Executive Summary
At the request of the Dicastery for Bishops, a thorough investigation has been made into the events leading to the resignation of Bishop Robert Byrne from the office of Bishop of the diocese of Hexham and Newcastle.
Bishop Byrne resigned from office because he felt unable to carry out the duties of his office. During the course of the work, I have found no reason to disbelieve him.
I am not at liberty to put the full details of the investigation into the public domain as the report was not commissioned for publication. Instead, this overview is provided to answer
some of the claims that have appeared in the media and to set out key themes.
I am grateful to all the priests, deacons, religious and laypeople who have commented on the issues that affected them during the time that Bishop Byrne was in office, including more than 2,000
who took the time to complete the survey. The survey results will be published in a separate document in due course; however, all the comments and outcomes have been considered in preparing the report.
There are four key issues identified in the report to the dicastery which had an impact on Bishop Robertâs time as bishop, as follows:
ďˇ The covid pandemic
ďˇ The purchase of a new Bishopâs House in August 2020
ďˇ The death by suicide of the Cathedral Dean, Canon Michael McCoy in April 2021
ďˇ Bishop Byrneâs association with Fr Timothy Gardner OP.
There has been much commentary in mainstream and social media on events in the Diocese, which have been addressed during the report.
Allegations that lewd parties took place at St Maryâs Cathedral during the pandemic are simply untrue.
What happened is that following
the sanitisation of the cathedral after permitted services the volunteers who carried this out were invited into the cathedral house for refreshments. On occasion after long days the volunteers were offered a take-away meal and a glass of wine.
At the time, covid regulations were in force, and a report was made to Northumbria Police, but no action was taken.
Subsequently, as part of this investigation, a further report has been made to the police, who once again decided to take no action.
Bishop Byrne was not present at any of these gatherings.
The sale of Bishopâs House at West Denton and the purchase of a replacement at Gosforth attracted publicity in the local, regional, and international media. Although the relocation realised a financial surplus, it was considered by many priests, deacons, and people in the diocese to be an error of judgement.
Gosforth is a middle-class area where property prices Are high and out of reach for most people in the diocese.
Bishop Byrne could have relocated
to a property that served his and diocesan needs in a less conspicuous area at a lower cost.
This would have been a sign of his willingness to come closer to his people.
The sad death by suicide of Canon Michael McCoy brought great sorrow to all those who knew him and had benefited from his many years of service to the diocese.
During those years, there had been two occasions when Michael McCoy had been the subject of safeguarding
plans regarding boundaries relevant to working with older teenagers.
There had been no allegations of a sexual nature against Michael McCoy until April 2021. His death by suicide
followed a visit by Northumbria Police saying that such an allegation had been made against him.
In considering Michael McCoyâs appointment to the Cathedral, Bishop Byrne had been notified from more than one source of the safeguarding issues.
It was an error of judgement to then promote a priest with a safeguarding record to a high-profile position.
Instead, Bishop Byrne could have paid greater heed to ensuring that Michael McCoy was appropriately managed given the safeguarding concerns that had been raised.
A further error of judgment occurred regarding Timothy Gardner, a member of the Dominican order, who is a convicted paedophile who Bishop Byrne has known for many years.
They were seen associating together in public in Newcastle, and it was known that Gardner was a frequent visitor at Bishopâs House.
Despite being advised by senior priests in the diocese that this was an inappropriate relationship, Bishop Byrne insisted that it was a pastoral relationship and therefore appropriate and refused their advice.
Bishop Byrne failed to understand the
risks he was taking both for himself and the diocese.
During the investigation, the issue of academisation of schools was brought to my attention.
I am fully aware of the strongly held views on this topic and the concerns that were raised during Bishop Byrneâs tenure. Education is an important area of mission in this and all dioceses, and one which I will be looking into further in the coming months.
There are other matters that have emerged leading up to and following Bishop Byrneâs resignation, which are internal to the diocese of Hexham and Newcastle and are not directly of public interest. I do not propose to comment on these, save to say that there are no
concerns in terms of governance or the operation of the Diocese.
The safeguarding review carried out by the Catholic Safeguarding Standards Agency is near completion and will be published in full in the next few weeks. I have been encouraged by the interim reports to date and am satisfied that safeguarding in the diocese is safe.
To conclude this summary, I emphasise that it was a succession of errors of judgement by Bishop Byrne that exacerbated the key issues above. In my view, he himself was unable to see a path forward, and his failure to see his part in these situations made clear his inability to cope with the demands of his role. Bishop Byrneâs resignation was accepted by Pope Francis on 12 December 2022.
Archbishop Malcolm McMahon
RESPONSES ON FACEBOOK
PATS SAYS
As expected, the report into Byrne is a typical RCC nspired white wash.
I can tell readers that I have spoken to genuine safeguarding people in the English RCC who are furious at this white wash but are not free to say what they think because of the repercussions that there would be.
Some of those people are in touch with investigative journalists who will pursue this.
AND
AND
There is no mention of the allegation by the priest that Byrne was sexually “inappropriate” with him !!!
BISHOP PAT BUCKLEY 
245 replies on “MC MAHON PUBLISHES A WHITE WASH REPORT INTO ROBERT BYRNE AND THE H&N SCANDAL!”
How many Canon Lawyers did it take to produce this statement? As expected it is a complete cover up and an insult to the intelligence of the people of the Diocese. Are they going to sell Bishops House? That at least would be a positive step to show they have listened to and understood the anger of the people. Transparency was promised but now we are told there are subjects which are not for public disclosure. Hopefully someone will have the courage to reveal all that has been hidden.
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12.24
They do not have the Authority to sell Bishops House.
The future of the current Bishops House will be up to the New Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle when Pope Francis appoints him.
An apostolic or diocesan Administrators just keep the diocese ticking over until a new appointment is made.
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11:54 no authority to sell house?
What does that mean? How does that work then? Heâs the Bishop so you will find he does not require your permission to sell.
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McMahon’s report claims that the sale of the old bishop’s house realised a financial surplus, this is simply not true.
West Denton Hall was sold for ÂŁ1.1M. Given the historical and architectural significance of the building this should have been sold for way more. The new property in Gosforth was purchased for ÂŁ960,000 but by the time you factor in solicitor fees, stamp duty, marketing of the old property, removals, re-ordering, redecoration and purchase of new furniture, there’s not much change. That’s apart from moving the private chapel from West Denton Hall to the new property and moving the entire Diocesan archives to Ushaw College! Hardly financially prudent. West Denton Hall had served the Diocese well for many decades, why move?
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The priest that Byrne was âinappropriate â with has been âdealt withâ. Nothing to see here, move on, donât be SLOW, you surely know how it works by now.
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You mean paid off, threatened, shut up, moved on, had action taken against him, sent on sabbatical, gone MIAâŚ.. ? I hear he is a priest of A & B, so + Moth will be his bishop. Mothy will be using all his Machiavellian skills to sort out this particular problem, Iâm sure. He will not want anything sticking to him and frustrating his ambition to move further up the episcopal tree.
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My information is that Moth is very supportive of the priest ?
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9:15 Bishop supports his priest. Thatâs his job right.
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1:34
It depends, right.
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McMahons litany of coverup is nothing less than one would expect from a senior member of an internationally recognised criminal organisation or any one of its associates on its payroll in one way or another.
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GER AND WOMAN â DIFFERENT TREATMENT:
This is how Fintan Monagan and Killaloe are treating Ger Fitzgerald:
1. Sabbatical / Holiday for 3 to 12 months â two thirds ofvwhich will be oaid for by the diocese.
2. Still receive his ⏠2,000 a month salary.
3. Entitled to up to âŹ/$ 30,000 for treatment, therapy or counselling.
4. Be given a new assignment if he wants it.
WHAT THE WOMAN GETS:
1. Referral to a womenâs refuge.
AND AT THE END OF IT ALL
Not even an applogy from Ger, Fintan or the diocese!!!
Is this the NEW, CHANGED, MORE COMPASSIONATE, âWE HAVE LEARNED OUR LESSONâ church, the Vatican and the bishops keep telling us about ???
I dont think so.
Theyâre all just as bad as ever.
As my Dad used to say:
âShooting is too good for them. Its a kick in the arse they needâ.
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Bishop Pat is there any update at all on Ger? Is he still a priest?
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As God once said , “I don’t know.” đ
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What???? The Diocese of Killaloe has a safeguarding department!!!!
What about all the vile posts on Cloughleighâs Facebook page about this woman and only reluctantly taken down.
Who knows what might have happened if it werenât for support from this blog and elsewhere. Safeguarding my arse as Jim Royle would say. Thrown to the bloodthirsty hungry wolves supporting Fr Ger Fitzgerald and Killaloe Diocese more like.
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Killaloe and other Diocese run an extremely efficient and tight ship when it comes to Safeguarding their faithful.
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2:09
Only if you ignore the leaks.
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He didnât rape anyone.
Get over yourselves
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So the policy’s changed from rape being ok to anything else being ok? Asking for a friend.
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An atomic bomb full of lies and cover up from Maccers. Ruaraidh is a saint by comparison.
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EVERY Diocese and Religious Order in Great Britain and Ireland needs to be investigated.
Safeguarding MUST be completely independent of the RCC.
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Pat, is that the the white wash bucket in the background inside the door just above the flower pot outside the door??
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6:45
No no no no no yes, a barrel of white wash and a few brushes to boot.
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What a pathetic summary.
No surprises there!!
Reading the report strikes so many chords with EGAN & PORTSMOUTH.
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***REQUEST FOR ASSISTANCE***
We are seeking information on St. Joseph’s Convent (Upper Hutt, N.Z.), an orphanage run by the Sisters of Mercy ca 1918-1980.
If you are a survivor of abuse or witness to clerical child sexual assault at the Convent during the 1970s, could you please contact us?
Strictest confidentiality is assured.
DM here or text New Zealand 0223440496 or
email aotearoa-newzealand@snapnetwork.org
Thank you for your support.
PLEASE SHARE THIS REQUEST.
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Church Hurt is a term used to describe the emotional pain and trauma experienced by individuals who have been mistreated, abused, or neglected by their religious leaders or fellow congregants.
It can take many forms, including spiritual abuse, manipulation, and exclusion. The impact of church hurt can be profound, leading to feelings of shame, guilt, and loneliness.
However, healing from church hurt is possible through counseling, support groups, and finding a new faith community that values and respects individual experiences.
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Fintan Monahans presbyteries are mostly filled with middle-aged or elderly homosexuals.
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7:05 Charming đ
Was that the first thought you had in your silly little head when you awoke. Nosey Parker or what.
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You don’t say!
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This raises more questions than it answers. And once again, the report contains peevish umbrage at Pat for having the impertinence to cover these scandals.
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The open letter from concerned laity to the bishops of England & Wales is an appeal to deal with the problems that have been whitewashed in this so-called investigation.
https://marklambert.blogspot.com/2023/05/open-letter-to-bishops-of-england-and.html
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There was public promise to “leave no stone unturned”. Why do they come out with lines like that when they don’t mean it? The answer is that it’s a press officer, in damage limitation zone, making a statement that sounds good and intended to shut down a story and de-escalate a story. It’s the politician trick of announcing a public inquiry that then, months later, produces a tame report. Meanwhile the media has moved on to cover a different story. Job done. Very cynical move.
https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/body-investigating-newcastle-cathedral-alleged-26051993.amp
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I think it’s called “news management” by the PRs, media consultants, press officers, public affairs officers and special advisers that are now in every institution and who have helped to erode public trust.
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2:46 I don’t the media specialists eroded trust in the church, dear.
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No dear, the church eroded trust in the church.
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Another fantastic whitening of the sepulchre. Nothing of the police investigation, and what about the dean and the drag queen? No doubt Tubby Bobby will soon be wheeled out in full pontificalia and act as though he has not dealt the fart in the room.
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The gatherings at the cathedral, lewd or otherwise should not have happened. We were in the middle of a pandemic. The cathedral as the mother church of the diocese should have led by example. One of many examples of Byrne’s inability to manage.
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Plus ca change, plus c’est la meme chose. I would have expected nothing more from McMahon and this kind of investigation and its report. Even so, the “errors of judgement” are pretty clear and are a litany of errors that make it clear that Bobby Byrne should never have been a bishop and given this level of responsibility. It begs the question as to why he was made an auxiliary bishop in Birmingham and then elevated to H&N. Whose great idea was that ? Perhaps + Elsie and + Nursie could throw some light on their thinking there ?! There were lots of us at the time that thought it didn’t look like a great idea, knowing what we already knew about Bobs. The elephant in the room, that has not been addressed by this executive summary (although maybe McMahon hints at it when he says there are “other matters that have emerged leading up to and following Bishop Byrneâs resignation, which are internal to the diocese of Hexham and Newcastle and are not directly of public interest”), is the matter of the alleged sexual impropriety /assault on a priest by + Bobby, which it is suggested has been referred to the police. Given that is in the hands of the police, if there is anything in that then it will become public knowledge, perhaps even leading to a conviction, and that would definitely put the nail in to the coffin which is + Byrne’s episcopacy. In the meantime, Bobby will be being shielded by his confreres of the Congregation of the Oddities, oops, sorry Oratory, either in Manchester, York, Birmingham, London, Oxford, wherever. They will look after their own, and all this stuff with Bobby will just reinforce their sense of victimisation, martyrdom, self-righteousness, and make them feel that they, The True Church, is under attack. They are welcome to Bobby and he to them.
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Has the police investigation into a sexual assault by Byrne been concluded? Why did the report not mention it, or at least say it was ongoing? Ignoring it looks pretty suspicious. The only way they will learn is to withhold funding them, and to remove their charitable status.
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Absolutely correct
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Thou shalt not covet thy neighbours goods
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6:01 why not?
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Sexual assault of a Priest is not an error of judgement .Like any such crime against chold or adult is is a criminal offence .
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The only way they will learn is to withhold funding them, and to remove their charitable status, and, if necessary, a court appearence followed by prayer and penance at His Majesty’s pleasure.
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The summary isn’t as bad as I expected.
But about the comments – do people really belong to and support an organization which has committed appalling crimes internationally and expect any iota of respect to be paid to them or even their life?
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Surprise! Surprise!
Another whitewash to add the litany of whitewashing including Silverstream Priory. Why do I get the feeling today’s blog is going
to see an avalanche of commentary?
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Can Silverstream Priory investigation be considered a whitewash?
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I could never be a fan of Byrne who has been a disaster from the time he arrived in H&N but talk about being scapegoated!!!
All of his council who need to hang their heads in shame have been quick to turn on him after they all competed with each other for his attention and affection. Never thought Iâd say it, but Byrne needs a solicitor on the case to stand up to the hierarchy who placed him in H&N in the first place and to call out his unfit for purpose Council and board of directors.
Perhaps though Iâm still not getting it and that maybe Byrne is going along with a plan that will see him take the fall as long as heâs looked after in the future with ballet, opera and gentlemanâs club season tickets thrown in with house, salary medical insurance travel insurance for life etc all paid for by the faithful. The Archbishop has underestimated the people of the diocese if he thinks we will stand for this. Surely there is more to come archbishop McMahon that will give us some hope or is that it?
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‘All of his council who need to hang their heads in shame have been quick to turn on him after they all competed with each other for his attention and affection.’
This is normal, everyday behaviour in the church. Hadn’t you noticed?
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There’s a huge number of bishops due to retire in the next few years in England. (THANK GOD). Even PHIL EGAN OF PORTSMOUTH only has six years left. If the nuncio gets this right, we could be in for a promising future.
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The trouble is that the gene pool of potential competent and able future bishops is very limited. There are very few 40s 50s age group priests of any ability left â so many have gone / disappeared / MIA etc., those who are left are hobbled by their inadequate training and formation and years of living an unhealthy clerical life. It will only get worse as fewer men go to seminary, and those that do are generally gay and fleeing reality, lazy, looking for affirmation and position, with all the wrong notions about service and ministry. The situation is dire. The Nuncio will struggle to get men of quality to take up these episcopal posts.
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Do you really think the Tubby Spaniard is going to do anything extraordinary? He will recommend the same old. The pool from which to select bishops becomes smaller and smaller each year.
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The current batch of dysfunctional shepherds will certainly be replaced soon, but what will we get? Are they promoting fellow degenerates?
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Another overpaid bossy boots in H&N??? Why can’t these bishops manage their own diocese? If they’re not able to do it, then give up and let someone who can take over. They’re pathetic honestly.
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PORTSMOUTH’S CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER is raging. The letter from the Charity Commission reprimanding her and deflating her omniscient self continues to cause a stir. We’ve not heard any response from the trustees yet. How could they possibly remain knowing EGAN and HAUSCHILD have been lying to them?
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The clergy call HEATHER HAUSCHILD ‘Liz Truss’ in honour of the former PM’s short-lived premiership.
HAUSCHILD, like Truss, will have to go. We just have to wait and watch.
There is no relationship between the COO and clergy in Portsmouth. The sooner this sorry mess ends the better for all – even for Lizzie herself!
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Well given that you’ve made it clear that you’ll refuse to work with her or the bishop, perhaps you should resign first. đ¤Ą
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Heathers son is destined to reach great heights in the RC. Heather is Roman Catholic Royalty. Eat her dust begrudgers.
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2:15
Not after this debacle. The last thing we need in RC is another careerist.
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3:52 Yet strangely when anyone happens to mention that RC clergy are notorious for kiddy fiddling you all start ranting about ‘guilt by association ‘.
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5:23
You’re generalizing. To my mind, kiddy fiddling is an inappropriate term
in relation to CSA. It minimizes what is an appalling traumatic abusive encounter for a child. There seems to be other problematic issues feeding into CSA. I consider careerism in RCC to be such an issue.
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I would be very keen to hear from Lay People from the Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle in the comments of this post, as to what actions they would like to see take place?
What changes in roles and responsibilities need to take place within the diocese and why?
? ? ?
Thank you.
.
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If you publish a contact number or email I am sure many will contact you with information but are not happy to do so through the blog
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bishopbuckley1@outlook.com
07488 374364
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As an investigating journalist perhaps you might consider enquiring of the two headteachers of the private schools 50 yards and 150 yards from Bishopâs House whether they were informed that a sex offender was entered by Bishop Bob???Would they be happy.
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So disappointing! Do the flock of H & N not deserve transparency, candour, respect? And yes, the truthâŚâŚ! Itâs not much to ask!
âAnd you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.â John 8:32
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Absolute disgrace that this so called transparent investigation is anything but. Total whitewash!! The complete report needs to be published with nothing hidden if they want to be transparent. You only have to read the comments to see that no one has been fooled.
More questions have been raised in this summary. What are these other matters that have been found that are âinternal to the dioceseâ? Why are they still hiding things from us? What is being done to correct all the dreadful decisions made by Bishop Byrne? Every decision made under Bishop Byrne should be reversed starting with the appointment of canons and church closures. Why was someone who had a history of safeguarding concerns allowed to be chaplain to the youth in Lourdes and to schools? How come nothing has been said about the previous Bishop and his handling of the diocese? Bishop Byrne was only in the diocese for 3 years and some of these issues are before his time. How come the chief operating officer is still in post? Why are the trustees still in post? If this was any other organisation they would have resigned or been removed.
Some serious questions need answering to regain trust. I for one will not step into a church or allow my children to have anything to do with it until things change. I suspect others will be in the same boat.
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Who ever thought that Robert Byrne would be an effective bishop ? Any of us who came across him over the last few decades recognised a bullshitter of the first order, a man hiding behind the nonsense of the Oratorian life, cocooned in a mid 19th century rarified notion of the Church, a man who was lazy and just bumbled his way through things. He was / is clearly a man who is gay, and adopts a concocted cultured and artistic persona, with all that Royal Opera House stuff. And then he is given some obscure sinecure in the Bishops’ Conference, and then is made an auxiliary bishop in Birmingham where he was a useful as a chocolate fireguard, and everybody knew that including + Longley. And then the idiocy of him being sent up to Hexham and Newcastle, with the predictable results we have seen. Who, pray tell, in their right minds, thought that this might be a good idea ?! There should be some serious questions asked about the people who put him forward, probably +Nichols as the puppet master, but also the people in the Vatican, and the whole process of selecting the right people for the right job. Mind you, the pool of talent from which bishops can be drawn these days is very shallow, given the ever decreasing number of vocations and particularly the fact that any man with wit, sense arability knows to avoid the Catholic priesthood as something toxic and damaging. Lots of questions to be answered…..
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You’re describing the traditionalist movement to perfection. Gay and opera – this is allegedly the future. đ
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@ 9:32am
Hopefully youâre right as the liberal modernist movement has no future.đ
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9:32 & 10:02
Have you nothing better to do than attempt to play comment makers off each other? What’s your game? Are you MIA?
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Chavasse is also gay and an opera buff.
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2:01
So what?
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I have been reflecting on words that graced this blog yesterday. I confess they have wrought in me a transformation so profound it can rightly be called ‘existential’. I can scarce believe the change, and marvel to trembling at its breadth. Those words were truly from Heaven, even though they came through an ordinary bloke named… ‘Dominic’. And they are right up there, those words, with the pulling power of the Ten Commandments.
Yesterday, this blog was visited and privileged by a latterday prophet. Yes, Dominic. It doesn’t matter that no one had ever heard of him before. It doesn’t matter that he sounded as flaky as they can come (all prophets do, don’t they?), he is one. And a mighty one at that: he is the prophet for our times. And we do exceeding well to heed his words.
No matter what a priest should do, even if it’s rutting another male on a sacred altar, we must pass by. We must look neither to the right, nor to the left. We must look straight ahead. For the priest has Heaven’s favour. And who are we to criticise him?
Whatever Father does, remain silent. And whenever, wherever he does it. These are Heaven’s ways, ours not to question. You see, being a priest is Heaven’s imprimatur to thrill and to kill: in a word, to do whatever the hell Father likes. Heaven will always smile upon him indulgently. And so who are we to criticise him?
The priest is Heaven’s favoured child, the apple of his Father’s eye; he can do no wrong, even when he is doing wrong. And who are we to criticise him?
Children, if Father’s anointed hand has ever caressed parts of you normally not seen by the sun, remember not to criticise him, for the demon will enter your soul if you dare. Father is Heaven’s favoured child. And, so, who are YOU to criticise him?
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LOL.
There have been times when I have actually found myself wondering, as the only Catholic boy of my generation who hasn’t been abused by a priest, what was wrong with me and why our PP went for the other altar boy whose name I’ve forgotten but it’ll be in the reports somewhere.
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My deceased friend, flautist Seamus Tansey, was in the same position.
With a howl, he used to say: “I must have been an f…..ugly little bastard” đ
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Pat at 9:47 I don’t even have that consolation! I was blond and pretty with a pert bum and a mother who would believe any shite as long as it came out of a priest’s gob. I think it was probably because I’ve always been lippy and that would warn them.
The closest I got was sex as an adult with a priest of the church of Sweden. đ
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8:54
But, how can this be? The Lady of Medjegorie is not recognised by Holy Church, so how can Dominic be a latter-day flaky or otherwise prophet?
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So what about the allegation made by the A&B priest?
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There are four key issues identified in the report to the dicastery which had an impact on Bishop Robertâs time as bishop, as follows:
ďˇ The covid pandemic
ďˇ The purchase of a new Bishopâs House in August 2020
ďˇ The death by suicide of the Cathedral Dean, Canon Michael McCoy in April 2021
ďˇ Bishop Byrneâs association with Fr Timothy Gardner OP.
A major scandal missing?
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Wee bonny Bobby Byrne looks ever so cuddly-wuddly in thon photo.
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I hope many priests from H and N contact you, Pat, with evidence of their ongoing concerns left untouched by the report. It would also be good for them to contribute to this blog. Let’s hope the investigative journalist turns over the stones McMahon wants secured to the grouond. He promised to publish a report rather than a brief comment. Not good emough.
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In respect of McCoy, the report says that there were two occasions on which McCoy was the subject of safeguarding plans regarding boundaries relevant to working with older teenagers, before the 2021 allegations about some sexual misdoing which was being investigated by the police, and his death by his own hand. After 40 years in ministry, working in all kinds of different areas and with different people, I have never had a safeguarding plan presented to me to manage my ministry and work. I suspect that the vast majority of priests are like me. Yes, there may be occasions when concerns are unfounded, but I am sure that in the vast majority of situations a concern over safeguarding has some substance to it and should be noted very seriously. So, it must have been abundantly clear to Byrne that there might just be questions about McCoy and his behaviour in certain circumstances and with certain people. And yet, in spite of this clear intelligence, he made him Dean of the Cathedral. Unbelievable ! Mind you, this pattern of careless management of safeguarding matters has been seen before. I remind myself of the fact that a known safeguarding problem in the form of Quigley was given various jobs by + Nichols in the area of education where he had contact with and access to young people, and this after it was acknowledge that he was a safeguarding risk. These are not just oversights. I think that they are conscious, brazen, two finger actions on the part of bishops to the serious concerns of safeguarding, and a way of them flexing their muscles and authority to show that it is they who are in charge of all things Church. Well, it seems to me that those days are coming to an end, as witnessed by Nichols and Longley and others being hauled in front of ICCSA and being excoriated and made to look very silly and very careless, perhaps even criminally so. Byrne will have been of this mindset also. Well, hopefully he’s reflecting on his hubris and his arrogance, and realises that he is but a big paper bag full of air. Now imploded.
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‘two occasions on which McCoy was the subject of safeguarding plans regarding boundaries relevant to working with older teenagers’
The way this would translate into the unpublished version would be something along the lines of ‘he had an eye for young men, didn’t keep his hands to himself and the whole diocese knew about it ‘.
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Northumbria police initiated a retrospective investigation after the sad death of father Michael to see if opportunities
had been missed to look into any criminality the accusation
was a groping allegation by a single individual some 20 years previously. An allegation that Fr Michael didnât even know the substance of as he took his own life suffering poor mental health. Despite the abysmal press and accusations not one single person has come forward to substantiate any further allegations against Michael. The police found no case to answer. If Michael had support and strong mental health then the out come may have been different.
As far as the two things in his safeguard file were that Fr Michael had allowed him in sixth formers to drink alcohol at his home in Sunderland
( male and female ) whilst he was parish priest there, a complaint was made was made by a concerned parent but as they were over 18 no crime had been committed. Both safeguarding reports were the same.
Safeguarding warned him he jeopardising professional standards and leaving himself wide open to allegations. Look where that got him his crime was stupidity x
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If you donât want to be a celibate priest then become a religious order
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Any word from the solicitor yet +Pat?
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No
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Power Bottom JPL for Bishop ! Wouldn’t be unthinkable. I think I’ll write to the Nuncio suggesting him.
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A priest sucked me off in a car once and it was the worst oral sex I ever had
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This report is what we all expected. HOWEVER, the gaps can be filled in here by those who have information. COMMENT! SPEAK! USE THIS PLATFORM! or remain complicit. Take control and show McMahon heâs not going to get away with this rubbish report.
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Heâs already gotten away with it. A fait accompli.
No one is going to put his head above the parapet; that would require courage. And priests lack it.
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Organise en masse as a collective to challenge power. Recognize clergy collective power and think outside the box by putting collective heads above the parapet.
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11:45 Of course this is a perfectly sensible idea but not one the clergy will do. I mean, youâve seen the way they bitch and back stab at and about each other on here, can you imagine them capable of doing anything together?
(Except casual sex, obvs)
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12:51
True. I appreciate what you’re saying. However, unless some clergy begin to ‘grow pairs’, by being courageous as a collective through taking a stand, they can expect more of the same, if not worse, into the future.
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1:34 Quite. And they will continue to blame Vatican 2, society, social workers, HAUSCHILD, anyone other than the obvious source of their problems. đŞ
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2:42
Exactly. Silence is complicity. It’s as simple as, regardless of power differentials. Be authentic, be courageous, take a stand, and let the chips fall where they may. And don’t preempt outcomes out of fear before taking action.
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Don’t let McMahon get away with this. He thinks he’s manged and controlled the narrative – show him he hasn’t! Write here!
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Sure what can you do?
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This will be an unpopular opinion but I think the archbishop’s poor go at a report is a good thing. By a drip drip drip effect you’ll all eventually realize the truth about your cult that you’re all so eager to avoid.
This is yet another nail in the coffin â°ď¸
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9:29 Lugs law in action.
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9:29 What can get worse will get worse.
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Please stop the criticism of Archbishop McMahon, and of all priests, too. Don’t you realise that demons are jumping down your throats to feed your anger every time you utter a critical word against a priest? Just trust them. Our Lord has everything under control.
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God is the name given to the cold, dead silence which answers the prayer of a child being molested by a priest.
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That’s a very powerful statement đ
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Yes, it is a powerful statement, arrestingly so.
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And a massive challenge to us believers.
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10:06
Maybe abandonment is the name given to the cold, dead silence which answers the prayer of a child being molested by a priest? Surely child rape is not the particular will of God for one of His little ones. God permits it, just as God causes His sun to shine on evil and good. All prayers are heard. Some are answered, some take time, even a very long time, before being answered, while others are not answered for reasons only known to God.
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Yes, 2:59. Abandonment is the word. They’ve been abandoned by God.
Your daily reminder that RCs think child rape is a funny subject to troll this blog about.
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3:37
Child rape or any other form of abuse particularly by clergy is never funny.
God never abandons His children. The molested child is abandoned by the priest rapist the institutional Church through cover-ups and any others involved in maintaining despicable secrecy through complicit silence even on a societal level.
âthe Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouragedâ
(Deuteronomy 31:8)
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Thank you, 4:14, I was waiting for today’s demonstration by an RC that you have absolutely no understanding of abuse, and then along you come with it.
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4:34
Never make assumptions.Where did I mention I was RC?
I’m penning a book on abuse, including spiritual abuse.
I’ll send you a copy through Bishop Buckley if you wish?
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2.59
God permits no such thing. But the Romanists do, they, and their facilitators/excusers in the episcopate, including the papacy.
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5:50
I agree.
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4:50 I think you should definitely convert. Youâd fit in so well. đ
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@ 8:30
Convert to what?
1 I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, 5one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all. (Ephesians 4:1-6.)
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Dom, take a run and jump and do wan will ye.
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The Pp in my area has no integrity
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Sane could be said of thousands of parishes
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9 54: Pat, it would be interesting to know what you mean by integrity? Another word thrown about without people genuinely understanding its meaning! The only people in my life who I deem as full of integrity were my parents and grandparents: people of true kindness of heart: trustworthy: honest: hard working: only had what they could afford: never bad mouthed anyone: fair: just and absolutely tried to live their Christian faith: people of honour: helpful to neighbours: very morally principled: lived the gospel: no excuses for not going to mass. I hope we, their children, have imitated some of their qualities. I know many priests who possess similar qualities and I think your “thousands” is OTT…and somewhat disingenuous.
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They just canât help themselves (at 11:32) giving their world view away can they? Not only how much wiser than everyone else they are but the idea that vanishingly few people can have integrity.
Wiser readers, whose vision is clearer, will recognize this as exactly the attitude that got Byrne where he is, and in the matter of being wiser than others, a characteristic of cults.
Now he will no doubt start screaming that I donât understand or that Iâm dismissing him, but if you dismiss the mass of humanity (except members of your own family) as not having integrity youâre just admitting your cult should be taken into legal control by grown ups.
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11:32
Regardless of the number of good priests in ministry, due to clerical abuse corruption and crime, endless cover-ups, white washing reports, financial scandals. etc, etc, etc, the RCC is perceived as a very corrupt institution, including criminally corrupt, and lacks moral credibility from the top down.
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We know heâs not alone.
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I love the fact that EGAN & HAUSCHILD (AKA HARRY AND MEEGAIN 100K+) thought they’d teach +Pat a lesson and give him a fright by sending a pathetically amateurish solicitors letter. I just love it. It says a lot about them. It has the unmistakable stale NHS pissy smell about it all.
Backfired tremendously!
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A&B priest v likely withdrew sexual assault allegation or not enough evidence – so nothing to see here.
Sex party during Covid – cover up – heavy clerical three line whip imposed and omertĂ kicks in. McCoy had parties here and topped himself because game over – his lap top industrialy cleaned by him before he died.
Byrne utter nightmare and total liability – couldnât run a bath let alone a diocese.
Birmingham auxiliaries or senior clergy there are notoriously incompetent and morally dubious.
Egan
Byrne
Conry
McDonald (what a hopeless big Queen)
Wonder whether Wright, Evans will surprise us.
Kenny aka Bull in China Shop – they grabbed his resignation letter so relieved they were to see the back of him!!
McMahon is a total first class bullshitter of the highest order – a bumbling foot in mouth former bus engineer who clearly loves dressing up and showing off for the boys.
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+ Moth will have nobbled the A&B priest to withdraw, shut up, disappear, whatever. He will do all he can to make sure that A&B is kept out of it, because he has his own ambitions â Southwark or Westminster. Probably Southwark because it is his home diocese. He would love that.
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I don’t think either Wright or Evans will ever surprise anybody ! What a pair !
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The sexual assault allegation might be being investigated by the Police in that Diocese. The Police donât go public with their investigations partly to Safeguard others and also to prevent contamination of evidence by alleged perpetrators and / or their friends. The outcome of CSSA and Charity Commissionâs investigations might also publish further information on issues deemed not applicable but that have been reported to +MMcM.
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What does the old queen look like in that cappa magna?
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Er, an old queen? đ¤
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@ 10:41am
Magnificent!!! you’ve no taste, you’re probably in a zipped polyester alb or jeans and runners ya common auld queen ugh!
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Methinks you’re cut from the same cloth, honeybunch.
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Tony Slattery was a comedic and talented contemporary of Stephen Fry, Hugh Laurie and Emma Thompson – except unlike them he was sexually abused by a Catholic priest over a two year period and attributes his cocalne addiction and spiral into mental illness to this singular devastating crime and betrayal of trust and abuse of power.
Do clergy understand the damage they do?
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They have neither the understanding nor the emotional competence necessary.
The commonly misused statistic that when averaged out CSA in the RC ‘church’was no worse than anyone else in itself indicates the gravity doesn’t impinge on them in any way.
The way they talk about it on this blog is itself abusive, but what makes you know that this approach belongs to all of them is that no other RC ever calls them out on it. If they do this merely to troll the blog it’s the same.
The other pointer is that when you tell them their church’s response to CSA is inadequate and ask them if they’ve got any ideas what more they could do, strangely the experts in humanity never have.
How conscienceless and emotionally incompetent would you have to be to belong to an abusing church and treat it like this. And then to say nobody else is any better, like that’s an argument anyone outside an infant’s school would use?
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Yes, the damage that is done deep down to the betrayal of trust and the undermining of everything that is held sacred by a young person when abused in incalculable. Tony Slattery has suffered tremendously, and part of the cause of that will have been the abuse he suffered at the hands of a priest. Where is that priest now ? Probably dead, but in all likelihood will have been able to live out his life quite nicely and carried on being a priest. So, Father whoever you are and wherever you are, if you are thinking of abusing a kid sexually, please consider carefully the damage you will do to that child for the rest of its life in return for a momentary orgasmic pleasure before you go off to hear confessions and celebrate Mass. Walsh and Quigley are sitting in prison and are probably still in denial and thinking that they are the ones who have been wronged and hurt. Never mind the dozens of kids that they have damaged for life. TBH, I think they should stay in prison for the rest of their lives to make up for what they have done. Then they might have all the time necessary to reflect.
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No, they don’t understand, because they don’t care.
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Judging by a bishop taking his convicted clerical abuser friend out in Newcastle, no they don’t. If the relationship was actually pastoral he could have seen him in his office.
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Or do clergy care for those abused?
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Of course they do: trouble is they think they’re the ones being abused. đ
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12:46
Can group think not be collectively delusional?
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12:05
Such thinking is called delusional.
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12:21 Actually it isnât delusional thinking, itâs actually group think. You are of course correct if you mean that itâs just plain wrong and disturbed, but technically delusional thinking has to be outside your cultural norm. For example for a Christian to think that a virgin conceived is clearly impossible but not delusional because it is within the cultural and religious norm for them. Whereas for a Christian to believe that God has made them themselves pregnant would be delusional because itâs outside the norm.
It is absolutely normal for a priest to think theyâre being persecuted while disregarding the emotional damage inflicted by their colleagues so sadly this is not delusional, but it is the result of being part of a group and not being able to question that groupâs dominant script.
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12:13 Yes but again only if it goes outside cultural norms.
Then there is folie a deux where two people believe delusions but both get better when you only treat the actually delusional one: they will tend to be very close, often related.
Another characteristic of delusions is they’re usually held much more strongly than normal beliefs. No matter how strong your religious or political beliefs they don’t compare to delusions. So in a group you often get variation in strength of group think and a lot wouldn’t come near delusional thinking in this respect; for example some people may not believe the group thinking at all but just go along with it so wouldn’t be delusional.
The full report on l’Arche gives fascinating examples of mystical beliefs which are clearly called delusional in the report and describe those beliefs then infecting other people. It’s fascinating, if you’re interested in that sort of thing.
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2:37
So you now acknowledge both are delusional. Delusions exist on
a continuum. Group think is also irrational dysfunctional behaviour
within a group context in order to maintain group cohesiveness.
Reality testing might include facing up to the morality of behavior â
right and wrong â to solidify the groups involvement in therapeutic process.
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@ 4:10pm
No honey you’re wrong you wouldn’t catch me in polyester or jeans and runners.
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6:21
No. Only in commando with runners.
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I used to try to see the laity as deceived but well intentioned; but I’ve run out of sympathy for them now. The laity are actually facilitating this nonsense just as they’ve facilitated bishops moving abusive priests round.
The sop of synod is worthless while this sort of thing is going on. Moaning in Facebook comments will not change anything: it’s well apparent that it must be forced.
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11:38
Good post.
Clergy are supposed to serve the laity.
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I havenât yet read the Comments, Pat, but exactly – you’re spot on re the adult abuse allegation. Its likely omitted because it allegedly took place, with a priest, in another Diocese. Wonât be long before RC âcatch upâ with secular regarding female and male adult abuse, grooming, rape etc., by predatory clergyâŚâŚmost of them. Iâm sure the other abuse concerns will be published – not by the Church though. Its a smashed system & for centuries. Dilemma being that Christians need to gather to Worship collectively ( James letter, N.T.) Its about us realising that Christ instructs us against worshipping idols, which in many cases clergy have become. Weâre not seeing the Truth of Christ. He only is The Way. Thank you for your post.
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I take it you mean catch up statistically and in news reports rather than comprehension. We’re still waiting for them to catch up on child abuse.
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Yes – sorry – in no way was I meaning to minimise the children & young people. Not meaning to cause any offence.
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11:49
Good post, CK.
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You hang me out to dry â I will do the same â you cowardly celibate c….
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11:51 Are you alright? Whatâs the problem?
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Is it true that Byrnes house (ÂŁ900,000) had a sauna in it?
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Lawyer Richard Scorer, who has acted for many survivors of abuse in the Catholic Church said the investigation was âcompletely inadequateâ.
The head of abuse law at Slater Gordon said: âWhilst acknowledging that the bishop consorted in public with a convicted paedophile, appointed a safeguarding risk to the cathedral and used charitable funds to buy a posh house, it puts these appalling failings down to âerrors of judgmentâ and says nothing about the culture and structure of the Catholic Church which allows a bishop to behave in this way in the first place.
âThe weasel words in this report prove the need for external oversight of church safeguarding; the Catholic Church clearly cannot police itselfâ.
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Excellent as always.
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We’re saying RCC cannot police itself for years on this blog.
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You don’t know who Scorer is, do you. đ
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4:28
That’s beside the point. Weâre saying RCC cannot police itself for years on this blog.
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Whatâs Scorerâs press link, please ? I was impressed with all of the iicsa lawyers. I watched every investigation. As a retired Social Worker I was very pleased that lawyers were commissioned to carry out these investigations. I was dissatisfied with my own professionâs previous investigations, having read some past SW reports. I was appalled at one witness for the RC investigationâs responses to a question about RCs who volunteer. She was an RC qualified university SW tutor! Not the university I attended I hasten to add! I worked in Adult Services with people in âlong stayâ âhospitalsâ to free them into the community. We though hospitals were there to âmake people betterâ đ˛đ§. People with learning disabilitiesâŚâŚ..thanks for info. Social Workers are hated both in and outside RC. Comes with the job – being told to f*** off – until they call us again for help! Of course much of the language is âtemperedâ in RCC by our sweet psycho analyst bros & sis thereâŚ..f off yourself mateys. Oh dear. đĄđ¤The chalice is being polished butâŚâŚ
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If you search his name you get both his Twitter and contact details on the first page.
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So Bishop Blobby Byrne also appointed McCoy (who he knew was a safeguarding risk and subject to a supervision plan) a canon. The man was a total idiot.
THE CATHEDRAL CHAPTER OF CANONS Bishop Robert has
decided to re-establish the diocesan Chapter of Canons. Its
major roles will be to enhance divine worship in the
Cathedral, supporting the Mother Church of the Diocese and,
as the College of Consultors, to act as a confidential
consultative body to the Bishop. The Bishop has appointed
the following diocesan priests as the new Canons of the
Cathedral Chapter: Fr. Michael Brown, Fr. Michael Campion,
Fr. John Cooper, Fr. Michael Griffiths, Fr. Christopher Jackson,
Fr. Peter Leighton, Fr Michael McCoy, Fr. Ian Patterson,
Fr. Martin Stempczyk, Fr. Dennis Tindall.
Bishop Robert has also appointed Fr. Paul Douthwaite as an
honorary Canon. Canon Alec Barrass and Canon Robert
Spence, having reached retirement age, will continue as
honorary Canons.
The new Canons will be installed at Evening Prayer in St
Maryâs Cathedral at 3.00pm on Sunday 26 April
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Canon 509 §2. A diocesan bishop is to confer canonries only upon priests outstanding in doctrine and integrity of life, who have laudably exercised the ministry. â Does that include priests who are subject to safeguarding plans then?
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Those are a feature of laudably exercising their ministry, not a failure.
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1) The report tells us how the gatherings in Newcastle cathedral started – with a takeaway and a glass of wine – but it doesnât tell us how they ended. If everyone ate their food and went straight home, then surely that information would have been included to put our minds at rest. The lack of detail indicates that we are not being told the whole story
2) There are numerous large, empty presbyteries attached to Catholic churches in Newcastle. Any of these would be suitable to accommodate a bishop, so why did Bishop Byrne feel the need to buy a huge detached house, with a sauna, on one of the nicest streets in one of the nicest suburbs on Tyneside?
The next bishop must sell the house (heâll make a profit for the church) to help draw a line under this ridiculous episode
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Thatâs interesting. Two PORTSMOUTH Canons have girlfriends â public knowledge. Another is the disgraced PJ SMITH. EGAN is evidently unaware of Canon 509.
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A Salford canon had gay sex as a priest.
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”Nothing of the police investigation”?
And
”Has the police investigation into a sexual assault by Byrne been concluded? Why did the report not mention it, or at least say it was ongoing? Ignoring it looks pretty suspicious. The only way they will learn is to withhold funding them, and to remove their charitable status.”
But don’t the Church work alongside the Police in these matters?
That’s what the Archdiocese of Liverpool website said regarding the Liverpool victim. Did it not?
I think one of the Merseyside Police employees, this one a civilian, is called Hannah Wilcox.
Why not contact her to ask for advice on these matters?
I’m very sure she’ll lead you to a fuller understanding of how they work.
Hannah Wilcox works for Merseyside Police VPPU Vulnerable Persons’ Protection Unit / Referrals.
Referrals are very close to Liverpool social services and MerseyCare NHS (aka Adult social services / Community Mental Health Teams (CMHTs) ).
CMHTs are based at Edge Lane Police station, Liverpool.
–
I’m sure in Newcastle they must have a similar system, or at least work in a similar way.
Has anybody heard anything from the H&N victim?
Has he been Gagged, hacked, identity stolen, drugged by a Police informant while having his 999 calls ignored?
–
Moving forward: the Church does acknowledge working alongside the Police in these matters.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyRosnwO_mg Kim Carnes – Bette Davis Eyes (1981)
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Bishop Billy Bunter needs dragging back to his home diocese of Birmingham, where the ceremony of degradation of a bishop should take place in the Bull Ring.
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Would that involve de-horning the disgraced bishop?
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Absolutely and preferably a castration too.
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Castration ??
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Chemical castration
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It seems as though being promoted as a priest today is a sure sign that he has been up to something and will therefore keep his mouth shut. Promoting a problem is one way of dealing with it, I suppose!
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The report flagged up Byrnes penchant for a swanky pad in Gosforth, unaffordable to most parishioners but doesnât say why it was allowed to happen.
Many diocesan people involved in this purchase and yet it went through uncontested.
Bishops and senior clergy see diocesan property, plumb parishes and presbyteryâs and grace and favour arrangements as part of the package.
Check this out:
Osman lives in Dorchester on Thames pad for over 25 years – No VG dare fuck with him and his fealty – what leverage does he have?
CMOC flash pad in Chiswick – who paid for that?
Chris Thomas – does he live in one of those couple of million town houses on Eccleston Sq?
Will Elsie inherit CMOCs Chiswick pad?
Arnold lives in Elizabethan Manor House.
Coneys pad as bishop of A&B was manorial and opulent.
Itâs not just about the money itâs often about the property too.
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What to do next.
1. Turn complaining about your church into praying for your church.
2. Turn worrying about your churchâs imperfection into trusting Godâs perfection.
Worrying about our church often is symptomatic of a trust sickness. God is in competent control of our churches. Christ is not wearing a worry-path in the carpet of heavenâs throne room. He is seated, relaxed, and building his church.
Worry doubts his capabilities while trusting in itself. It assumes that its activity of fretting is more industrious than trusting God. Itâs possible that our disappointment in our church is rooted here.
A productive alternative to worrying about your church is trusting Godâs perfection.
3. Turn gossiping to others about the disappointment in your church into thanking God for the good in it.
Blunders can be found in every church if you look for them. And, often, even if you donât. But they are normal, especially since the church is filled with people like you and me.
Re-channel the fleshly thrill of gossip elsewhere, however. While changes probably need to be made, worship God with the fruit of lips that give thanks to his name (Hebrews 13:5).
A productive alternative to gossiping about your church is thanking God for the good in it.
4. Turn being a part of the problem with your church into being part of the solution.
Now I know these are easier said than done, but they are necessary.
Changes need to be made in the Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle.
Healing needs to take place. Particularly at St Maryâs Cathedral.
Some of the appointments that Bishop Robert made need to be looked at with fresh eyes and asked âwas this appointment right and for the good of the church, in the best interests of lay people, and right for priest?â And if not, it needs changed.
New trustees need to be appointed.
As the Archbishop will not know people in the diocese, this could be problematic.
He is likely relying on Bishop Robertâs collaborators. These are the people that perhaps need to step down.
I would have thought that they would have offered resignations after this report, in humility, to make the Archbishops job a little easier.
If they havenât, why not? Surely there is a pool of talent in the diocese to draw from?
This is where lay people can be very helpful. Perhaps the Archbishop can provide a forum for recommendations to come to him for new lay and priest trustees?
They have been ignored the last four years. This is an opportunity to ask them.
Who can help lead the diocese into the future and be a good support to the new Bishop when he comes?
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âGod is in competent control of our churches.â
Thanks! At last weâve found out whoâs really raping the children! đ
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2.42
Excuse me. I said, ‘Excuse Me’. Thank you.
Allow me to interject, for just the briefest of moments. I know you have much to say… and not much time to listen… so, if I might suggest one or two things that are missing from your Homerian discourse? I beg your pardon. Yes, of course. I’ll be brief: I know you have very important thoughts to share.
Erm, who’s fretting about the Church? No one that I can see. And if they were fretting, it wouldn’t have been about the Church, since the clergy are not the Church: they never were, and never will be. Dip into the documents of Vatican II sometime; you’ll find them helpful in terms of ecclesiology.
God is in competent control of our churches? Trouble is, he isn’t. And the evidence for this is all around us. He would like to be, I’m sure. But this requires handing control over to him, and it just isn’t happening, such is the monumental hubris of the clergy.
It’s not about sitting back, putting up one’s feet, and letting God get on with it: God NEEDS us to work his will. We’re a kind of Co-Op, you see, God and us, but if we don’t cooperate with God, then control of our churches always spirals out of… Yes, you’ve guessed it. But have you understood?
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4:49
Excellent post.
Spot on.
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7:41 from 5:23
Arrogant silliness.
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4.49
At least, in this instance, you have resisted the temptation to introduce the issue of CSA into the conversation. But you couldnât resist propping up your contribution with the comment 5.23.
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Envy, 7.41, follows you around like…a very bad smell.
You’re a pity, which in itself is a pity. Because you really don’t deserve any. Pity. Those who nuture envy and resentment in themselves seldom do.
You could talk to someone about your issues: it might make a difference. But, for this, someone much, much wiser than you.
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Bishop Bill Kenny bagged a v posh house in Oxford and lives there on his lonesome – know what I mean?
Bishop Philip Pargeter lives in a posh pad in Sutton Coldfield all on his lonesome too.
Wonder where Nursie and his Dominic will live when he retires? Chipping Norton?
Itâs not all about the bass, itâs all about the pad, no trouble.
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Bishop William Kenny lives in the little presbytery adjoining St Hugh’s church in Woodstock (opposite Blenheim Palace). Bishop Philip Pargeter lives in a detached house opposite Oscott College Seminary and is supported by a small band of nuns who care for him (he’s 87 now).
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I wouldn’t call it a little house.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/j6Waqqf6RBKKqiAe6
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The hypocrite McMahon had the archdiocese purchase a 7 bedroom detached period property, located âwithin a leafy private parkâ in âa wonderful conservation areaâ back in 2014 when he arrived. âşď¸ It was lavishly redecorated, no expense spared, and as if it wasnât big enough already, had a private chapel built – extension within the garden.
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/house-prices/details/england-29081937-50107482?s=55378c7a8936fc8b8a7ff9c54bafa35fc4d6dfec99558402e181b72ca4810ef0#/
https://themovemarket.com/tools/propertyprices/19-salisbury-road-liverpool-l19-0ph
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Thanks for the pics. Yes, total hypocrite. Great to see the crapper he sits on.
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Where was the Archbishop’s House previously?
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Patrick Kellyâs gaff was Lowood, Carnatic Road L18 (think itâs been converted to flats now). Wasnât lavish enough for McMahon, reminded him of a geriatric nursing home!
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Now, that will be one to watch – Nursie and his Dominic, where will they settle down when Longley retires, what, in six seven years’ time ? Longley shows no signs of moving Dominic from his desk job to a parish. It’s definitely a marriage made in heaven. There are a couple of Young Bucks who would love the job, such as Father Craig Szmidt, current vocations director. There isn’t much work to do with vocations these days, and he loves swanning around in a purple MC cassock, all coiffed with his high collar and white cuffs sticking out. So he would definitely fit the bill. Very presentable, if a bit on the short side. If he can oust Dominic from the nest. Yes, watch that space !
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Is it me or is there an uncanny resemblance? PJ SMITH is the double of the disgraced bishop.
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Yeah it’s total whitewash which some of us aren’t surprised.
Mc Mahon has demonstrated his total contempt towards all of us cos he thinks we are Fools. That’s one way of his thinking plus many others.
He has no respect for us including all concerned clergy, people of the diocese, as well by publishing a whitewash report.
My response would be:
1. Stop giving any money to diocese of Liverpool or H&N cos of that whitewash report.
2. Treat that Bishop with total contempt (like he did to us) by giving valuable info to police, independent journalists (not mainstream cos they are part of establishment), outsiders with huge axe to grind against Mc Mahon.
4. Withold any or all info regarding Byrne, mc coy et al as you pass it on to someone that you trust (someone with no ties to rcc especially Liverpool or Newcastle, not even the nuncio as well) and get it published somewhere for us to read.
5. I recall from previous blog that there is something missing in that report as it involves a lay person as well. There were other missing pieces as well if my memory serves me correctly.
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Good post.
Well said, DG.
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How does a diocese heal and recover after being Burnt by Byrne?
Where is the collective wisdom or shared wisdom from similar situations both in UK, Ireland and Scotland?
I fear the answer is there is no shared or collective wisdom to draw on because both lay and clerical Catholics donât share their collective pain, shame or insights.
Synodality and collegiality are a myth.
The only collegiality in the Bible is when the soldiers came to arrest Jesus âthey all fledâ and thatâs what happens today â life goes on, clergy come, clergy go, bishops are appointed, bishops resign.
They are no experts in humanity for they barely possess a humanity.
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Excellent, insightful comment.
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Anon at 3.58pm
Insightful comment đ.
H & N diocese are âdamaged goodsâ.
Number of reasons comes to mind.
1. Mc Mahon is giving us âtwo fingersâ cos we are Fools, or lowly etc by publishing a whitewash report.
2. Mc Mahon doesnt give a fig about ourselves. His sheer arrogance and contempt towards ourselves, priests of h & N diocese, parishioners of that diocese, outsiders or readers who might be in reading whatâs between the lines is very plain to see it for ourselves.
3. Stories re mc Coy coming out via Facebook and lourdes which made me think, was he *****?
4. Lack of financial, moral accountability which it should be referred to financial, charity regulators and police as well regarding H & N diocese.
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5:10 McMahon & the entire Roman Catholic Church Mafia are enabled by international policing authorities to stick their two fingers and anything else theyâve got firmly up at everyone else.
The only surprise is that theyâre not openly mooning at psssers by on the street. Letâs face it itâs not like theyâd be arrested or anything. A law unto themselves in a thugs paradise.
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You were praising Archbishop McMahon on your blog regarding his swift response to you at the time and also praising his meetings with clergy. You always seem rather taken in by these merchants and what they have peddled you.
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Michael McCoy was a pedophile. I heard many priests of H&N openly remark on his appetite for teenage boys. He dished out thousands of pounds in cash from the sisters of mercy on Sunderland to young lads in Lourdes for drink money when he was the chaplain and helped to put them to bed at night.
As a victim of clerical abuse (not by McCoy but an associate of his) I feel vindicated in my decision *NOT* to take part in this phoney investigation. It wouldnât have been worth all the pain of confronting the past for it to have been whitewashed by the authorities. Easier to take it to the grave than attempt to seek justice form these monsters.
Chucking everything at Robert Byrne isnât the answer, though he should be made to face up to his horrendous decisions. The diocese is totally corrupt.
Was Seamus Cunningham interviewed?
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Thank you for this comment.
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This is an excellent addition to this thread… And you pose a worthy final question that deserves an answer. Thank you!
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There is no truth or proof at all that Fr McCoy was a pedophile. Everything you have stated there is hearsay (gossip and lies ). To say he used money from the sisters of mercy is complete nonsense. People forget Fr Michael was a youth worker/school Chaplin etc.
where he worked along side male and female.
Iâve been to Lourdes many times with Fr Michael and his mother. I have never seen any wrong doing at all. The work and the responsibility that goes in to organising these trips to Lourdes is hard work. There one priest who organised it after Fr Michaelâs had said never again. Itâs to hard. He never but anyone to bed and the rooms were full of other students as well. Please donât print stuff on hearsay maybe get the truth first. Disgracefull. Shame on you
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Sadly comments from 2.06 contain the very hearsay complained about. . Fr Michael successfully led the last Diocesan youth pilgrimage to Lourdes in 2019 and as there hasnât been another pilgrimage since then due to Covid no other priest has organised the Youth section and been able to say Never Again!
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I realised it now that it’s a damage limitation exercise and minimising the damage as they can.
Purchase of expensive house in a plush area is sending massively wrong signals to all of us cos they are misusing our monies for their lifestyle gain, entitlement to plush lifestyle that we aren’t accustomed to.
So that’s a strong case for financial and charity case to be referred to their respective authorities (Secular authorities) re H and N diocese. It’s the all the more compelling reasons not to give to donate our monies to h and n diocese or any diocese that misuses our monies for their monetary, financial and lifestyle gain.
Also a big question of Byrne’s spending when he was a Bishop, was he spending a lot than he was not supposed to do. Example of this is a plush house, any other spending which might be relevant such as rent boys, spending more on useless items or unusual large expense which would deserve an audit or a scrutiny.
However that is not the whole point. The whole point was Byrne’s warped sense of judgement, wasnt he thinking straight when he wanted an abuser in his plush house if I recall correctly from previous blogs.
Also did he ignore safeguarding advice and went against it, if so it would imply that his judgement is bit suspect, perhaps mental illness or warped mind if you like but I’m not an expert on all of these matters.
It would mean that his judgements was odd, all over the place when it came to decisions, important decisions such as my coy, safeguarding decision, abuser case et al
Finally, if his judgement was bit suspect, given his history that I do not know for a long time except for insiders, then why did they appoint him for that bishopric job in the first place đ¤ˇââď¸đ
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The average house price in Newcastle currently is ÂŁ235,000 which really looks like charitable funds have been misused.
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Anon at 5.10pm
Thank you đ.
Cos I don’t really know house prices in Newcastle
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Gosforth properties are not âaverageâ.
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“Allegations that lewd parties took place at St Maryâs Cathedral during the pandemic are simply untrue. What did happen is that following the sanitisation of the cathedral after permitted services the volunteers who carried this out were invited into the cathedral house for refreshments. On occasion after long days the volunteers were offered a take-away meal and a glass of wine. At the time, covid regulations were in force and a report was made to Northumbria Police, but no action was taken. Subsequently, as part of this investigation a further report has been made to the police, who once again decided to take no action. Bishop Byrne was not present at any of these gatherings.”
So there.
“The sale of Bishopâs House at West Denton and the purchase of a replacement at Gosforth attracted publicity in the local, regional, and international media. Although the relocation realised a financial surplus it was considered by many priests, deacons, and people in the diocese to be an error of judgement. Gosforth is a middle-class area where property prices are high and out of reach for most people in the diocese. Bishop Byrne could have relocated to a property that served his and diocesan needs in a less conspicuous area at a lower cost. This would have been a sign of his willingness to come closer to his people.”
Which “priests, deacons, and people in the diocese”? Who gives any thought to this sort of thing? Who even knows about it? And big houses tend to be in middle-class areas, that is just reality. A bishop could live in a one bedroom flat, or in a monastic cell, but those po-facedly suggesting such a thing fail to understand what a Bishop’s House does. “The relocation realised a financial surplus.” Again, then, so there.
“The sad death by suicide of Canon Michael McCoy brought great sorrow to all those who knew him and had benefited from his many years of service to the diocese. During those years, there had been two occasions when Michael McCoy had been the subject of safeguarding plans regarding boundaries relevant to working with older teenagers. There had been no allegations of a sexual nature against Michael McCoy until April 2021. His death by suicide followed a visit by Northumbria Police saying that such an allegation had been made against him. In considering Michael McCoyâs appointment to the Cathedral, Bishop Byrne had been notified from more than one source of the safeguarding issues. It was an error of judgement to then promote a priest with a safeguarding record to a high-profile position. Instead, Bishop Byrne could have paid greater heed to ensuring that Michael McCoy was appropriately managed given the safeguarding concerns which had been raised.”
What does any of that mean? If “there had been no allegations of a sexual nature against Michael McCoy until April 2021,” then what were his “safeguarding plans regarding boundaries relevant to working with older teenagers”? This has the whiff of a certain feminist generation’s swivel-eyed hostility towards any independent social, intellectual or spiritual relationship between older and younger males, purely because it is beyond their control. And they well and truly control the Catholic Church in this country. Along with most other things. Major political projects have been brought down in no small measure for the same reason. But Canon McCoy coordinated school chaplaincy in this Diocese for many years, so is the safeguarding-industrial complex admitting that he was doing so while subject to one of its “plans”? There remains no suggestion that he was guilty of the allegation that was used to hound him to his death.
“A further error of judgment occurred regarding Timothy Gardner, a member of the Dominican order, who is a convicted paedophile who Bishop Byrne has known for many years. They were seen associating together in public in Newcastle and it was known that Gardner was a frequent visitor at Bishopâs House. Despite being advised by senior priests in the diocese that this was an inappropriate relationship Bishop Byrne insisted that it was a pastoral relationship and therefore appropriate and refused their advice. Bishop Byrne failed to understand the risks he was taking both for himself and the diocese.”
Risks of what? “Associating together” how, exactly? Someone in the Church has to have a pastoral relationship with convicted paedophiles, although it is worth pointing out that this one has never been to prison and has never been accused of a contact offence. There is no suggestion that Bishop Byrne offered him any role in the Church.
“During the investigation the issue of academisation of schools was brought to my attention. I am fully aware of the strongly held views on this topic, and the concerns that were raised during Bishop Byrneâs tenure. Education is an important area of mission in this and all dioceses, and one which I will be looking into further in the coming months.”
In their shared historic fiefdoms, such as the North East of England, the liberal wing of the Catholic Church is symbiotically related to the right wings of the British Labour Party, of the American Democratic Party, of the Australian Labor Party, and so on. At least in Britain, those political machines’ strongest powerbases are in the state-funded schools, meaning that the Catholic ones are dominated by liberals as a subset of Labour Rightists, and indeed vice versa. It is undeniably the case that academisation was and is an existential threat to all of that.
“There are other matters that have emerged leading up to and following Bishop Byrneâs resignation which are internal to the diocese of Hexham and Newcastle and are not directly of public interest. I do not propose to comment on these, save to say that there are no concerns in terms of governance or the operation of the Diocese.”
So there.
“The safeguarding review carried out by the Catholic Safeguarding Standards Agency is near completion and will be published in full in the next few weeks. I have been encouraged by the interim reports to date and am satisfied that safeguarding in the diocese is safe.”
So there.
“Bishop Byrneâs resignation was accepted by Pope Francis on 12 December 2022.”
It does not take five months to decide whether or not to make an arrest pursuant to one allegation of sexual assault by an adult against another adult, and all rumours as to what Bishop Byrne was now doing presuppose that he holds an Enhanced DBS check, which he certainly would not hold if he were subject to such a Police investigation, or probably if he ever had been. There has never been a Police investigation into His Lordship. He should now sue every media outlet that had suggested that there was one. An Oratorian does not take a vow of poverty, and the English Oratories have friends who could afford any lawyer in London. I alone have publicly defended Bishop Robert Byrne CO. I have done so from the very start.
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This comment is in church speak.
Translation: I’m an incel.
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5.26: You, sir, continue to display such impoverishment of intelligence. I doubt if you could even read or understand the content of 5.14 which requires a brain of some kind. Your continued mantra for all literate and cogent commentary must embarrass you into the realisation that, basically, your a thicko!!
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6:49 đŻ
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5.14: A brilliantly presented, logical and cogent set of quotes. They are very clear in expression and are very clear in meaning. I don’t know all the details of these stories but some people with liberal, left, trendy opinions and feminist ideologues would destroy all clerics if possible for an advancement of their own extreme anti religious agendas. For any person – teachers, clerics and chaplains to express words of support or encouragement or to be seen to make any kind of judgment or to show empathy by a handshake are now often accused of overstepping boundaries or even accused of abuse! Navigating your way around all sensitivities regarding safeguarding is a minefield when working with children and young vulnerable teenagers or adults. All of us have to be absolutely vigilant and responsible in our dealings with all in our parishes but the slightest mistake can now be your downfall. Yes, the horrible crime of abuse must be dealt with by civil law but the potential for being falsely accused is forever present. I dislike the manner in which the anti christs (mobsters) on Pat’s blog go all apoplectic with rage when they don’t get heads on plates!!
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6.28::Spot on.
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âLeftâ? It doesnât get much more left-wing than I am. Precisely because I am an orthodox Catholic. The merciless intolerance of anything with a young male following and plenty of intergenerational male friendships was no small factor in the destruction of the recent resurgence of economically egalitarian and internationally pacific politics in Great Britain.
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Come off it!!!
You only have to look at McCoys friends! Especially the one who denied knowing him after his death. Of course the two Ms werenât friends, especially when they dined out together every Sunday and Monday evening đ
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Well done Pat.
The Roman Catholic hierarchy are unable, unwilling, to prioritise anything or anyone, above the institution, it is supreme, and must be saved above all else, unfortunately for them, they a inadvertently have made a hameâs of it.
The Roman Catholic hierarchy should not be allowed to police themselves, they have proven time, and, time again, the are completely dishonest, and not to be trusted, irrespective of which part of the world it has gained control, the same scenario plays out.
The minute I saw McMahon in the Cappa Magna, all âdressed up like a dogs dinnerâ someone who has no shame otherwise he wouldnât be caught dead in it, and, he see himself as the cock of the walk, arrogantly invulnerable, what he says goes, or so he thinks.
As long as the Roman Catholic laity continue to attend Mass, and even worse, continue to contribute to itâs coffers, the Roman Catholic church will survive, add to that the fear instilled of fire and brimstone, and the promise of eternal life, generations of people have fallen for that âpromiseâ over the centuries.
How many of the laity really care what goes on in the dioceses, probably only those who are involved in any way with it, no doubt for others it causes hilarity, tittering, and something juicy to gossip about, it probably brightens up a dull day.
Those who attend Sunday Mass & maybe Communion, donât practice their religion in their daily lives. On Sunday, the second they walk out the door of the church, allâs forgotten, Catholicism put aside until the following Sunday.
Roman Catholics are aware of the lies, sharp practice, deception, the rapes, the sex, the stolen money, by their priests, and quite frankly, I donât think many of them care, two hoot, one way or the other.
Itâ every man for himself & to hell with the rest.
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Why did people, including clergy, cooperate with this investigation in the first place when they must have known that it would probably be a white-wash. Why did they give it legitimacy?
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5:55 because they possess zero integrity and are professional covering up merchants.
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5.14pm
Thank you for your detailed and passionate missive.
I fear your âso thereâ rejoinder suggests the idea that the report is a white wash as Bishop Byrne is whiter than white, good as gold, a beacon of a bishop prick if ever there was one.
I was amused too that you climaxed with the boast of knowing several wealthy lawyers who woukd defend your clearly beloved friend in a court of law for defamation when, of course, such action would be foolish as media outlets have access to even more expensive and able lawyers.
It reminded me of Newman and Achii with Newman losing and paying compensation and costs to the tune of ÂŁ14000 in 19th Century money.
A Dicastory Investigation into a Bishop or Diocese is rather like a naught schoolboy being investigated by his Mum and concluding what was all the fuss about as little Jimmy (Bobby) is as good as gold!!
So there.
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I never said that I knew wealthy lawyers. I said that the Orarorians did, or had friends who did. And that is true.
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Most good solicitors and barristers would not sully their professional reputation by getting involved with this shower. The kind of instruction you would seek to decline or refer on.
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Wesking at 2:42
I have never been part of the “Gossiping Church” of Deacons, Priests, Curates, Canons Monsignors, Suffragans, Bishops, Archbishops. Cassocks, Soutanes, “titchy squash hats”, big floppy ones or birettas, red socks, Magna Cappas, white cassocks are too close to the “whitened sepulchres” we were all warned against. The Institutional Church.
The parlous state of the Church founded by Christ in the Kingdom of England is the sole responsibility of its leadership and it has always been so. Leaders have to lead and Church Leadership has to lead us in the Way, the Truth and the Life. Priests must not distribute Holy Communion to those they know; yes Father you do know but you choose to ignore; living together when married to other people.
Bishops must not ordain to the priesthood those who claim that God has created for them special rules governing sexual relations. Anything that is condoned by the weak squirming Hierarchs trying to come to grips with their own inanities at IICSA inquiry has got to be taken with the largest pinch of salt possible.
The root problem is nearly as old as the Church herself and is so simple to solve. We just have to listen to the words of the Son of God whom we all continually betray. Jesus made it so clear at his trial “My kingdom is not of this world”. All worldly, man made organisations have as their first task the responsibility of maintaining their own structure. Our Church is no different. Today is the Feast of the Martyrs of England. Why is it that I can only think of one Bishop who was prepared to die rather than break his oath?
There was only one John Fisher; the others were very much the same as the lot we have to-day.
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6.30pm
Ah isnât that sweet they know some wealthy lawyers- gosh isnât life grand.
So there!!
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The next Bishop of this Diocese needs to be a man in the mould of Ss Aidan and Cuthbert- great but simple men who had profound connections with not only the people of the north east but also the land itself (particulary St Cuthbert- the Diocesan patron). We are a proud people who value honesty and hard work- we don’t ask for much, but I fear that this whitewash will be the final nail for many believers.
The appointment of the next Bishop is crucial to the future of this Diocese- might it be worth giving the people of the Diocese a say?
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No a St Wilfrid would be better.
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They could always write to the nuncio with suggestions!
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I suggest writing to Cardinal Sarah as he has a kind listening ear.
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Oh! no not you know wanting us to write to nuncios or Cardinalâs again.
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10:24: Complaining you.
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1 â Bp Moth will be flapping. Surely Abp McMâs turf is too far distant from Newcastle? England is desperately short of senior high profile abps.
2 â How many RCC trustees countrywide have portfolio careers and multiple political sidelines? How does Abp McM look by stating there are no governance concerns? Did he get the report and ES written for him?
3 â Were retired priests / bishops also surveyed / interviewed? Bp Kenney, a sociologist, must have maintained a view of H&N including its non-clergy side.
4 â What a pall over bishop choosing and a question mark over all candidates of the last X years. Why were they not appointed? Pope Franco orders bishops to not resign, so surely he can order someone to âacceptâ appointment? Did the previous H&N bishop (now retired) stay in H&N for 53 years?
5 â What a pall over CBCEW and city state / foreign service processes altogether.
6 â The idea of always using Birmingham auxiliaries as a pool to appoint from is not a good one because it is too di- or trichotomous and no-one knows anyone well enough. Bp Dunn whom some esteemed, had been from Newcastle-under-Lyme.
7 â Also one should be more sparing in appointing members of certain dubious orders. Was a previous Bp of H&N from Ampleforth, gifted by exalted colleague Hume to his birthplace?
8 â Is the Cong Orat going to hold investigations and produce reports? From where will it cherry pick its visitators?
9 â What was the point of putting the non-genuine âsafeguardingâ people in place?
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10:35
Love your posts.
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In relation to safeguarding children and vulnerable teenagers and adults, in the 70 ‘s in seminary there was no semester or serious consideration given to this important moral issue. Even in society. Indeed, had people been truly aware of institutional horrors of abuse in Launderies, Boys Homes, Orphanges, Baby and Mother homes and psychiatric hospitals, we rightly ask now in 2023 – who failed to monitor the protocols and procedures within these places? Who supervised untrained low grade religious and lay workers? What psychology, psychiatry or classes in humanity and compassion were given to all workers? Sadly, much was expected from poorly trained personnel and supervision was non existent by any government agencies. It’s a blight of uncivilised behaviour, darkness and moral shame on our church and society that such cruelty and abuse were dished out because these people were deemed outcasts and unwanted. For some families this abuse is intergenerational and many continue to be affected still. The half reports given, the redaction of certain portions of reports and the withholding of personal information to syevivors/victims is a crime. Why cannot our church and government get together, work out some peace and reconciliation forum, include all abused members of our church and state and dialogue to some resolution of outstanding issues..For as long as there is a passing of blame from one to another and a procrastination of decision making, the hurt and pain will live on for generations….
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I came across Robert Byrne in Oxford when I went to the Oratory to ask to discuss my child being baptised. I knocked on the door and he answered in a somewhat dishevelled state hastily tying his cincture around him – he had clearly been relaxing. I told him my business and he airily announced that he as it was outside office hours (it was 5:30pm approx) he could not discuss further and to come back another day. Perhaps he was missing when the shepherd/sheep lectures were taking place.
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Who on earth is bishop Pat?
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Pat, I realise the cathedral dean of H&N has allegedly caused much hurt to people due to his intimidating tactics. I also know there are many of the faithful who can no longer get into the cathedral because of the fortress the dean has created. Perhaps the cleaners were demanding more choice when it came to the post sanitising take aways and so the dean thought it better to just pull the shutters down and solve the problem that way which would also mean there would be more take aways for him as I do hear he likes his food.
There have been lots of people commented on St Maryâs fortress and now being quite vocal on why their comments are rarely published on your blog. St Marys fortress has become a big problem in H&N and I wondered if that could be highlighted a bit more.
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Could not agree more!
My parents married there 55 years ago. Took mum on train on wedding anniversary as dad had recently died. The place was locked up by 2pm. I rang the office to ask if it was possible to light a candle and why. It was not! We went into St Nicholasâs Anglican cathedral. Lovely welcome. They need a new dean at St Maryâs. The current one has the impression heâs witty and funny? Is it just me who thinks heâs actually not funny at all?
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Sad when my fellow Catholics and I have to go to the Anglican Cathedral to pray.Utterly disgraceful on the part of the Dean of St Maryâs.Shame on you.But he could provide pizzas to cleaners!!
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He also finds the time to star in cameo roles on location at St Michaels up the road from the cathedral in the cop show âVeraâ just as well vera didnât want to shoot the funeral scene at the cathedral as it wouldnât have been open for them to get in and do the filming.
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When one thinks of the late Father Dermott Donnelly a great and compassionate dean and man yet the late Bishop Byrne appointed McCoy and now this dean!!What a legacy he has left H&N!!Sorry it âwas an error of judgementâ
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As a headteacher in the Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle I would point out this is the man appointed as Episcopal Vicar for Education and now we are having good Catholic teachers leave because of his attitude.
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Too true!!! My whole retirement plans have had to change after giving my career to this diocese. An authentic practicing catholic as well, not a career catholic. I was totally committed to my school and if I say so myself highly respected by parents staff and the local authority. He came in with his sidekick đŚ and they made it clear they were more than happy to wave me goodbye and I think enjoyed doing it.
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Byrne had one day at a time bullied tge COO hoping sheâd just go so that he could put the dean into the VG job. Letâs face it, the current VG is really not a VG. Actually I was sat watching the coronation yesterday and thought I might spot him at the abbey with the other crown heads of Europe.
The dean, happy to throw his weight around on behalf of Bob and at the same time stab Bob in the back, tut tut tutting over Bob having a convicted sex offender in bishops house. The dean had a trotter in each camp you could say and now acting like he has integrity?
Heâs finished!!! Finished!!!
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Has nobody picked up on the comments that Bishop Byrne appears to have allowed a convicted sex offended into the Diocese.I can assure you that if the good people of Gosforth knew he was near their private schools perhaps even living in the same street they would have reported this to the police and press immediately.Perhaps Pat you could look at a map and see how near the schools are to Bobâs Palace !!
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The same Cathedral Dean was Bishop Byrneâs âright hand manâ. He deferred to the Dean for everything in the last 12 months. Even though he wasnât actually the VG, he acted as if he was and still does.
He was in reality running the diocese while the Bishop drank Gin and Tonic. Now the Dean is saying how awful it was âunderâ bishop Byrne. Iâm sure it was! Why is he still in place?! Because until a new bishop comes, he holds that many positions that he is really running the diocese. All the people around Byrne need to go. Surely there are actual good and caring pastors in H and N who can step up? Or are they all the same?????
Iâm just down the road in Middlesbrough Diocese, but my sister lives in Newcastle and used to go the the cathedral. Last year she left, and now attends a parish in Gateshead. But Iâve told her that she shouldnât have to move parish. She said to me âbut who do I complain too?â Only Mr Robert Byrneâs men are left in charge of everything. What a mess.
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The dean is a laughing stock. He wonât care though as heâs a typical narcissist. He will convince himself it is him who has had the hard time. That however is not the experience of everybody else. Education in H&N is on its knees! Byrne was so lazy he wanted the champagne Charlie lifestyle and so put him in place hoping it would all work out. Well it did not work out and people are now seeing Matthews Gospel unfolding in H&N due to Byrne building everything on sand. The storms have come and just about washed the diocese away. H&N need a new bishop, a new dean along with a new episcopal council to replace the muppet show. Once that happens they can build on rock and serve the people with integrity.
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