ASSAULTING BISHOP BILL MURPHY
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| Bill Murphy |
A few days ago the retired Roman Catholic bishop of Kerry (79) - Bill Murphy - was physically assaulted on a train travelling from Kerry to Dublin by a man who was striking out at a cleric over the Roman Catholic Church's child sexual abuse.
At the time Bishop Murphy was travelling with his brother - another cleric - Archdeacon Murphy, also of Kerry.
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| Archdeacon Murphy |
The man responsible for the assault was in his 30's and was apparently under the influence of alcohol. He struck as Bishop Murphy sat reading his prayer book on the moving train. Bishop Murphy was both injured and shaken.
First of all we must loudly condemn anybody attacking another human being physically - especially an elderly man like Bishop Murphy who is nearly 80 years of age. The attacker in question certainly deserves to have the full severity of the law applied to him.
The fact that he was under the influence of alcohol is absolutely no excuse.
If, on the other hand, he himself or someone he loves was the victim of sexual abuse by a priest then I think that this fact would be to some extent at least be a mitigating factor.
ME - VERBALLY ABUSED:
I personally have not been physically abused for wearing my clerical collar but on several occasions I have been verbally abused - mainly as I walked through the city of Dublin. I have always tried to engage my verbal abusers in conversation and sometimes that has led to a useful dialogue and even on one occasion - an apology.
On one occasion in Finglas in North Dublin I was verbally abused by a young man - but he was seen off by a very elderly old lady who was standing at a nearby bus stop. She gave him a right beating about the legs with her umbrella.
UNDERSTANDABLE ANTI CLERICALISM:
Ireland is fast becoming an anti clerical country and I perfectly understand why.
Not only are people disgusted about all the sexual abuse by priests, nuns and monks - they are also very angry with the Irish bishops who covered up this abuse for decades.
People are further angered by the Roman Catholic Church's continued attempts to interfere with government and legislation on matters such as sexuality and marriage.
The Irish Roman Catholic Bishops need to realise that they have lost ALL MORAL CREDIBILITY and they need to confine themselves to giving commands and instructions to that minority of Irish citizens who now follow them.
The rejection of the Roman Catholic Church - and its bishops, priests, nuns and monks is the result of decades and centuries of all kinds of abuse.
The Roman Catholic Church in Ireland is now experiencing "pay back" for literally being moral and religious terrorists.
In Ireland we were colonised for centuries by two colonial powers - Britain and Rome.
The Brits are gone from most of Ireland..
It's now time that the Romans and their foot soldiers got the BIG heave ho!
Agree with most of this Pat, except where you refer to the "majority of Irish citizens who now follow them". I would think that of the total population in the island of Ireland, only a minority now follow the rc bishops, and that more probably among the older generation and/or in the more rural areas. I'm well sure that in matters of morality concerning inter personal relationships, the vast majority ignore the rc church even while maintaining a connection, mainly for "hatching, matching and dispatching" practices.
ReplyDeleteMourneManMichael
MMM - the "majority" was a typo - now corrected.
DeleteMany years ago while an altar boy in a parish on the Ards Peninsula I was party to scene in the church sacristy which I have always remembered. The priest signed a Mass card for a poor soul. She cleared the contents of her purse which was mainly coin. It was obvious that she was giving over her last few bob for the mass offering. He told her that the few pound she gave him was hardly enough and lectured her about the cost of heating the church, electric etc. He must have known as I did that she was a woman struggling to bring up a family of six( one died later) on her own yet he was prepared to stand over her until she emptied her purse. His actions spoke volumes to me about the money grabbing antics of some priests. I'm not saying all priests are as uncharitable but it was enough to " scunner" me.
ReplyDeletePortaferry Pete
Welcome to the show PP. And that's not "parish priest!"
ReplyDeleteI like the trend. Now we've got yourself on board with Dalriada Dick, I'm looking forward to hearing from Ballymena Barney, Enniskilling Eamonn, Ahoghill Ambrose and.....?
Over to you all. It's much easier to "keep track" of who says what and still preserves anonymity for those who so prefer.
But please, no Lame Lisbreens, ooops Liam Lisbreens!
MourneManMichael
Pat, your blog is providing great amusement for many of the D+C clergy. Lots follow it. I am one of a group of 5 and its providing us with great fun as we swap notes and memories by phone or email trying to guess the clergy whose behaviours are laid bare but whose identites are cloaked in anonymity. We think we have guessed most of them. But more importantly it shows us just how inept the current lot are up the Somerton Road. Paddy Mullally got a mention recently. Believe me had he still been on the go along with Philbin and the wee man from Loughguile many of those so called priests would be out the door double quick. D+C Retired
ReplyDeleteI understand the abuse of clergy very well Pat. I still don't think it's an excuse for clergy hiding away in public and not wearing a collar 'on duty'. It's a way people who may be in some need to identify us. We appear to be ashamed to wear it.
ReplyDelete+Niall.
I suppose some might consider themselves 'off duty' when away from their parish or usual place for ministry. So a curate from, say Ballymena, going to visit family in Bangor for the day, may wish to 'have the day off' and dispense with the collar.
DeleteThat seems fair enough to me, for I bear in mind a nursing friend who, when off duty, wouldn't identify herself as such if someone had an accident, for fear of legal action against her if 'something went wrong'.(Yes that opens up another debate!)
So what are people's thoughts on this? Is a priest always on duty?
MMM
And what about a priest going to visit his boyfriend(s) or girlfriend(s) ?
DeleteA certain actively bisexual priest - who is still "active" - had one girlfriend who used to attend his Masses. When she came up for Holy Communion, instead of saying to her: "The Body of Christ" - used to say to her: "Christ what a body".
DeleteThis is not a joke! I wish it was.
It may interest you to know Pat that your blog is achieving a certain fame among the chattering classes on the North Coast. I was party to a discussion the other day when the name of a certain priest was raised. "He's gone down in my estimation" said one of those present " Sure his name was in Buckley" Everyone there knew of your blog. It gave me a chuckle. It's fast becoming a kind of clergy Stubbs Gazette.
ReplyDeleteDalriada Dick
DD, That's interesting :-)
DeleteStubbs Gazette is for the financially bankrupt. Maybe "Buckley" is for the spiritually and pastorally bankrupt?