Friday 29 November 2013

IN DEFENCE OF FATHER HUGH KENNEDY, BELFAST

IN DEFENCE OF FATHER HUGH KENNEDY, BELFAST

Father Hugh Kennedy - St Peter's Cathedral

The following letter arrived here by 1st class mail today and is being published as part of this blog's determination to seek the truth and give everyone the right of replay:

DEAR BISHOP,

PLEASE PUBLISH THIS ON YOUR BLOG IN DEFENCE OF FATHER KENNEDY. THE ATTACK ON HIM BY AN ANONYMOUS PRIEST WAS UNWARRANTED.

1. I AM A HUMBLE LAYMAN WORSHIPPING AT ST. PETER'S CATHEDRAL.

2.  FR KENNEDY IS NOT IN AN "OBVIOUS GAY RELATIONSHIP" WITH ANYONE.

3. FR KENNEDY IS A COMPASSIONATE, CARING AND HOLY PRIEST WHO HAS SHOWN GREAT KINDNESS TO ME AND TO MANY.

4. THE CATHEDRAL IS NOT A "DISASTER".  IT IS WELL RUN, WITH GOOD LITURGY AND MUSIC - ALMOST UNIQUE IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN IRELAND. FR KENNEDY'S HOMILIES ARE INTERESTING AND INTELLIGENT, AND BRING PEOPLE TO GOD.


5. THE ANONYMOUS PRIEST SAYS HE IS NEW TO THE DIOCESE OF S & C -  HOW HAS HE GATHERED THIS INFORMATION SO RAPIDLY?

6. FR KENNEDY IS NOT A SNOB. HE IS ABLE TO ASSOCIATE WITH A VERY WIDE RANGE OF PEOPLE AND MINISTERS TO ALL EQUALLY.

7. HE IS WIDELY LOVED AND RESPECTED IN ST PETER'S CATHEDRAL AND PARISH. AS WITH ALL PRIESTS, HE HAS HIS DETRACTORS, BUT THEY ARE VASTLY OUTNUMBERED BY THOSE WHO LOVE HIM.


8. HE HAS BEEN PUT THROUGH HELL THIS LAST TWO YEARS BY THE DIOCESE 

AND HAS COURAGEOUSLY RETURNED TO HIS JOB OF MINISTRY AND TO DO HIS DUTY TO HIS PEOPLE. THIS OUGHT TO BE COMMENDED.

LASTLY, I WOULD EARNESTLY ASK YOU TO PUT THIS ON YOUR BLOG IF ONLY IN THE INTERESTS OF FAIRNESS AND BALANCE. I, LIKE THE PRIEST, WISH TO REMAIN ANONYMOUS, BUT WHAT I HAVE WRITTEN IS SINCERE AND EARNEST, AND MAY I HOPE REPAIR SOME OF THE WOUNDS WHICH FATHER KENNEDY HAS ENDURED.

THANK YOU.

13 comments:

  1. What can I say only Fair Comment Sir. I am not in a position to confirm or deny anything you say nor would I wish to. However may I suggest less of the humble layperson. The Church may be hierarchical in nature but the Kingdom of God is circular where each member is of equal value but may attend to different functions. Sean

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  2. Did Hugh Kennedy write that himself? Or pay somebody to pen it? What a load of bs! It is actually laughable this letter. Go walk about in St Peter's parish and you'll find out what people think of him! Parishiooner,

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    1. If you go walking about St Peter's Parish, the one person you are certain not to meet is Fr Kennedy. Whoever wrote that letter to you Bishop P has their head stuck up where the sin don't shine!

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  3. I'd say the boyfriend wrote that letter. Def not a parishioner. Or some minion wrote it - a young (male, of course) stalwart! LOL.

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  4. That letter is a joke. As are the pathetic attempts of this self-pitying buffoon to portray himself as a "martyr" - a "martyr" to the horn certainly!!! He is responsible - and he alone - for the mess he got into! Not the diocese! Not the bishop! Nobody but himself and thon other geezer. If he was a teacher, he would have got the sack! Nauseating.

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  5. "I AM A HUMBLE LAYMAN WORSHIPPING AT ST. PETER'S CATHEDRAL". Oy, right! Do you think we all came in the Lough in a bubble??? :-) "Like all priests he has detractors"?? Nah! HK is not like most priests. He is a disgrace to the priesthood. He should be sacked from our Parish. I go to Clonard. HE IS A SNOB AND WORSE!

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  6. What a load of ballicks. Does the eejit who wrote that letter think we all feckin stupid? I think Kennedy or the lover wrote it tbh. Holy? Humble? As Jim Royle would eloquently put it - MY Arxx! Nobody goes to St Peters anymore much anyhow because of that performing choir - all outsiders.

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  7. What duty is kennedy doing for his people? seriously? the Cathedral is a disaster precisely because of the so-called "good music and liturgy". It is pretentious farce devoid of the Spirit of Christ!

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  8. None are so blind as those who cannot see!

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  9. Kennedy has some brass neck on him.

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  10. As a parishioner of Fr Kennedy's former parish Sacred Heart, I would like if I may, to say a word about my experience of his ministry here.

    I come from the "bone" area an area of high deprivation like St. Peter's. My late fathe lived in Norfolk Street and my great grandparents were married in the Cathedral. One of morning at 10 Mass a funeral took place. There were no mourners only regular Mass goers. Fr Kennedy asked 4 men to carry this poor mans coffin into the church. He gave this man a Requiem Mass fit for a prince. He preceeded the coffin singing "In Paradisum"this day may you be in paradise where Lazarus is poor no longer. I was moved to tears. This is a compassionate man of prayer and I am proud to call him friend. Say as you know not as you hear. Fr. Paddy you will know who I am and can verify that I write this on my own behalf.

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    1. He also deeply hurt many SH parishioners and alienated them. It seems this man is a mixed bag. Maybe he is schizo? Maybe it depends on what mood he is in? Either way, he made a right fool of himself in London with his boyfriend, drunk and disorderly and both in a state of undress, in front of kids! He has lost credibility and I doubt if it can restored?

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  11. He should go into exile. Maybe keep house for Keith O'Brien in Northumberland.

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