Tuesday 14 April 2015

NEXT MOVE - BISHOP TO CATHEDRAL

NEXT MOVE - BISHOP TO CATHEDRAL

Noel Treanor
THEY DO SAY THAT THERE IS A SILVER LINING TO EVERY CLOUD - AND THE SILVER LINING TO THE FATHER CIARAN DALLAT CLOUD / SCANDAL IS THAT BISHOP TREANOR SEEMS TO BE PAYING MORE ATTENTION TO HIS CATHEDRAL - ST PETER'S BELFAST.



Parishioners tell me that he was there EVERY DAY during the Holy Week / Easter Triduum and that he was even back at the cathedral to celebrate the Sunday Mass this Sunday past at 9 am.

Its almost as if Bishop Treanor himself has taken over from Father Dallat as the "assistant priest" to the cathedral "dean" - Father Hugh Kennedy. 

Of course it is an excellent thing that any bishop is regularly in his cathedral and in fact I think that it would be good if Bishop Treanor moved into St Peter's and took a very active role in its daily ceremonies. 

I am sure that "Dean" Kennedy would even leave the administrator's suite for a lesser apartment and allow Bishop Noel to live in the premier suite.

"Dean" Kennedy


In fact way back in 1983 I suggested to Bishop Cahal Daly that he would leave the palace on the Somerton Road and move to the cathedral. 

He greeted my suggestion with a face that showed shock and alarm and said: "If I lived on the Lower Falls Road important people would not come and see me there".

By important people I think he meant the politicians, lesser British royals, British Army generals and high ranking RUC officers would not feel safe visiting him there. 

But to my mind the REALLY IMPORTANT PEOPLE were the people of St Peter's and The Falls and as I told him: "If those people would not come and see you in your cathedral and among your own people, then perhaps they are not worth having as visitors"? You can imagine how popular that made me with him. 

But I'm sure that now that wee Cahal is sharing Heaven with all those plebs from The Falls he is now sorry that he did not live with them on earth?

Cahal in Paradise


After all Jesus lived with his disciples. I'm sure they ate and slept in friendly people's houses and even in the open air. 

So I would have thought that what was good enough for Jesus (who was God) would be good enough for bishops? 

I must have got that wrong?

I have also received an update on Father Dallat's movements. He seems not to have departed on that retreat and counselling course yet - because he has been spotted visiting one of his old haunts - a house in Glengormley. 

Ciaran's gone for counselling

Unless someone in that house is giving him counselling and spiritual direction? 

I just wanted to give you all a little update in case you thought I had forgotten about recent events.


4 comments:

  1. Dear Pat,
    Why do you keep comparing Bishops past & present of Down & Connor to Jesus ?
    Their agendas are very different. Jesus came to establish the Kingdom of God, and to place the poor and the needy at the centre of any ministerial activity.
    Bishop Treanor's priorities appear somewhat different to the itinerant preacher from Galilee.
    If Jesus came back on earth & visited Belfast, I believe he would go to the poorest districts of the City and with arms open, he would embrace those people regardless of what church , if any that they were affiliated to, and at the end of that day he would go to one of their simple homes, to rest his weary body.
    Multi million £ residences, Episcopal or otherwise would I believe be very low on Jesus' priorities.

    Priest of Down & Connor.

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    Replies
    1. Father, I agree with you 100%.

      I am always hoping, just hoping, that there will be Christ like bishops and priests around.

      Occasionally you find them - Oscar Romero of San Salvador and Helder Camara of Brazil.

      Here in Ireland Willie Walsh of Kilaloo was close - allowing evicted Travellers with their caravans to live in the grounds of his house.

      There is the occasional flickering flame in the dense darkness of the RC episcopal universe.

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  2. Does Bp Treanor believe he runs a dolls house/chessboard Diocese. Leave to his cups n saucers

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  3. Absolutely shocking what is happening in our parish! God help us if Clonard ever closes down. Seriously, IT IS A DASGRACE! No priest living in St Peters and Kennedy only appears when it suits him. What is going on? Mind you - no preist is better than him!

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