Saturday 21 March 2015

FATHER CIARAN DALLAT - UPDATE 21.03.2015

FATHER CIARAN DALLAT - UPDATE 21.03.2015

Ciaran Dallat



It is now five days since the Belfast newspaper THE IRISH NEWS published their front page article about Father Ciaran Dallat - the assistant priest at St Peter's Cathedral - and his affair with "Linda".

The Diocese of Down and Connor - through its press officer Father Eddie McGee is confining itself to the press release below:

 "This is an intensely private and personal matter for both parties and, in particular, for the lady concerned. The Diocese is treating this matter seriously and will respect and protect the privacy and welfare of all involved. The Diocese confirms that it will do what is necessary to ensure that the matter is properly addressed. This includes making sure that confidentiality is upheld and that no unnecessary hurt or distress is caused. For these reasons, it is not appropriate to make any further comment."

Eddie McGee
In the meantime unnamed individuals have set us a new Facebook Page entitled: BRING FATHER CIARAN DALLAT BACK.


Many are expecting this weekend's newspapers to contain further revelations / stories on the Ciaran Dallat affair. This is normal. Weekday newspapers break stories. The next weekend the Sunday newspapers normally do follow up stories and analysis.

As we come to the end of a week of scandal for Father Dallat, the Diocese of Down and Connor and St. Peter's Cathedral there are still more questions out there than answers:

1. Where is Father Dallat?

2. Where is Bishop Noel Treanor - he seems to have gone into hiding with Father Dallat and failed to turn up to celebrate the St Patrick's Day Mass in St. Peter's Cathedral.

3. Where is the cathedral administrator - "Dean" Hugh P Kennedy. He has not been seen either since last Sunday.

4. Is the cathedral now to be permanently staffed by the Redemptorist Order from Clonard Monastery who have been running it all week?

5. How do the priests of Down and Connor feel about how this whole matter has been handled by Bishop Treanor and the diocese?

6. Given the fact that there are claims surfacing about other heterosexual predator priests in Down and Connor how will Bishop Treanor handle these further claims?

7. Given the fact that certain individual priests in Down and Connor are getting away with being as sexually active as rabbits why should the majority of priests n the diocese be bound to compulsory celibacy?

8. If Bishop Treanor and the diocese do not bring the current crisis under control will the Papal Nuncio in Dublin act?

The sad truth is that Down and Connor is like the Titanic.

It has hit an iceberg.

The captain is missing from the bridge. 

And chaos is the dominating feeling among the priests and he people.  





40 comments:

  1. I hear the song by Johnny Nash, "More questions than answers" playing gently over our Diocese.

    LUX.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Your woman linda whoever the fuck she is is making me very angry she knew he was a priest she knew everything but goes to buckley the devil for help prob gets his secetary to do the writing turns it all round looking sympathy.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Bishop Buckley is not the devil. He is not the one running around with the horn.

      Delete
    2. The word F**K portrays you well Rev? anonymous

      Delete
  3. If this was Fr Dallat's first indiscretion I could have more sympathy, but Sadly he has been a "player" for many years, and the inevitable "time bomb" eventually went off !
    I hope others involved in the same "game" learn a lesson !

    Clerical Observer.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. My Dad used to say: "When you are used to wearing shoes its hard to go in your bare feet".

      Delete
  4. We miss you Father Ciaran. Please come home. St Peters is not the same without you.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. My family and I do not miss him! We stopped going to St Peters because of him. If the Redemptorists stay there we will be back.

      Delete
  5. Dear LUX @ 14:34,

    I can hear another song playing in the background: "NOWHERE MAN" by the Beatles.Very apt for the occupier of 73 Somerton Rd.

    BT15.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Again I ask you why will you not approve positive comments about Ciaran Dallat?

    ReplyDelete
  7. What is the comment above at 15:38 about?

    ReplyDelete
  8. Yawn, yawn......
    All getting a bit dull all this...
    The Facebook petition is far more uplifting stuff.
    Thanks for the tip :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sorry you are getting bored - you should stop coming here.

      The Father Dallat story has seen my daily Blog audience rise from 1,000 per day to 8,000 + per day 0ver 50,000 in a week.

      That must be bigger than the readership of The Irish Catholic?

      Delete
    2. Why are you avoiding my question Buckley? Again, I ask have you joined the Facebook page?

      Delete
    3. No, I have not. Why would I? I am not a supporter of Ciaran Dallats.

      But I have no objection to him returning to ministry after 1. Telling the truth; 2. Apologising to those he has hurt, including Linda; 3. Making a choice between celibacy and sexual adventure; 4, Some time of renewal

      Delete
  9. Those who have been trying to attack "Linda" in a nasty and obscene way by submitting unsuitable comments to this Blog do not know her.

    She is an intelligent and sensitive women - who even at this stage has some compassion for Ciaran Dallat.

    She is well aware that some people in some places know, and will know, her true identity.

    She is well able to cope with this as she is the fortunate position of telling the truth to myself, Noel Treanor and others who have personally questioned her this past two weeks.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I can share something of Lindas plight of possible rejection by some who know of her. I remember being shunned by stalwartsof the parish whomI did nothing but support during my time there-There was also JMcD who wrote a cracking and supportive report about me for Church of England Authorities and I must thank him.-Dont know if he is aware of this blog though. Back then there was an element in Ireland that made life stifeling for me. There is no need for me to refer to the mystery of the cross with regard to Linda. She may find that patronising. However with the right support and the Grace of God this can be a resurrection experience. For myself thank God experiences are now positive and I can see in hindsight God keeping me safe but not pain free through the hard times. I hope this makes sense to Linda

      Delete
    2. Sean are you Buckleys partner?

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    3. Sean is a Catholic priest who has left the priesthood to marry and now works in England where he is very involved in the Anglican Church.

      Delete
  10. I would like to congratulate "Linda" for standing up to her exploiter and abuser.

    I have seen men like this in my own profession who get away scot free.

    If only we had more "Lindas" in the Church, medicine and the other professions.

    Lady Medic.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I agree with the doctor. I worked as a PA for a high flying business man who seduced me and exploited me. I was not the first in the office who suffered. There have been others since.

      Eventually I got away but he told me he would destroy my career if I ever exposed him. I did not have Linda's courage or the backing of someone like like Father Buckley. It has left its scars on me forever. I do not think I will ever trust another man.

      Victim and "stuck".

      Delete
    2. I am very, very sorry to hear about what you suffered and how it has left you.

      It is NOT TOO LATE to do something about it.

      If you want I will support you = plus I know of a very good counsellor who works in this field.

      Pat
      bishoppatbuckley@hotmail.com

      Delete
  11. 5th Sunday of Lent Vigil Mass at the Cathedral. The missing are still disappeared!
    Redemptorists still carry the people's cross.

    ReplyDelete
  12. No - you are right I will not be publishing your obscene and foul mouthed comment.

    If you want your comments published use rational language and words that are fit for publication.

    If you do not know words like that - ask someone to write your comment for you!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Fr Dallat is loved and respected by young and old in st peters parish,maybe if priest by law could marry these scandles would be no more,feel sorry for both party's,may god bless everyone,but have to say i am standing in Fr Dallats cornor

    ReplyDelete
  14. So the matter is being "properly addressed" by D&C??? Once upon a time there was a paper called Irish News of the World. Once upon the same time a certain Sligo curate left ministry under a cloud. I believe -allegedly-that this clerics story made it in to the debating classrooms of Maynooth. Has the church learned anything? I would love to know how they proceed. Bishop Christy Jones at the time chose his words carefully but at least he had the guts not to dissappear

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  15. https://twitter.com/kateyo/status/579384177830834176

    ReplyDelete
  16. I feel a wee song coming on.. DJ Buckley is in da house!

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONc3OMOb98I

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. There was a song. Whos in da house..Sean's in da house where is da house cranmore sligo. I thought it was quite funny at the time. My then partner was not amused.....

      Delete
  17. Pat, I admire your courage and steadfastness in helping 'Linda'. And you continue to help her despite the storm of personal abuse that rages about you from people who,
    doubtlessly, would claim to be servants of Christ.

    I told you in a previous post that, as a young priest, you inspired me to be the kind of
    priest that you were (and still are).

    I don't agree with everything you say and do. This apart, you are, to me, the Gospel in action.

    May God give you strength to continue helping the exploited and to continue exposing the clerical hypocrites who betray Christ and his Church.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Buckley, I am beginning to suspect that you have a wee eye for "Linda" yourself and you're making Ciaran Dallat out to be the bad guy and yourself some kind of hero. Not good stealing another priests girlfriend...... not good at all...... :(

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. As a publicly declared gay man since 1999 - 16 years - it is a bit unlikely that I have any sexual interest in Linda.

      However - if things were otherwise - it might be different.

      She is intelligent, spiritual, principled and very pretty.

      Delete
  19. I wonder if the Diocese is letting this saga run on as it actually brings attention to that very very rare breed....A HETEROSEXUAL PRIEST!
    Every cloud has a sliver lining eh?

    ReplyDelete
  20. I hope the saga has a happy ending. After all, it worked well for Sr Maria & Captain Von Trapp. Oh, how I love a happy ending! :)

    ReplyDelete
  21. Can we please gain some perspective on the situation. Fr Dallat was obviously torn between his love of God and the more natural feelings associated with man. I would imagine a priest's life can be particularly lonely and what has started as a platonic relationship changed course. It happens. I'm certain that Fr Dallat would have struggled with his weakness and doubt that he went through the past few years guilt free. However he did the right thing in the end when he chose to carry on working as a priest. If he has made his peace with God then who are we to judge. It goes against the grain of our faith to believe that God wouldn't forgive a truly repentant sinner. Despite Fr Dallat's human failing in his vow of chastity we have to remember that he is a tremendous preacher and has brought St Peter's Cathedral back to the parish. He has worked tirelessly over the past few years and if that is his personal penance then we would do well to follow this example when we review our own consciences and weaknesses. I for one will be praying for both Fr Dallat and Fr Kennedy; that they will continue the good work they have put into the parish over the past few years with the help of Fr Turley and Fr Fonzie. I also feel for 'Linda' as I suspect part of her need to expose the sorry situation via Pat Buckley is due to her grief for her mother and no doubt, Ciaran. I can't help believing that PB is no doubt revelling in the after glory; albeit at the expense of the hurt inflicted on two families.

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    Replies
    1. What a generous, compassionate comment statement. I love this!

      Delete
  22. This is the best comment I have read in this whole sorry mess.. Jesus I trust in you....

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  23. The Rev. Hugh Kennedy at Present is doing further Theaology Studies in London & is only back every other weekend,

    ReplyDelete