Wednesday 18 March 2015

FATHER CIARAN DALLAT - WOMAN'S STATEMENT

Father Ciaran Dallat
STATEMENT OF “LINDA” TO BISHOP TREANOR


Bishop Noel Treanor


My name is “Linda” and I am a regular Mass attender and my faith has always been a very important part of my life.I am a business woman and I am unmarried.

My only interest in Father Dallat was that he was a priest and I attended Mass along with my beloved mother who has since died. However in 2012 Father Dallat started taking a special interest in me – an interest that was noticed by members of my family.

In July 2012 my mother and I had booked to go on a pilgrimage to Padre Pio’s tomb at San Giovanni in Italy. Father Dallat somehow found out that we were going on this pilgrimage and approached me and asked me if it was true. I confirmed that it was. Father Dallat arranged to become spiritual director on that pilgrimage and told me he would help me with my mum who had broken her legs 6 weeks before the trip.

Several people on the pilgrimage noticed that he was becoming obsessed with me. He was constantly in my company.

When we returned from Italy Father Dallat asked me to go for dinner with him at Deans Restaurant in Belfast to celebrate my birthday. I thought it was an unusual request from a priest but I went and paid half of the bill.

After this Father Dallat told me in person: “I have waited my whole life to meet a girl like you”.

As a catholic I was feeling guilty to be having a relationship with a priest but it did not bother Father Dallat at all.

In September 2012 I took Father Dallat on a pilgrimage to Medjugorje which cost me £2,000. On that pilgrimage he came to my room and said: “Take your clothes off”. We ended up having full sexual intercourse. It appeared to me that he was not new to such sexual intimacy as we was very relaxed and comfortable with it.

When we came home we started going out on dates together – for meals at the Wellington Park Hotel, Belfast, to the pictures and to plays. We quickly became a couple in every sense.

Then one day I saw him getting into a car with another woman outside his presbytery. He told me she was a friend of his from ******* called ***** whom he had known since he was in that parish. They were going on a trip to Bangor. I was upset to see him with another woman but he was very cold about it and just sped away in his car.

As a result of this incident I called to the presbytery the following morning and told him that I was finishing with him. He started to cry and said: "Please do not leave me”.

Then I got a strange coded text that did not seem to be for me. It seems that it was meant for a ***** – a married woman friend of his who had just had a miscarriage. She is I think From ********. He said he was helping her over her miscarriage?

I was unhappy about his relationships with ****** and ****** and had decided not to continue seeing him. But then he gave me the gift of a piece of crystal with a pearl in the centre of it suggesting that its meaning was that good things come out of difficult situations!

Foolishly I continued to spend a lot of money on Father Dallat buying him clothes. He came to my home and I cooked him dinner 3 or 4 nights a week. During all this time we were continuing to have a full sexual relationship.

In July 2013 we went together on a pilgrimage to Lourdes and in front of various people in the hotel lounge one night he said to me: “Are you coming up”?

Later Father Dallat took me to an expensive hotel in London for a weekend. We went to see the show: “WICKED”.

In October 2013 I discovered my mother had cancer and I continued as always to be her carer.

For November 2013 I had booked and paid for Father Dallat and I to go on a 14 might cruise of the fiords. It cost me in excess of £3,700.

Father Dallat continued to have texts from ******.

At the beginning of Lent in 2014 Father Dallat told me that we had to give up being close and having sex for Lent.

Eventually Father Dallat was moved to Saint Peter’s Cathedral and I could not understand how he went from being a parish priest to being an assistant priest?I paid the full costs of decorating his new rooms in St. Peters.

Father Dallat gave me a tour of St Peter’s Presbytery including the rooms of Father Hugh Kennedy.

On the 4th April 2014 my mother died and Father Dallat came back and celebrated her funeral which upset my family as they already knew about our relationship and 7 of my 9 siblings are no longer speaking to me as a result.

Sometime after my mother’s funeral Father Dallat told me: “I have heard a voice from God telling me that I cannot continue in a relationship with you!!

I was very hurt and confused and in deep mourning over my mother but I still tried to put Father Dallat out of my mind. I felt I had betrayed my mother by having this relationship. I think my mother suspected because in the latter stage of her life she refused to take Holy Communion from Father Dallat. But then bouquets of flowers and cards from Father Dallat started appearing outside my door late at night.

On one occasion he asked me: “Do you want me to resign from the priesthood”?

He later texted me and told me that he had two meetings with Bishop Treanor about our affair and that Bishop Treanor was supportive of him. He also told me that he had told his family about the affair.

At Christmas of 2014 – just passed – he sent me flowers and a card.

In July 2013 I had fell pregnant for Father Dallat but I lost the baby in a miscarriage 5 weeks into the pregnancy at my home. Father Dallat seemed relieved. He told me that he was “sorry”. I had lost the baby on a Saturday and he went out for dinner with his friends that night and called at my house all dressed up.

I began bereavement counselling for my mother in June 2014 and also told the counsellor about Father Dallat. She told me that he was a “predator”.

I continue to be a state of great distress and on Sunday March 1st 2015 I thought I was going out of my mind. I was sitting at home on the floor weeping. I decided to ring Bishop Pat Buckley of Larne on that morning and I arranged to meet him at 3 pm on Monday March 2nd 2015 when this statement was made. 

I rang Bishop Buckley because on one occasion Father Dallat had told me that Bishop Buckley ran a group called “Bethany” for ladies who had been hurt in the context of relationships with priests.

* At her first meeting with Bishop Treanor the bishop told Linda that he believed her story completely.

** If Father Dallat wishes to submit his accounts of the above events to this Blog it will be published - immediately - without editing.

*** "Linda" begins counselling today paid for by Bishop Treanor.

83 comments:

  1. How many other Down and Connor Priests are conducting clandestine affairs ?
    The living church initiative will do nothing to address this problem within the diocese. This unfortunate woman has been abused and exploited and the safeguarding office must deal with it under their policies and procedures. It is not enough to say that they were consenting adults, this woman was a vulnerable adult and Father Dallat has taken advantage of her at a difficult time. He has abused and exploited her.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We do not know the exact number.

      On March 5th just past - after the Father Dallat affair - I wrote to Bishop Treanor - on behalf of another priest of the diocese who felt he could not write personally - informing him of another parish priest who exploits women in each parish he goes to.

      He has already lad women in at least three of his parishes.

      Bishop Treanor actually met representatives of the parish council of one of theose parishes where he misbehaved.

      Bishop Treanor has written back to me saying that he has "noted my comments".

      This priest is now moved and has a new woman in his new parish.

      Some time ago I also wrote to Bishop Treanor about a further case.

      No answer.

      Delete
    2. This is happening in other countries as well, there are priests who have been in the priesthood for over thirty years, who are preying on fragile woman, they appear to be empathetic but in reality their eyes are filled with lust.........

      Delete
  2. Who is the "strange" priest saying the 10 am Mass in St Peter's this morning???

    Is it the new ADM?

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    Replies
    1. It is Father Michael Dempsey from Clonard Monastery.

      Priest. D&C

      Delete
    2. In the three absence of "Dean" Kennedy and Father Dallat that is three Redemptorists we have had - Father Fonsie, Father Reynolds and Father Dempsey.

      Has the cathedral now been abandoned by the Diocese?

      PP D&C

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    3. Father - You mean "three day absence" ?

      Delete
    4. Yes. Sorry.

      PP D&C

      Delete
  3. This morning's Mass in St Peters was a funeral Mass for a long time parishioner and his family.

    But no priest of the parish attended or celebrated!

    Father Dempsey said a lovely Mass.

    But the cathedral is now being run by locum priests who have no relationship with the parish or parishioners.

    Will a Redemptorist be celebrating the Chrism Mass on Holy Thursday?

    Cleric.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. D&C is now a "Rent A Priest" diocese.

      Delete
  4. Bishop Treanor seems to be adopting the same approach on this issue that failed the Church in the child sexual abuse scandal - moving offending priests from parish to parish where they reoffend!

    If this is the case it calls seriously into question Bishop Treanor's suitability to be a diocesan bishop.

    Maybe he should seriously consider resigning.

    Child Services Social Worker Derry.

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  5. I think the Redemptorists have a bishop who works in Rome. Bishop Tobin? Chances are he will do the Chrism Mass. I wonder where our other two bishops are these days - Farquhar and Walsh?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Where everyone else seems to be - among the missing!

      PP D&C

      Delete
  6. I was reading about those Clonard priests and where they all began. Alphonsus Liguori? was their founder.
    He was from Naples apparently and was scandalised by the way the poor were marginalised and ignored by the aristocratic local clergy. He set up his mission to address that problem way back in the 18th century.
    It continues today up Clonard St, Belfast - half a mile from the deserted Cathedral.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Is the Papal Nuncio in Dublin aware of the mounting crisis in Down and Connor?

    Retired Priest.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have emailed all my Blogs on this issue to date to:

      The Papal Nuncio in Dublin.
      The Congregation for the Clergy in Rome.
      The Congregation for Bishops in Rome.

      Delete
    2. It just goes to show the lightweight thinkers totally lacking in any gravitas which this desperate Church is willing to accept as priests.Her account reads like an episode of Eastenders.The only reason we are hearing about it is because she was dumped.God help us and my Church.

      Delete
  8. Well then no one can say later that they were not aware of how serious things are.

    Retired Priest.

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  9. What we need in the cathedral now us a holy and kind priest who will be good to the people. He doesn't have to be "perfect". Just not a heterosexual or a homosexual predator!! Layperson.

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  10. Pope Francis is a Jesuit - surely there is ONE religious order holy man who could be our bishop- what about those monks in rostrevor? Or up in portglenone?

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  11. If Bishop Treanor is indeed paying personally for Linda's counselling that is extremely generous of him - he has never held a lucrative post. If however the money were coming from some diocesan or parish fund that would be a matter of intense public interest.

    ReplyDelete
  12. It always amazes me that people like Dallat hear God talking to them and that God is invariably on their side.

    God: "Ciaran, you're a good boy really but I really need you to sacrifice this woman. Go on,I know you can do it, you noble old soldier you. Go on, Ciaran, sacrifice this Jezebel who seduced you. Your martyr's crown will shine all the more brightly in Heaven".

    In my experience, those who "hear" God talking are either (a) true saints, (b) barking mad, or (c) outright charlatans. Go figure.

    And where would we be in this diocese without Clonard??? Clonard priests, who for years and years, were the butt of many D&C clerics jokes and scorn - calling them "redemp-terrorists" because they had the courage to talk to the IRA/UDA, etc, in an attempt to sort the madness out here!

    And despite all of Timmy Bartlett's best efforts to "muscle in", it was a good redemptorist priest, Fr Reid, along with that saintly Methodist, Harold Good, who saw the guns buried.

    And now, it is Clonard again to the rescue of the forsaken Cathedral.

    Brothers and sisters, this diocese is indeed in deep crisis. I think the bishop has lost the plot and is like a headless chicken. Despite the best efforts of laser vision surgery, he still cannot see what needs to be done and he sends the poor dupe, Eddie McGee, out with pathetic statements.

    We would be better with just a few priests who are faithful to God and who genuinely serve the Faithful. These 'wolves' who prey on both vulnerable women and vulnerable men, need to get out from our midst. Even if the clergy were allowed to marry, these serial predators would still wreak havoc.

    Senior Priest.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. What you say about predators Father is absolutely true.

      A priest truly falling in love with one woman or man is a TOTALLY different thing.

      Delete
  13. Is is true that a ransom of £ 5 has been demanded for the release of the "kidnapped trinity", + Noel, "Dean" Kennedy, and Fr Dallat ?

    Belfast Journalist.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Belfast Journalist, the priests and people would pay big money for whoever kidnapped them to KEEP them!

      Delete
  14. What does our auxiliary Bishop Tony Farquhar have to say about the ongoing situation in the Cathedral ?
    If Noel Treanor cannot now be seen in public, such is his obvious discomfort & embarrassment, then I think Bishop Tony needs to 'step out of the shadows' and provide some leadership to the priests and people of the Diocese.
    Bishop Tony, after 50 years in Priesthood, now is the time for real courage !

    Priest of Down & Connor.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tony has no say about anything. He survives as a church "mouse".

      Delete
  15. Information that might be of use to Bishop Noel is as follows :

    Next available flight to Rome is
    Aer Lingus Flight 402 departing Dublin @ 07.10 Thursday March 19 and arriving Rome @ 11.15 Thursday March 19. ( All times are local)

    " Clerical Travel Advisor".

    ReplyDelete
  16. But + Tony is a friendly church "mouse" , who prays rather than "preys".

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Good. But mice are not famous for being prophetic. But everyone to their own.

      Delete
  17. I've just been informed by a Diocesan spokesman, that the Down & Connor Curia has refused to pay the £ 5 ransom sum, demanded yesterday evening by a group who are presently "holding" the Cathedral Trinity captive, somewhere in Co Antrim, it is believed.

    Belfast Journalist.

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    Replies
    1. Was that spokesman Eddie McGee again?

      Delete
  18. As a grandson of Lindas mother I would like to say how discussed I am at this con man buring my grandmother. My grandmother was a religious woman and in her last days in life she refused to take holy communion from this practicing hypocrite con man ciaran.can not get out of my head that this guy had the neck to bury my grandmother with his double life and obviously not practicing what he preaches.would like to make one thing clear I for one knew nothing off this relationship and from my personal point off view someone needs to counsel con man ciaran as it's obvious that he's mentally insane.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Pat At the heart of the controversy involving Fr Dallat is not consension, but breach of trust: of the confidence placed in him by Christ, by the Church as a whole, and by his parishoners in particular. Fr Dallat abandoned that sacred trust (repeatedly?) for his sexual gratification.

    Had Fr Dallat been a doctor in even a consenting sexual relationship with one of his patients, he would have been severely discplined, perhaps even struck off the medical register. The defence, that the relationship involved consenting adults, would have cut no ice.

    If Fr Dallat has breached the trust placed in him, he should immediately be suspended from active ministry pending an investigation. If the investigation finds he has indeed breached that trust, he should be laicised.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. What you say is best professional procedure.

      But the Catholic clergy do not think that they are bound by normal professional standards :-(

      Delete
    2. Laicised my posterior! There are issues of civil & perhaps criminal justice here.Laicisation is a legalistic construct and not worth the paper it is written on. Get the bugger before the Beak

      Delete
  20. No, Eddie McGee is now unavailable for comment !
    He's afraid of also being kidnapped. Fortuitously, the Chancellor ad Interim, Fr Eugene O'Hagan is in America on a singing tour, and therefore cannot be kidnapped, as he is already in "exile" !

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    Replies
    1. By being the mouth piece for the diocesan failure to address this situation properly Eddie McGee has now established himself as part of the problem. Here lies moral culpability at the very least.

      Delete
    2. Let he who has not sinned cast the first stome.

      Delete
  21. Poor Eddie. He's a eunuch - and not for the Kingdom - for the kingdom of Eddie.

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  22. i think wee eddie will get inflammation of the soutane buttonholes...turning slightly purple as a reward??

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Normally, this would happen. But.... Papa Francisco has banned priests under the age of 60 from receiving monsignorships. But don't worry... Not So Fast Eddie would never in a million years be caught in possession of that very dangerous item: an OPINION!

      Delete
    2. 65 it is not 60

      Delete
    3. It is under 65 no new Monsignors unless they work in The Roman Curio

      Delete
  23. The rumour mill in this Great Diocese of Down and Connor is grinding furiously.

    Apparently, Noel was last seen scampering up the gang way of a luxury cruise ship, suitcase in hand, at Belfast Docks. Eddie McGee waving sadly at his retreating figure.

    Also, the elevation of the Vicar for Social Affairs is imminent and Reverendissimo Timio has been seen in Asher's Bakery, ordering a shed-load of fairy cakes and overheard saying to the wee girl behind the counter: "to hell with the diet! My bet just came up!"

    Nigella the Pradasint is busily composing an operetta about two star-crossed lovers, "Hugheo and Nigelette". The Priests, backed by a chorus of "lovely guys" in speedo swim wear,, will sing excerpts from it at the forthcoming Chrism Mass in two weeks, billed to be a very interesting and exciting performance (if anyone shows up).

    ReplyDelete
  24. My money is on + Noel catching that early morning Dublin flight to Rome, tomorrow, and spending Easter well away from BT12 !

    Clerical Observer.

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  25. Remember there is two sides to every story,would love to hear Fr Dallats side,watever he done,or did'nt do,i for one will miss him,as i thought he done a lot of good,and made big changes and all for the better of st peters,he did'nt half clean up the mess that Dean hugh created!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'd like to hear Fr Dallat's side too.

      But he has gone into hiding?

      Pat

      Delete
  26. I can only reflect on my own time when I had an "obsession" with a woman in the parish which ended in sex. Because of the "rules of engagement" within the R C church our relationship remained covert but in fairness and in hindsight half the world knew what was going. I remember being extremely focused and obsessed perhaps like a driver pushing the brake and accellerator at the same time. Burning lots of energy and getting nowhere. Thank God we both got free of the situation before irepairable damage was done. I would not see myself in the same league as Fr Dallat and basedon the information above would allege that he is a serious manipulator of the weak and is in serious breach of professional conduct and ethics. Imagen if Fr Dallat was a Councillor or Doctor or Mental Health Worker. There are issues of accountability. Paying for some Talking Therapy for the lady above isan insult and a copout

    ReplyDelete
  27. Did I say Thank You Linda for having the courage to speak out

    ReplyDelete
  28. Dear nephew of "Linda",
    I want to reply to your blog entry today @ 14.46.
    I wish to say as a Priest of Down & Connor, that you and your family circle have every right to feel deeply hurt and let down, by the actions of Fr Dallat. His behaviour was inexcusable, and he must answer for those actions both before his Bishop, in this life, and his God, in the next.
    You and your family are in need of support and healing, and especially so, your Aunt who was taken advantage of in a very serious manner; humanly, spiritually and financially.
    Fr Dallat's behaviour, reveals a very disturbed individual, who clearly is unsuitable for future ministry.
    I pray that you and your family may find a way to entrust your lives to God, who is the true healer of all wounds, and who is closest of all to the broken hearted.

    Sincerely, a Priest of Down & Connor Diocese.

    ReplyDelete
  29. With ref to the ongoing Cathedral situation, may I ask :
    Is "scandalising the faithful" still considered a grave sin ?

    Catholic Dinosaur.

    ReplyDelete
  30. Goodness this really sounds like it is the words of someone who doesn't want her personal situation "sensationalised" ahem.....

    ReplyDelete
  31. No fools like old fools they both dirty birds feel sorry for the family

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  32. As a mental health professional I feel we need to be very careful about the mental health and fragility of everyone involved in this sad situation. Please, please be careful about the words we write and the things we say. Peace and Love.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. As a priest who has worked with people with mental health issues on civvy street I believe priestly training does not prepare properly for dealing with the vulnerable. That being said there is no excuse for anyone abusing a position of trust. Accountability under civil or criminal law if appropriate should be pursued

      Delete
  33. Make the Rev. Patrick McCafferty The New Bishop of Down & Connor, he'll soon sort out the Dioceses of Down & Connor, Look how Patrick Walsh treated him over the abuse he suffered at the hands of Jim Donaghy. Sent Paddy McCafferty to Dublin to try & keep him quiet but Thank God he had the strength to not stay quiet he's not afraid to speek up for those abused by clergy.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. But he has said nothing this week about Linda being exploited by Father Dallat?

      Delete
    2. Rev. Patrick McCafferty only speaks on these matters to the press if he is ask to do so by them for his opinion.

      Delete
  34. Sounds to me that dallet and linda enjoyed ever bit of their dirty little secect till he moved on of course people need to know what kind of man is on r alter but u can bet she was in the front row with her hand out for the scarament they both should be ashamed of themselves

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous comment @ 08:07 on 19th:
      I hope this has not been posted by a priest, minister, or anyone with a duty of care, for it shows little compassion,understanding or Christianity.
      I can accept criticism of Dallat. But to denigrate Linda's vulnerability in these terms is unacceptable.
      MourneManMichael

      Delete
    2. Did u read her letter she booked a cruise for him and her few weeks after her mother was told she had cancer that says it all

      Delete
    3. Your mentality seems inclined towards finding fault rather than understanding.
      Her letter uses the past tense: "I had booked.....". Most people book cruises well in advance, and I prefer to assume she did in fact book it before learning of her mother's cancer diagnosis. But even if that was not the case, in view of the care evident elsewhere in her letter, I prefer to assume she discussed the proposed cruise with her mother, her mother's needs were evaluated, and a considered decision was made to go ahead.
      I PREFER to think in this manner rather than seek fault without knowing the facts and indiscriminately criticise.
      You are entitled to your views, but in revealing them here, simply demonstrate your limited capacities.
      MourneManMichael

      Delete
  35. O that poor family not only betrayed by their sister but also their priest and all this going on in the family home shame

    ReplyDelete
  36. What Clonard Priest is on duty at the CATHEDRAL this morning ?
    Why is "Dean" Kennedy in hiding; I thought he had been given a "spiritual clean bill of health" ?

    Clerical Observer.

    ReplyDelete
  37. I'm sicken by all this but not surprised
    He christen my granddaughter who is terminally ill ....the morning of her christening ...he rush it because he wanted to get back to watching football....i remember feeling that was not a proper christening ...an wn the st Anthony's relics wn to st peters we bought the child for a blessing he was so rude to us that I was so hurt an I left st peters that nite a broken person ..i just knew he wasn't a nice man an I prayed to God to show what was up with him ...well I guess I have my answer now ....plus he's not mentally ill .mentally ill ppl don't do those things stop making excuses for him.plus we are now wanting our child re christen.....but who can we trust to do it....an wod we need permission to do so .....��

    ReplyDelete
  38. In view of comments coming into this Blog about Linda taking Father Dallat on a cruise when her mother was ill I have gone away and checked the facts, which are:

    1. The Fiords cruise was booked in July.
    2. Linda’s mum was diagnosed with cancer in October.
    3. Linda wanted to cancel the cruise and her mother would not allow her.
    4. Linda’s mother was not due to receive treatment until Linda returned from the cruise.
    5. Linda’s mother lived with Linda before, during and after the cruise and Linda stopped going to work to care for her mother.
    6. Linda slept downstairs with her mother all during her illness.
    7. When Linda was away for 14 days her 7 siblings were in Linda’s house 24/7 filling in for Linda.
    8. Linda went on the cruise to help her recover from her miscarriage.

    Why do so many blind Catholics always want to blame the woman?

    Linda was a private single woman with no vows.

    Ciaran Dallat was a public preacher and priest with a vow of celibacy preaching chastity to others and having sex himself.

    I believe that these comments are being orchestrated by questionable people in questionable places in order to take the heat off of a one Ciaran Dallat.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You want to get them facts right

      Delete
  39. If this happened when he was Parish Priest in Sacred Heart Parish, 1. Linda asked Bishop Treanor to have him moved, Ciaran Dallat was demoted as Parish Priest & sent to St. Peter's Cathedral as Assistant Priest. 2. According to the paper report Ciaran Dallat as informed Noel Treanor about it himself too. Linda & Ciaran Dallat both need our prayers not Condemnation. Ciaran Dallat could be already away on leave to consider his future, that's why he may nothave been seen. 2. I Reference to Hugh Kennedy, he's away on a year's course in London at the moment & is only back every other weekend.

    ReplyDelete
  40. Fr Jim Donaghy was a "predator priest", and thankfully he is now in HMP Maghaberry.
    I'm not suggesting Fr Dallat needs to go to prison, but he does need, for the safety of women, to be removed from ministry.

    Clerical Observer.

    ReplyDelete
  41. There is another Priest presently serving in Belfast who is a "predator". He is in a relationship with a female parishioner, and was moved some years ago, because of a similar situation in another Parish, involving 2 women.
    I asked Pat Buckley to write to the Bishop on my behalf, which he did on March 5th 2015, informing Bishop Treanor of my grave concerns., but not revealing my identity.
    That Priest is still in his parish, and the "time bomb" is ticking !
    I in conscience have not ignored the situation, but I see little if any response thus far from my Bishop.

    Priest of Down & Connor Diocese.

    ReplyDelete
  42. I'm so very glad my faith is in God an not man or I wod of left the catholic faith long time ago ....i I'm not judging anyone...
    ...cause I'm a sinner like everyone else the only difference is I don't wear a habit.....but I do believe that I'm or anyone else is allow an within there own rite to ne angry �� with the catholic church ⛪.....all this abuse of little children an our shepherds going with womenfolk......now what I'm trying to say hear is whats makes me so angry is the way the cover it all up ....Jesus wod never cover this up ....an what I believe is God has shown his light into the darkness which is within the catholic church from the top to the bottom.....he is clearing it out like he done in the temple....
    What we need to do is pray an offer sacrifices for our priest
    Cause we are living in the end times an we are all under attack just look around you at the world even just wer you live things are so bad an out of control families marriages nothing is precious anymore ..an all because we have turn away form God an our blessed mother ...we need to bring the rosary an God back into the home were the heart ♥ is......the road to heaven is very narrow an very lonely we all need to step up an make reparation an to not abandon the sinking ship but to lift it up .God Bless ��

    ReplyDelete
  43. Dear Pat,
    Have you had any response from the Child Protection Office, headed up by Mrs Barbara McDermott, to my proposal yesterday for her Office to extend their remit to include those vulnerable to "predator Priests" in Down & Connor.

    Priest of D & C.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Perhaps the reality is that this Child Protection Office is as much the DCDLO [Down and Connor Damage Limitation Office] as child protection.
      Bearing in mind who pays her salary, is it reasonable to believe she could have any real influence to affect the behaviour of the diocese's clerical hierarchy given the antecedents of weak inneffective responses to previous clerical misbehaviours?
      The power to take decisive and public action lies with the bishop, and the longer he procrastinates, the further he demeans both his personal standing and that of his church
      MourneManMichael

      Delete
  44. It is dangerous to judge others when we don't know the facts. As well very dangerous to judge others we are to leave it to God to Judge. Remember we reap what we sow!

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  45. My goodness I literally cannot believe what I am reading on this page.. Fr. Ciaran Dallat cannot be presumed guilty, but on the other hand, men will always have sexual desires and I have always believed it is unfair to ask chastity of our priests (even though they were well aware that was what they signed up for)
    It does sound however, that Linda was happy to go along with the affair until things turned sour. I definitely do not agree that he shouldve taken advantage of this clearly vulnerable woman, but I also wonder how he would be able to get the time off to go on all these trips? Many of the priests I know have very little personal time and would almost be told when they are able to go on holiday rather than dictate it themselves.
    I am also struggling to work out how this has only come to light now when it started in 2012 and family members were aware if what was going on.
    I also struggle to work out how someone with such a strong faith would allow themselves to be with a priest in such ways, knowing it was completely wrong and pay for them both to go to medugorje but take part in sinful acts with him on a holy pilgrimage. The lady may have been vulnerable but it sounds as though she knew exactly what she was doing as did fr. Dallat.

    Makes me sick to my stomach the amount of things that have come out about the catholic church in the last lot of years. Is it any wonder so many of us young people are turning our back? Not because we think it's 'uncool' but it is an embarrassment to be associated with such hypocrisy. Again im not saying fr dallat is guilty, but unfortunately the track record of our church doesn't give me much hope otherwise. The church thinks hiding the accused to 'reflect' on what has been going on is the answer. Like others have said, the priesthood may be a vocation but it is also a job where you are expected to deal with many vulnerable people. If a layperson were to act like this with a vulnerable person within a care home setting for example, there would be serious repercussions and rightly so! So so disappointed.

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    1. I agree and it is happening.......... in other countries as well and the Priest is relying on the victim to remain silent while they move onto the next fragile woman. If it happened where a lay person was dealing with that woman and the priest started to make sexual advances in whatever way can you imagine the out cry. It is not all Priests though that would be an unfair statement to make. But so agree with you.......

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  46. I really feel for this lady. Fr Ciaran Dallat counselled me following a miscarriage in Dec 12 (I'm not the lady mentioned in the story) & he was so compassionate & caring. This poor lady was naive and whatever way you look at it this naivety was preyed upon. He sounds so arrogant in her account As a former parishioner I am shocked at this treatment of this lady. It's difficult to reconcile the love & compassion he has shown as a priest to so many & the callousness with which this lady has been cut off. Fr Kennedy was in Sacred Heart too. God forgive me but he came across as a loathsome man who looked down on his parishioners. Fr Ciaran appeared to bring something new.

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  47. This saddens me greatly. I know there are two sides of every story and if it is true I am disappointed that neither adult took responsibilty for their actions. I have heard father dallats sermons and have found them to be very fruitful, his approach during his sermons did encourage participation. He should have removed himself from his vocation likewise i dont see linda as a victim but also as a predator who has had an active part in this relationship chasing , hunting him down and paying for the privledge. Both are adults who have acted irresponsibly if you can believe the statement provided by linda, We need to pray for all concerned here.

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