at a very early age. Father is in the same Partnership as my own, admittedly much more middle-class parish, and two of his three churches are in very challenging ex-mining communities indeed. Most of the Partnership, which is the school’s catchment area almost exactly, is old coal and steel, not for the effete. If Father can bring out love for God and Our Lady in the born jaded teenagers from places like that, then he is doing something right. And he has. So he is.

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Pope Francis extends ‘Vos estis’ decree to counter lay and clerical abuse
Monday, March 27th, 2023
Pope Francis permanently decreed an updated version of Vos estis lux mundi, his landmark legislation to counter sexual abuse in the Catholic Church.
The decree promulgated March 25 extends the Church’s norms for handling of abuse to cover lay leaders of international associations of the faithful recognized by the Vatican.
Vos estis lux mundi (“You are the light of the world”) reaffirms an obligation to report cases of “vulnerable adult” victims of abuse, including violence against religious women by clerics and cases of harassment of adult seminarians or novices by a superior.
It also includes protections for people who witness acts of abuse, in addition to those who submit reports of alleged abuse, stipulating that no “obligation of silence” may be imposed on those who report, witness, or are victims of abuse.

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Reply to;
Decree extended to counter lay and clerical abusesays:
Apr 25, 2023 at 2:01 amTake a look at this piece in the Irish time from one day ago, it appears the Vatican commission for the protection of Roman Catholic minors from sexual abuser Roman Catholic priests, is not working at all, therefore irrespective of what a drip O’Malley claims, it’s a washout, which has been supported by Zollner’s admission, which means Francis Vos estis lux Mundi is not worth the paper it’s written on.
THE VATICAN PONTIFICAL COMMISSION FOR THE PROTECTION OF MINORS HAS BECOME A JOKE.
THEY ARE ABOUT PROTECTING ITSELF
All the Pope bishops and, all his church men, Can’t give his church, a good name once again.
Vatican commission for the protection of Roman Catholic minors from sexual abuser Roman Catholic priests, is all about spin
‘Rome’s serial “mishaps” in this area are neither stupid nor insane. They are about protecting itself’
Patsy McGarry Irish Times Mon Apr 24 2023 – 00:30
At times it is difficult to believe anything other than that Rome is being WILFULLY stupid when it comes to its dealings with Roman Catholic clerical child-sex abusers.
This repeated failure, inevitably, prompts recall of Einstein’s much-quoted definition of stupidity, even insanity —
doing the same thing over and over while expecting different results.
That’s how it may look, but Rome’s serial “mishaps” in this area are NEITHER stupid NOR insane.
They are ABOUT PROTECTING ITSELF ABOVE ALL ELSE
all the while obscuring that reality through spin.
1)Vatican commission for the protection of minors is all about spin
Patsy McGarry Mon Apr 24 2023 – 00:30.
2) REVEALED: Women Sex Slaves of the Catholic Church (FULL HD+CC)1.2M views 6 months ago. YouTube.

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9:27 don’t judge others by the standards employed by you & your colleagues, Fr/Sr.

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Reply to;Blessed be the name of the Lordsays:
Apr 25, 2023 at 3:00 am
That’s a cop out, every time something sinister, criminal, or inexplicable, or hidden, happens in the Roman Catholic church, the Holy Spirit is assigned to sort it out, I want to know where is this entity when needed? No where to be found, not even a flap of wing wing in the distance.
I think the Roman Catholic church is going to have to come up with a better explanation, than this, to convince others, and take responsibility for it’s wrong doings, and not have us believe this airy-fairy entity, will solve all it’s problems, if it is relying on it, I suggest it’s doing a damn bad job of it, and needs reviewing and, indeed sacking.
Talk about passing the buck! Here we have a brilliant example.
No one is convinced by its invocation, or intervention, even those who purport to believe in it.

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Cyber and physical intrusion by Roman Catholic Church related organisations and individuals.says:

The only time concern from church related entities about privacy rights is exercised is when they become aware of current challenges from third parties about their own multiple and illegal breaches of the various rights of victims, survivors, supporters and whistleblowers and their advocates.

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Pat was Cassidy in Valladolid during Michael Jack Byrne’s formation. Byrne is happy now as a Hospital Chaplain.

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I hope Bishop Byrne is NOT a hospital chaplain!! He is suspended from all. ministry and/or dealing with vulnerable people…

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Hospital and schools are often utilised for placement of priests who have blotted their copy book. It’s easier to cover up allegations in settings where elderly patients are suffering from dementia etc. The ongoing support and accommodation of deviant clergy and their laity is a matter of outstanding and legitimate public concern.

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These crooks seriously need to leave vulnerable people alone. Going on for decades now in all types of settings. One seriously has to question the international policing and justice systems when the Vatican is openly permitted to accommodate and transfer known abusers all over the world at Will and allowed to deposit financial incentives and what can only be described as protection money from its powerful associates.

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6:29 if you believe that, you are very gullible. Once a priest, always a priest, the Bishops hate to say Goodbye & the biggest favour Bishop Buckley can do a freeloader deviant cleric is to mention him on this blog & sure as eggs are eggs, Bishops stick to their little Priesty pets like Gorilla Glue. For reference, check out Fr Rory Coyle who also identifies as Dr Rory Coyle with his posh education the mass goers paid for along with his high lifestyle with the London Irish GAA & Irish Catholic scene. Fr/Dr Rory Coyle is known to use his name in the Irish language in some situations to avoid detection.

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5:26
Trouble sleeping MM? It would be a good idea to sign out of all the social media apps that show you were active at this time of the morning. 😉

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The HCPT connection is highlighted again. What on earth goes on on these ‘pilgrimages’ within the clerical groups?? Is it a network for those seeking promotion? It seems that a particular kind of priest is attracted to all this???

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Fr PJ SMITH (no longer in parish ministry/ former administrator of Portsmouth Cathedral) is hugely involved in HCPT and he organises the Portsmouth Lourdes pilgrimage evert year. Interesting.

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All Faith-based organizations need to be transparent, vocal and accountable in rooting out abuse.

Many members allowed access to private and confidential data are deliberately not publicly identified nor listed as being on church support staff (paid or voluntary).

This is another way that clergy deliberately enable abuse by utilising staff and volunteers to do their dirty work for them.

It’s time to call upon all faith communities to PUBLICLY post their standards of ethics and abuse prevention policies and conduct mandatory abuse prevention training every three years.

Details should be published in weekly newsletters and certificates of compliance for those named church members should be displayed in all public foyers of churches and other public church buildings.

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The SCANDAL of SILVERSTREAM
https://www.pillarcatholic.com/p/monk-alleges-abuse-and-retaliation
Things came to a head on April 25, 2020. Kirby was sick in bed, and Andersen went to speak with him in his cell. He was there to tell him that things needed to change.
According to Andersen, Kirby’s reaction was unsettling…
“That night I was so afraid. I thought this guy is absolutely out of his mind. I mean everyone else is in bed at this point, and this guy is in his pajamas, going all over the monastery looking for me.”
Neither the Bishop of Meath nor the apostolic nuncio to Ireland answered The Pillar’s questions about the accusation against Andersen.
The SCANDAL of Silverstream is absolutely scandalous. Dom Benedict Andersen, the true Prior of Silverstream, has been in the wilderness for 3 long years. All because of the treachery of Fr Tom Deenihan, the episcopal gangster. All with the full support of Fr Paul Connell, the clerical gangster, who is being rewarded a mitre for his complicit role in the persecution of Dom Benedict Andersen.
Fr Paul Connell’s erroneous episcopal appointment cannot be allowed to proceed. His Episcopal Ordination must be halted. Fr Paul Connell clearly cannot be trusted. His Excellency, Archbishop Montemayor, Apostolic Nuncio of the Holy See to the Ireland must act without delay. If not, why not?

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Seamus you already published this. We know about Whoopsie Kirby. Have you offered Dom Benedict any practical assistance? Also the new bishop has nothing to do with this scandal.

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Toddy, how life in sunny Castleconnell or wherever u are! Has the price of chips increased down there with the cost of living crisis.

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10:32 You are wrong about the new Bishop having nothing to do with this scandal. It is the job of any Bishop to deal with all outstanding matters in his Diocese once these are brought to his attention in writing.

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All well here Mohill reader. Thankfully am far from Castleconnell and enjoying plus 30 temperatures.

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11:50 Why such intense interest in Chilly Willy Ireland? Are you on a desert island?

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@11.57 its always interesting to follow the Old Sod. I do live in sunny climes these days.

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12:15 have you come across any missing in action clergy or other of their connected paddies or patricias on witness protection programmes or the like in those sunny climes. Just askin’ like.

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How did you figure out the new bishop has nothing to do with this scandal? What canon law covers it?

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Good morning Seamus. Bishop Deenihan clearly has zero shame about what is being done to Dom. Benedict Andersen. Archbishop Martin should grow a pair and tackle this matter without delay. I hope that you are contacting many others international outlets to highlight the plight of Dom. Benedict Andersen. The details of quite a few media outlets that we weren’t aware of have been published on this blog in recent days making us realise that there will be many other comparable situations internationally where they will be very interested to join forces with you in your battle to help Dom. Benedict Andersen who continues to be victimised for being a whistleblower about the various alleged crimes being committed behind the walls of Silverstream Priory in Ireland.

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10:32, Fr Paul Connell is front and centre of the Silverstream scandal.
“In more recent times, he undertook, within the Diocese, the role of Diocesan Chancellor. I very much appreciated his support, advice and work in that role and my congratulations are tinged with personal regret at his loss to the Diocese of Meath. I will very much miss his judgement, loyalty and commitment.” – Fr Tom Deenihan thanking his fellow gangster.
https://bishoppatbuckley.blog/2022/12/22/did-deenihan-lie-to-a-french-abbot/
“On May 14, Bishop Deenihan of Meath in Ireland, visited us accompanied by his to vicars general and his chancellor. He explained the situation of the Benedictine Priory of Silverstream founded in his diocese in 2012 and canonically erected in 2017. The founder, Dom Mark Kirby, has retired for health reasons. As a result, this community is in need of guidance to meet the expectations of the many young men who have joined. Bishop Deenihan asked our Abbot to “lend” him our Father Basil, well known to the brothers in Silverstream. Father Basil has been appointed Prior Administrator for one year. At the request of the Bishop, the monks of Silverstream will take turns to stay in Flavigny for a extended period of time in order to get to know our customs and to benefit from our monastic experience. For our part, we are happy to enjoy the paternal presence — and the generous work—of these young monks”.

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1:20 Abbot Kirby has addiction issues, he’s addicted to sex and drugs and he can’t get enough of either. His only redeeming feature is that there is as yet no evidence that he is in fact addicted to rock and roll.

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This carry on better end soon otherwise there will be hell to pay.
Without exaggeration.

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My patience is wearing very thin. Take the fingers out n wag em.
Yer looking at an alternative don’t Ya Know.

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7.31: Seamus, do you notvslerp with worry about Dom Benedict? GANGSTERISM is your second bame with all your accusations about “gangster” Connell..A most reprehensible and outrageous slur. A LIE.

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Seamus, yesterday post @ Love conquers everythingsays:
Apr 24, 2023 at 10:35 am :
Bishop Phonsie & Abbot Purcell couldn’t care less what ye say about them on this blog or anywhere else. Pope Francis loves them and they love him.

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Not a glowing recommendation, 1:20. Pope Francis also loves and tenderly shields clerical abusers such as Grassi, Zanchetta, Karadima/Barros and Rupnik.

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+ Bobby seems to be here, there, and everywhere ! There have been reports that he is variously in Oxford, York, Manchester…. So, where is he ? Most surely he should at present be out of sight and not functioning publicly in any way, given the various investigations that are going on and the allegations against him. I think suggestions that he might be acting as a hospital chaplain are incorrect. That should definitely not be happening in his particular case. I think he may be being confused with Jack Byrne ‘Gorgeous’ from Dublin, who has settled quietly in to hospital chaplaincy, and by all reports is doing good work and has found his niche. An example of there being life after seminary / deaconship / priesthood. Maybe + Bobby might reflect that there could be life after H&N, not necessarily in the rarified world of the Cong Orats but perhaps out in the real world – working at Amazon, stacking shelves in Asda, driving a Tesco delivery van etc. Those kinds of life are grounding, and maybe that is what + Bobby needs after decades waltzing around the altar, being all seriously precious, and going to the opera. I doubt that will happen, however, and I suspect that after the dust has settled somewhat, + Bobby will be found a pleasant perch in one of the Oratories and live out his days aping the gentrified existence of a Victorian clergyman. Nice life, if you can get it…. !

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With reference to the dreadful situation in the Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle there have been many comments and revelation about “gatherings ” in the Cathedral but none have mentioned Bishop Robert and his knowledge of “regular gatherings” at St Andrews / Newcastle University Chaplaincy. Three canons and a chaplain plus chosen friends, clergy and others, with an abundance of fine wine and food! St Andrews parish has been totally destroyed by the current pp. who always appears to be ” a charming caring man”. He can be until things don’t go his way then he turns on parishioners, refuses to speak to then even deliberately turns away from people in Church, blanks and gaslights people rather than face up to any discussion of his devious behaviour or self centred autonomous decisions. He has destroyed what was a busy city centre parish , a church which welcomed people daily from all over the Diocese.
The safeguarding dept and Bishop Robert were informed of concerns about him and the lay chaplain as to their relationship and the questionable running of the Chaplaincy.about the same time as the case against Fr Mc Coy hit the media. Was this concern deliberately buried then or did it simply get ” lost ” amid that trauma? Or is it another case of Bishop Robert turning a blind eye especially when his friends are concerned?

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Pat, what is happening in St Joseph’s Dundalk? I just read in The Argus that Fr Derek Ryan is taking a new appointment in the Meath dioceses and Fr Noel is taking “time off” before his next role with the Redemptorists. What does time off mean? Sabbatical? Sorting out his rosacea?? Any inside knowledge appreciated.

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8:18 who are you? It’s not nice to mention Fr Noel’s rosacea. I never knew my neighbour has a medical condition until a church member somehow found out about it and circulated this in a mocking way. Disgusting people.

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It’s all the fine dining, rich foods, alcohol, spicy takeouts, and processed food.

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Looks like Fr Cassidy could do with losing a bit of lard, having a good shave, and stop being so on trend with his estuarine accent and ‘cool’ shirt. Surely there should be standards !

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@ 8:50a
.
You’re right about Cassidy, but your question about “standards” Surely you know there has been no standards with that lot for many years.

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Another made a Canon by BBB -‘Withdrew from public ministry’ twice in a few years pending investigations into allegations. Now ‘retired’……

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Many, many questions in Killaloe but no answers. When is Fintan Monahan going to account for everything?

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No offence but that won’t happen so you may as well take yourself to a high cliff & start p****** into the Atlantic wind, buddy. Irish Bishops and their gangs are a law unto themselves. Everyone knows that by now.

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You’re not wrong. We need accountability from Killaloe. At least two rogues on the loose there still on church pay

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10:43 how do you know that the 2 Killaloe clergy from more recent scandals there remain on payroll or are you speculating?

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Independent Risk Assessments in public interest in relation to offender clergy in various Diocese in Ireland & elsewhere.says:

12:13 they are “working” in the Killaloe Diocese then? The public are entitled to know what they are doing so that a n Independent risk assessment can be carried out.

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Never. No compensation for victims and two MIAs on the loose. Disgraceful

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3:26pm Ireland is a small country, how can Killaloe or any Irish diocese have MIAs. Presumably they’ve been transferred to administrative database roles or administering to geriatrics with dementia or special needs somewhere in the vicinity. It’s all been done before in the Roman Catholic Church in various Irish and international locations.

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Philadelphia Archdiocese accused of transferring known abuser to Catholic college
‘I don’t think that you can even begin to have any semblance of justice unless there is responsibility taken,’ the plaintiff said.
The Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul, the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia, is located in downtown Philadelphia.
The Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul, the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia, located in downtown Philadelphia.
Catholic priest and would-be artist Kevin Barry McGoldrick was transferred from the Archdiocese of Philadelphia to the Diocese of Nashville, where he became chaplain of Aquinas College in 2013.
In the lawsuit filed on April 18 2023 in Philadelphia, it alleges that archdiocesan officials transferred the priest — and issued a letter of support on his behalf — KNOWING that he had a history of sexual abuse.
The lawsuit accuses the archdiocese of ENABLING the priest’s abuse in 2017 of the lawsuit’s 27-year-old plaintiff, identified only as “Jane Doe.”
SOURCE: DAILY RELIGION NEWS, straight to your inbox. Subscribe today.
“To know he should never have been at Aquinas College, and he was put there and I was put in harm’s way knowingly, was perhaps the most traumatic,” Jane Doe told Religion News Service.
The five-count lawsuit, entered in the Court of Common Pleas in Philadelphia County, names both McGoldrick and the archdiocese and asks for hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages.
Jane Doe’s lawyers write in the complaint that the archdiocese’s “CALLOUS INDIFFERENCE” to the safety and wellbeing of young women in their care “was a function of their paramount desire to protect the Church, even at the expense of innocent young persons.”
A spokesperson for the Archdiocese said they “would not comment on pending litigation.”
Stewart Ryan, an attorney representing Jane Doe, said this case fits into a broader pattern of abuse coverups in the archdiocese. Too often, he said, priests suspected of abuse have been simply transferred from assignment to assignment. The lawsuit claims McGoldrick was re-assigned at least seven times.
The lawsuit also alleges that McGoldrick committed civil assault and battery. He could not be reached for comment in time for publication.
In the summer of 2017, Jane Doe, then 22, had just completed her junior year at Aquinas College, a 61-year-old school operated by the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia. McGoldrick, who was both a chaplain and her spiritual adviser, began regularly inviting her and other female students to his rectory for drinks and dinner, the lawsuit alleges.
On one of these occasions, according to the lawsuit, he provided the plaintiff with so much alcohol she vomited, and he began touching her inappropriately. The plaintiff believes the sexual assault “continued and escalated” even after she had lost consciousness.
RELATED: Report details ‘staggering’ church sex abuse in Maryland
Jane Doe claims the alleged assault took a severe toll, including Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, emotional distress and other symptoms and forms of trauma. Jane Doe reported the assault to the Nashville diocese in 2019, but no action was taken until she filed a police report in 2020. She settled a lawsuit against the Nashville diocese in 2020 for $65,000.
That same year, the Philadelphia Archdiocese substantiated Jane Doe’s claims, but, she said, wasn’t seeking out other potential victims. According to the lawsuit, she persistently inquired about the possibility that others had been abused by McGoldrick, but the archdiocese denied knowledge of other victims.
Then, in fall 2022, she told RNS, she was horrified to learn through an online article that the archdiocese had known of at least two other sexual abuse allegations against the priest years before he assaulted her. Per the lawsuit, in “approximately 2013” — the same year McGoldrick was sent to Nashville — the archdiocese had investigated him for sexual abuse.
The news, she said, was crushing.
“In 2020, I had a lot of hope for pursuing justice within the church,” the plaintiff told RNS. “I was a full time Catholic missionary at the time. It was my whole life. To witness, day after day after day, the church at every juncture making the wrong decision, and not just sins of omission, but actually intentionally making the wrong decisions, that ate away at me.”
Today, she no longer identifies as Catholic. She told RNS that in filing this lawsuit, she hopes to discover facts that have been withheld from her, to hold the archdiocese responsible for the harm they caused and to create space for victims of McGoldrick and other priests to be heard.
“I don’t think that you can even begin to have any semblance of justice unless this takes precedence.
Nashville’s Aquinas College and Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia also have liability, in this situation.

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+Pat, why on earth do you bother with the Roman Catholic Church anymore?

Day in and day out, week after week, month after month and year after year, you highlight ongoing corruption and abuses of every kind on this blog. The rot has not set in, the Church of Constantine, that has for centuries aped the true Church of Christ, is the rot and in every generation, it has been obvious to many that Matt 7:15-16 was Christ giving a warning against it: ‘Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits.’ The fruits of Rome always have been and always will be rotten.

Every single time you present another rotten fruit on this blog, the Cathbots wearing their rose-tinted glasses of bygone years of smells and bells, when the clerical mafia gave out orders and the uneducated masses obeyed, come out in force, belittling, patronising, gaslighting, victim blaming, throwing around ad hominems and attempting to bully others and protect their false church. They may be deluded into believing they’re doing the right thing but the rest of society can see their cult for what it is. Catholicism isn’t on the decline in the West because of some fault of the laity, the stench from Roman fruit has woken people up and realising that they’ve been fooled, they’ve begun looking elsewhere for God. If any other religion claimed itself to be the one true religion outside of which there can be no salvation, we’d all rightly start screaming cult and warning people to stay away from it. Constantine’s cult has to cover up its abuses because it is itself an abuse of Christ’s church.

There are many independent priests and bishops like yourself and I, with valid episcopal ordination and apostolic succession, who continue the marvelous work of Christ free from the man-made shackles of popery. Outside of this blog, you have done, do and will continue to do marvelous work with the outcasts and most vulnerable of society, evidently taking Matt 25:35-40 very seriously. Why not focus on that instead of bothering with a man made institution that hasn’t an ounce of legitimacy nor connection to the true Christ?

In the spirit of true Christian fraternity, move on with the good you do as a true Christian and let the church of Rome fall into history along with its imperial founder. The vast majority can see them for what they are and reject their rotten fruit and I have no doubt the Holy Spirit will continue to lead the misled but well intentioned who remain with Rome.

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God has different things for us all to do.

I believe God wants me to blog to expose all the corruption in the RCC and to help the victims of that corruption.

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Another two that you blog about awarded by the Holy Father Francis.
Appointment of consultors of the Dicastery for Evangelization, Section for Fundamental Questions regarding Evangelization in the World
Father Richard Gibbons (future Bishop)
His Grace Archbishop Leo Cushley
For we are building a people of power so Build you Church Lord and let us Go Forth in Praise.
Alleluia
ps too much time in your hands

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@ 12:52p

You know who! on again gibbering about the unholy fanny promoting another two gobshites. Tricky Dicky of Knock and Leonie of aul reekie the pair of them couldn’t evangelize anything. Then she goes on with her usual sanctimonious claptrap, utterly sick making.
ps Far too much time on her hands but that’s parasites for you.

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Valladolid seems to have a pretty constant throughput of rectors, vice rectors, staff etc. They don’t seem to stay long. What is wrong with the place ? I would have thought that a sunshine tour would be something most clergy would long for. But, so many of them seem to go there and then pull out. What’s all that about ?

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The poor bishops of England & Wales can do nothing with Valladolid because of a legal Trust fund so they have to use it. It’s the same with Westminster owning the most expensive property in chelsea for it’s seminary. The former nuns of the property also left it in Trust solely for the training of priests and gay harlots. Sorry a slip of the tongue

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12:25 the law of England & Wales must be more binding than that in Ireland. Trust conditions are broken in Ireland church at will it appears.

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Who is presently posted to the St Helena as PP in the South Atlantic under England & Wales ? Now that is a post to get rid of a problematic cleric.

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Pat I was wondering if you could do a post about some of the good priests that you have worked with. Maybe some former parish priests, a kind seminary professor or such.
A nice positive story for a change. I do appreciate when you do these as it shows your more humane and good nature.

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Stop trying to deflect, priest.
To suggest that Pat’s work (blogging about Catholic Church corruption) doesn’t show his humanity and compassion is a load of nonsense. If he had no such qualities, he’d be engaging in a cover-up of this corruption, like the vast majority of Catholic bishops especially.
Now run along into some corner and ponder what I’ve said.

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I am enjoying the international flavour of this blog with posts from around the world throughout the night. Keep up the good work +Pat.

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Casssidy looks like Chris Thomas of bishops conference- they could be twins.
His YT video was awful – less about God more about himself.
Wherever they are they have their own mafia and cartels within cartels.
Cassidy was up for some droit de signeur and Byrne attracted dishonest and dishonourable clergy – bed fellows so to speak.

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Fr Jeff Dodds is a good and holy priest who will be a contender to succeed Bishop Robert.
He has quietly contributed so much to the diocese.
Fr Martin Morris is also a lovely priest.

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I was a school governor with Fr Dodds for many years. A very nice man, and it was always said that Bishop Cunningham wanted him to be a bishop eventually. But speculation on this kind of thing is idle. We’ll know when we know.

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This has got to be a joke….Dodds a contender to replace Byrne? Pull the other one. Dodds has always been a yes man and is rarely in our parish leaving Wilkinson to parade around like he owns the place. Neither of them could organise a piss up in a brewery.
Just goes to show what dreadful clergy moves occurred under Byrne

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4:44 Take a deep breath and read your own comment aloud. You’re describing most bishops to a T.

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Pat I grew up in the Liberties in Dub. My granny always said some of the clergy where always up in Monto back then. Did you ever hear that? I was surprised because she was quite religious.

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Why were you surprised? Your granny was most likely a realist. The Monto was Frank Duff’s turf.

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1977. Said Mass every morning in Legion hostel and Frank attended
We had some good conversations after Mass over a cuppa

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By Post Author

5:51
Jeepers, Pat, I didn’t know.
God, I worked with the homeless years ago in Dublin.
I’m sure you had many a good conversation with Frank.
He was a close friend of a friend of mine.
Didn’t Frank attend Vat II? Did he ever mention it, Pat?

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I see on the parish Facebook page that Fr Cassidy has tested positive for Covid and won’t be taking services for a while.
A coincidence, I’m sure

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Who does Lindsay think he is 3.01 lanchester Middle class?😂 I wouldn’t live there if I had money. Mind you, I suppose next to HMP Durham, it would be rather nice.

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HMP Durham is in the middle of a very nice area, but the residents like having it there because it means that they are well-policed.

Lanchester may not be Belgravia, but it is one of the three most bourgeois parts of this Partnership, and the only one with a Catholic church still functioning in it. Fr Cassidy is at the coalface, and if the pupils whom he took to Lourdes are to believed, which they are, then he is doing a grand job. Meanwhile, here in Lanchester, we have a wonderful new young priest from Nigeria. This Diocese is basically doing fine.

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Try going into a prison mate regularly at present and it’s horrible. Easy for a keyboard warrior. It affects you and not everybody is cut out for it as a regular appointment.

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I remover from my Valladolid days old Bishop Leo McCartie visit as a trustee. He was appointed to support and hold on to the legacy of the premises Spain. He was like a grandfather kindly type smoking his pipe.

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Fr Leo McCartie, That has brought back memories. Fr Leo used the slipper in Cotton. He chose it as opposed to cane/strap in that era. He did try to deny his Irishness like most English clergy. changing the spelling of his surname to appear more English.

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Heenan, Hume, Cormac and Vinny all wanted to try selling that prime site in Chelsea and couldn’t. Them nuns tied them up legally and haunted the,place too especially the Beaufort Street end.

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I have a friend who went to Valladolid, although he didn’t go on to priesthood, he loved his time there. A Spanish priest was rector at the time I think, I certainly visited him and it seemed to me to have a very good group of students and the staff couldn’t be nicer to me and the other visitors.
The domestic staff went out of their way to show us kindness too. I have only lovely memories of visiting the college.
And,
I have to say, Bishop Robert was an exemplary parish priest in Oxford. Kind and generous.

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Yes, John Cornwell did get a thrashing with Fr Leo’s slipper but Cornwell never explains why? . Leo wasn’t the worst during my days in Cotton. He was often seen as a soft touch tbh.

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Bishop Leo didn’t want to accept any ex Anglicans and was forced to do it by Hume. They insulted him further by overseeing the busted vicars’ passage to Rome. He was critised for the delay.

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How was Hume – dreadful, I agree – in a position to force +Leo to do anything? He was answerable as auxiliary in Birmingham to +Maurice and then his own man in Northampton.

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Suffragans are never their own man as far as metropolitans are concerned. Act directly; send in covert goons and don’t call them off; use bishops’ conference (and vatican initiatives) as pretext to shame.

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Leo MCArtie was from Stoke and was Irish both of which he tried to play down – dead posh ya see (not) – an area of study – bishops and their acute class consciousness and social bigotry.
Hume and Dur Meville played the aristocratic card. Vinnie loves Oxbridge, public school and PhDs – such a snob!!
Ignorant deckers all of them!

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Leo was a nice man but denied his Irishness and he thrived after escaping the clutches of Cocoa de Bournville, Maurice, as did Hollis to Portsmouth too.

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Valladolid was a malevolent, horrible place, made all the more malevolent by the presence of Paul Farrer and Damian Cassidy. Mere visits to that place do not properly convey what those of us went through during our confines there.

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