Sunday 7 August 2016

MAYNOOTH SCANDAL DEEPENS

MAYNOOTH SCANDAL DEEPENS


Once again the WEEKEND NEWSPAPERS are full of the MAYNOOTH SCANDAL story.



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PAT SAYS:

These are a few of the weekend's newspapers.

I will be completing this Blog after my Sunday morning duties / Mass is completed

MAYNOOTH - WHERE WE ARE NOW AT:



MAYNOOTH STAFF MEMBER: According to The Mail on Sunday a staff member of Maynooth has been named in a preliminary statement to the Garda and is to make a sworn and full statement this week.




The FOUR ARCHBISHOP TRUSTEES of Maynooth have been told 5 DAYS AGO the name of this staff member and they have been asked to stand him down pending the outcome of the investigation - particularly as the Maynooth first year seminarians will be arriving in a matter of days. The staff member's OWN BISHOP has also been told and again asked to stand them down.

The archbishops and the bishop have not acted!

A Church spokesman said:

"A Church person only has to stand down when he is being investigated for a sexual matter involving a minor.

As this allegation does not involve a minor - the rules are different".

Excuse me! Did I hear right? In what profession would a member of staff not asked to be stood down pending a sexual allegation?

Can you imagine a teacher, a policeman, a doctor, a lawyer, a nurse, a social worker etc continuing in place during a sexual allegation being investigated?

OF COURSE PRIESTS AND BISHOPS ARE DIFFERENT !!!  The same rules do not apply to them.

Gentleman, is that not exactly what got you in deep shit over the CHILD ABUSE SCANDAL?


THE CASE OF THE MISSING DEACON:




The Mail on Sunday also carries information about a deacon who has allegedly being accused of being on GRINDR.

The Deacon was due to return to Maynooth in September to do the last, very important year of his training - FOURTH DIVINITY.

But what has his bishop done?

He is sending the Deacon to a quiet country parish for his last yesr before ordination.

He has also advised him to change his mobile number. 

Here again we see the HIERARCHY'S default strategy - move the accused to a new parish and give him Church and diocesan cover!

Have they LEARNED NOTHING from the child abuse strategy of putting accused people in new parishes and sweeping the thing under the carpet?



NEW INFORMATION TODAY:

In the light of the scandal about Maynooth, I have this to say about my experience there.

XXXXX XXXXX from Ardagh and Clonmacnoise had a gay sexual relationship with XXXXXXXfrom XXXXXX.  XXXXXX had a background in media and was very hateful to people and had his favourites.  He is now a priest.

XXXXX XXXXXX also had a sexual relationship which he admits to in the gay scene.  The relationship was was XXXXX XXXXX Cork and Ross who was in his teens.

XXXXXXX XXXXXXX from Raphoe who was in New House left after a gay porn magazine was found in his room.

XXXXXX XXXXXX Derry was gay in the seminary and came out later and was living with his boyfriend in London.

Father XXXXX XXXXX was found in a compromising position with a female when he was a student priest.  He has left the priesthood now.

XXXXX XXXXXX Tuam, was gay and toxic and went on social media as a gay man after being ordained a deacon.

XXXXXX XXXXXXX  was ordained a priest and has a parish in Raphoe and uses social media to pick up gay men.

XXXXXXX XXXXXXX and XXXXXX XXXXXXX are gay seminarians who are active on the gay scene since they left.

XXXXXXX XXXXXXX Raphoe was given two years out against his will but came back and was ordained a priest.  He abandoned his parish, XXXXXXX, to go to the states as a gay man.

XXXXXXXX XXXXXXX abandoned XXXXXXX too and soon appeared on the front page of The Daily Star elevating a trophy as if it were the body of Christ.  The award was for winning a bear competition – a bear is a gay man rough around the edges with a hairy body.
  
XXXXXXX XXXXXX Cashel and Emly had loads of girls in his room and later posed as a doctor causing a woman to die of cancer over believing his lies.  He was in prison.

Nothing but seminaries has such high numbers of people going astray and pretending they are the goodys they are not.  Is it something in the communion wafers?

I am withholding those named above for now.


As the journalists say - "This is a story that keeps on giving".

More information is coming in by the day - seminarians, priests and even a bishop named!

This is enough for today.



************* NEW CONTRIBUTION AT 4.30 PM




Hi Bishop P

I'm a mess of emotions here....

Please don't highlight or post my name in anyway, You can post my spiel though...
From an early age, the notion of priesthood has haunted me. In my mind however, that conflicted with my sexuality as a gay man. After coming out to my parents and friends, going to university and fully exploring the gay scene, this perpetual pull to priesthood never ended. 

What a bloody privilege! I was so humbled that I, the unworthy servant, had been called to serve. 

That's when the 'shadow formation' began...

Maynooth, with over 30 years of justifiable horror stories, never stood a chance!

Seminarians entered with either one of three impressions: 

the wellspring of lucifer and the source of all problems in the Irish church; 

the wellspring of married and gay priests capable of reinventing the Irish church; 

or those genuinely committed to priesthood, honest to who they were, committed to the catholic faith and were genuinely committed to helping people.

I was crippled for being the third. 

COLLINS


Collins extracted my sexuality, by force, and once he got it, he assumed it was the first time. I can honestly say that coming out to him, was worse than doing so with my parents.

I was deemed "unable to form" and asked to leave with full options available in the future. 

With this blog I feel vindicated

There is a surge of information coming into me today - most of it very, very sad :-(


*****REFUTATION FROM BRENDAN MARSHALL


Dear Bishop Buckley, 

I write to you today as it has been brought to my attention that my name has been posted on your website with a false allegation that has brought much distress to me and my family. 

I would please ask you to remove my name from your website and any further postings. This allegation was unsubstantiated after an investigation was held by seminary authorities and I believe it was based on a misunderstanding. 

I can't stress enough how much pain and distress this has caused me and I would like my name removed please. 

Yours sincerely  


Brendan Marshall 


Dear Brendan,

I am quite happy to publish your full and absolute refutation of the insinuations made about an incident you were allegedly involved in but which you ABSOLUTELY REFUTE.

The insinuation / allegation was that Conan from Derry Diocese went to your door and claimed afterwards that he had witnessed something taking place between you and another seminarian. 

Apparently Conan never reported this to the authorities but did tell others about the alleged incident.

Someone, perhaps you, complained about Conan to the Maynooth authorities.

The matter was "investigated" by the authorities and as a result Conan was expelled from the seminary and of course you were retained.

That on the face of it would seem to make Conan the guilty party and you and your friend the innocent ones.

And today you add the statement that Conan's assumptions were based on a "misunderstanding".

I am glad that you are making it clear that Conan's action was based on a misunderstanding and not on any maliciousness. 

From what I hear Conan is regarded as a fine young man by many who know him.

Conan, though still absolutely convinced of his calling to priesthood, has been dismissed by the Bishop of Derry, Donal McKeown and is in a sate of great distress.

I can imagine that you and your friend, whose perfectly normal activities, were "misunderstood", feel distressed too.

But of course the Maynooth Scandal has now escalated into a huge and international controversy.

I take your protests of innocence most seriously and I want all the readers of this Blog to know that the story involving you was based on a human and non malicious understanding.

I would urge all my readers to regard you as TOTALLY INNOCENT of any wrongdoing.

One of the problems in this instance is that many, including the Primate of Ireland, Archbishop Diarmuid Martin, have no faith in the internal processes and procedures in Maynooth.


ARCHBISHOP MARTIN - RESERVATIONS ON MAYNOOTH PROCESSES


Many other seminarians and ex seminarians have complained of a very flawed Due Process being available at Maynooth - and even His Grace, Dr Martin, has said today on RTE Radio that the processes in Maynooth need to be greatly changed and reformed.

I hope that this makes you happy that your position and your statement of absolute innocence has been conveyed to the readers of this blog.

I wish you continued success in Maynooth and hope that your remaining time there will be free of any kind of further misunderstandings.

Pat


122 comments:

  1. As I had forecast this is now turning out to be a complete disaster for the Catholic Church in Ireland. The hierarchy should have realised yonks ago that this was a serious issue which would spill over. As soon as the first flames began to burn a good firm of PR / damage limitation specialists should have been hired to advise on the best way to deal with the matter and put a strategy in place. That failure has meant that the time honoured policy of buy cheap pay dear has evolved. And hasn't it just!
    But the church may have an even bigger problem. Once a media feeding frenzy like this starts and the press smell a rat they dig and they dig and they dig.
    It then becomes the ideal opportunity for old scores to be settled. Disgruntled lovers, abandoned secret partners or just people who know where the skeletons are hidden jump at the chance to get their own back and cause mischief, big mischief.
    If the stories and allegations presently doing the rounds in informed circles are true then there may well be a few vacancies in the higher echelons of the church soon.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Totally agree.

      There's a bigger train coming down the track!

      Delete
    2. It doesn't take a genius to work out where this is going. We are looking at a few vacant sees, are we no?. Please tell me I'm wrong?

      Those of us who take our faith and our priesthood seriously, are going to have stand before our people, yet again, as another tsunami of scandal and shame sweeps in.

      Once again, we are betrayed by venal men, in the episcopal conference, in dioceses and in Maynooth, who lack even those rudiments of Christian virtue demanded, by the Law of God, of baptised Catholics.

      Priest.

      Delete
  2. will mister georgeous and his lay theology 'friend' be passengers? both have disappeared from all social media.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. the other is kevin Mc. Why is it that the most notorious one of the lot has not been mentioned. Pat, have a closer look there.

      Delete
    2. Tell me details please.

      bishoppatbuckley@hotmail.com

      Delete
    3. I hope Anonymous at 12.28 gets to confession soon - such mindless and devious rumouring are true forms of evil. It will get to the stage that no young man doing their best to follow God will be able to without having slander thrown at them.

      Delete
    4. Please stop throwing about names on a blog, especially if you're anonymous. There's absolutely no justice in that!

      Believe me I think that Maynooth is rotten to its very core, but this isn't going to help!

      Maybe those naming 'Kevin Mc' are simply trying to sow confusion, whilst at the same time destroying a man's reputation. This is totally unfair. Even if he was involved (and I am not making any suggestion that he was), this wouldn't be just - to have an unnamed accuser, hiding behind an anonymous profile on a blog, making unsupported allegations. It's totally unChristian!

      Remember: "There is nothing hidden that won't be revealed, and there is nothing secret that won't become known and come to light." Lk 8:17

      Don't hide behind anonymity if you're going to make serious allegations!

      Delete
  3. "We have to be broken down more" said Fr Enda McDonagh sadly a few years ago on a discussion on RTE. Is this it then? Best to let the poison out and start again. Hypocrisy, lying, clericalism in all its vile forms, is at the root of all this. It is beyond sadness that so many are losing their faith in the Church because of the attitudes and behaviour of some of its clergy and the failure of leadership to take control. The silence of the hierarchy is cowardly. I am also painfully aware of how many of us, including myself, are encouraging gossip and innuendo. It doesn't seem right, does it, yet the truth HAS to come out. Men have made a bad job being in governance. You need the steadying and wise hand of women to steer this barque from now on!

    ReplyDelete
  4. What happened to "King Puck"? The latter being a euphemism I presume.

    ReplyDelete
  5. It was a guy from Cork and Ross.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Isn't this the allegation that Msgr Hugh on Rte radio commented on saying that the person making the allegation said he had no proof or whatever

    ReplyDelete
  7. Very sad that these guys are being named. Such false allegations are dangerous Pat. I think you should remove these names. It's not fair and you should know that. You have went from using initials to names. Poor form

    ReplyDelete
  8. looks like the poisonous atmosphere has transferred from the corridors of Maynooth to the comments section of your blog Pat!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Naming two lads such as 'KMcE' or 'BM' is just mental. No doubt two good lads and you are defaming or allowing them to be defamed. This blog is turning nasty more so than newsworthy. Sorry

    ReplyDelete
  10. in the small world of maynooth even giving initials is enough to start the tongues wagging.
    Its hard to take demands for openness, accountability, justice and appropriate procedures seriously when those demanding it facilitate rumour, innuendo gossip and scandal mongering.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. In a CHURCH and with BISHOPS who lie and mislead and cover up - the drip, drip is, sadly the only way of eventually at the truth.

      THE IRISH BISHOPS can call this off now.

      If the bishops want this stopped by promising proper action they know where to contact!

      Delete
  11. Pat please stop this witch hunt at once! Identifying individuals like this is wrong!

    The aim is to stop the homosexual 'subculture' in Maynooth and to reform Maynooth. Not to destroy individuals. Admittedly if these men were engaged in homosexual activities then they should leave seminary at once, but they shouldn't be bullied into doing so. Naming them online to publicly embarrass them isn't the right way of doing this.
    The formation staff in Maynooth need to go! They are the problem, otherwise people could report these issues to them with confidence. If they were competent at their jobs, those who do have homosexual tendencies would be helped to control them and would be able to leave seminary amicably.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. what do you mean the Garda are protecting him?

      Delete
    2. I agree with Pat.

      How do you stop people taking drugs without targetting the drug dealers?

      Dublin PP

      Delete
    3. I meant the CHURCH are protecting him

      Delete
    4. This isn't targeting the drug dealers though - it's the poor seminarians who don't get to defend themselves who are being accused in public and will suffer the most! I agree with some of the comments above. All students' names should really be xxxxx'd out.

      Delete
    5. It is a wicked business naming these students. Please remove these initials. It is sinful and unchristian.

      The struggle is to have Maynooth reformed. If a proper and competent Formation faculty are in place, unsuitable candidates will be screened out and sexual immorality eradicated.

      Delete
    6. You cannot make an omelette without breaking eggs.

      You cannot make a church omelette without breaking eggs.

      Delete
    7. You're not breaking eggs... you're breaking human beings

      Delete
    8. Maynooth and the Irish Church are breaking people!

      It has broken hundreds even in recent times/

      I am exposing the wounds to full view, lancing boils, letting the poison flow out.

      Its the first stage of healing.

      What do you want?

      The status quo to continue?

      Delete
    9. Many men have entered seminary confused about their sexuality and due to the 'formation' they have recieved they have gone on to sexually act out. They have been let down by the seminary and are themselves victims as they might very well be called by God to be priests. They are not posessed devils but fragile confused men, human beings with emotions. Not all gay men are part of this mafia, and these innocent men run the risk of being humiliated online which could lead them on to a very dark path.

      Delete
    10. Anonymous at 14:18, you called for the expulsion of seminarians 'engaged in homosexual activities', but you didn't make the same call for seminarians engaged in heterosexual activities. Was this an oversight? Or were you simply being homophobic and discriminatory?

      Further along your comment, you appear even to call for the expulsion of
      seminarians who have just 'homosexual tendencies'.

      Homosexual tendency, like its heterosexual opposite, is morally neutral, that is, not
      sinful. So why did you call for the expulsion of homosexuals and not heterosexuals? Maybe you are just homophobic and discriminatory, after
      all. You do realise, don't you, that this would constitute 'unjust discrimination', according to the Catechism of the Catholic Church? (In case you didn't already know, unjust discrimination of this kind IS sinful.)

      Delete
    11. I agree with you MC about discrimination.

      Unfortunately the RC Church forbids the ordination of men with "uncured" or deep rooted homosexual tendencies.

      Most of by 24 have our orientations deeply rooted.

      So it would seem that the Church rule is in itself is discriminatory.

      Delete
    12. Bishop Pat, as far as I can tell, the notion of deep-rooted homosexual tendency as a barrier to ordination has never been explained, in practical terms, by Church authorities. It seems that its definition is so fluid that it can be arbitrarily interpreted by any seminary dean. This is a gross injustice to those many good seminarians, who, to fulfil their God-given
      vocations, had to lie, either directly or by ommission, about their sexual orientation.

      I don't believe that any sensible seminary rector or dean would dismiss a
      seminarian for having such a tendency...provided he was willing to accept the constraints of chastity and celibacy.

      Delete
    13. I agree. And AB Martin works that way.

      Delete
  12. I've been away for a bit and am only just catching up on the Maynooth thing.

    I have to say my reaction is 'plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose' ! It has ever been the case, as far as I can make out, since I was in seminary as a student in the mid 70s in to the early 80s !

    I note that Archbishop Martin of Dublin has decided to send his students to Rome, to the Irish College. Well ! Let me tell you that there was many an Irish College student with whom I had business when I was in Rome ! It seemed to be par for the course, de rigeur, for the students to be out and about and active, and if they were of the gay persuasion then active with other students, local Romans, or just picking up what they could in the various cruising places, of which there were many, and given the Romans tolerance of matters sexual, quite open !

    So, this is nothing new. Whether it should be, I leave to others to moralise and make pronouncements. I just think it odd that you gather together a group of young, testosterone filled men, of all persuasions, and put them in a hothouse and expect nothing to happen ! They may have good intentions to live a priestly life, but the reality is that such a life as put forward by the Church is mostly kept in the breaking than the keeping, be the people concerned gay or straight.

    Maybe the Church should be asking questions about how it expects its clergy to live and relate to others ? It seems to me that it has got it wrong, and now that the reality is being opened up, perhaps they should ask serious questions about the whole celibacy thing. Is it healthy, does it lead to integrated, balanced lives ? There are some very serious questions underlying this Maynooth issue that go beyond what one group of seminarians is up to in one particular place.

    But....I do not expect much to happen. The Church will put its head in the sand, deny everything, wait for it to blow over, and carry on as ever. Because the Church believes that celibacy has such a value that they are prepared to squander reputation and lives in order to ensure that it is kept. What idiots !

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The Irish priest Fr Tony Flannery said, during a speech in Rome last year, “The Catholic priesthood as we have known it, this male celibate thing, is gone.”

      The ‘strange-goings-on’ at Maynooth just confirms, as if confirmation was ever needed, this male celibate thing, is just a charade.

      Delete
  13. Original Sin: we demand justice when what we really want is revenge.

    Vengeance is MINE, saith the LORD.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Go and preach that on the steps of Maynooth.

      And when you are finished in Maynooth go and preach it on the steps of the 26 Episcopal Palaces in the country.

      Delete
    2. Well, as it happens, and like so many others, I have preached Christ and him crucified in Maynooth itself. If even one sinner repented and became a good priest as a result, Deo gratias. For the rest I am guided by a spoof catechism question I overheard there. What are the effects of episcopal consecration? The effects of episcopal consecration are hardening of the heart and softening of the brain.
      By the way, I knew that gay bear from Donegal who won the trophy. I really don't think Maynooth did him any harm or vice versa. I was sorry to read in an English tabloid that he hadn't been happy as a priest but I do genuinely hope that he's happy now.

      Delete
  14. Pat, is the above deacon who the mail claims is not returning to maynooth king puck from Kerry??

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It certainly is. Let's pray for him.

      Delete
    2. he is being ordained. no chance of a future purple hat then?

      Delete
    3. I heard that he was not in his parish today - can anyone else verify?

      Delete
    4. Maybe he was climbing the Magilicuddy Reeks.

      Delete
  15. There are a few variables involved here which haven’t been much commented on.
    One is that being a minister of religion is a role in public life (just as for doctors, judges, and so on) and you can only expect the public to question your way of life.
    Another is that the current idea of 'vocation' is relatively recent and replaced an older test of suitability. If you ask yourself whether many of the candidates for priesthood mentioned here can 'live the life' the answer at this time is obviously no and thus they don't have a vocation to priesthood.
    These people also don't seem to understand that social media is never really private and also allows dissemination of information at a previously unknown rate. In the days before the internet, publishing your details in a contact magazine was relatively lower risk than an app such as grindr.
    This is a broader question but I'm not seeing any recognition of the difficulties of hothousing a lot of young men at their reproductive prime, into a supposedly celibate state of life.
    A final point is that the sexually naïve days of the past are truly gone. I wonder whether there was such a lot of acting out with children in the past because that was the level of maturity priests were stuck at? Today's seminarians are clearly functioning at a far more mature level. I'm torn between being pleased to see more mature sexual humans, and thinking that they are so naïve to think they can carry on the way they do. I would still rather see sexually aware humans than those who are unaware, though.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Some interesting quotes from Niall O'Dowd from an article on the IrishCentral website:

    We currently have an outstanding example of delusionary behavior in the Irish Catholic Church who are pretending there is no gay crisis in their main seminary at Maynooth….The bishops of Ireland have agreed en masse to deny and to protest the findings of Archbishop Diarmuid Martin of Dublin that the main seminary in Maynooth has essentially become a hotspot for gay seminarians and very likely should be shut down…Surely if one of the leading church figures in Ireland like Martin and by far the most admired by the faithful, says in his own words that there is a crisis he would be believed?...But the vast majority of his fellow bishops fluttered their peacock finery and buried their ostrich heads in the sands. Nothing to see here, move on if you know what’s best for you…This is the delusion that despite all the sex scandals and pedophilia and promises of reform they can still keep their dark secrets…..Being gay is not the problem but pretending to be a celibate priest while living and having sex as a gay man is just as hypocritical as the bishops who refuse to acknowledge it. That’s no way to run a railroad, never mind a church.Still the delusion continues that the church can sweep it all under the carpet and continue on as normal as many benighted bishops thought about the abuse issue.Archbishop Martin, brave man that he is, has just exploded that fallacy but nonetheless the delusion apparently continues among fellow bishops.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Just a word of caution - male suicide is still one of the great taboos in this country, with few of the thousands of cases ever making it to the headlines. 'Outing' people before they are ready, particularly if they are studying for the priesthood, is just the recipe for such a tragedy to occur.

    The commentators on this blog do not want blood on their hands. Keep names confidential, and if there is someone vulnerable make sure they are offered help, rather than carelessly exposing them.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I agree. I really worry for those guys named here.It may be entertaining for some people but not for them or their families .You are doing a great job Pat but a little bit of compassion would be good.

      Delete
    2. Thank you for the advice on caution and compassion.

      I promise I will try and balance Truth, Caution and Compassion as the story unfolds.

      But I do wonder - where is the compassion of Maynooth for the hundreds of seminarians who have been hurt or are being hurt are.

      Delete
    3. Two wrongs don't make a right.

      Delete
  18. so far the four seminarians and the lay theology student (reported to be in a relationship with one of them) have all removed their social media accounts - facebook, twitter and instragram. The plot thickens

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. And yet we can't draw any negative inference from that - it is just as likely to be because they are getting unwanted attention having been named. It doesn't constitute evidence of any wrongdoing. I still think those guys are innocent.

      And Pat, I think your point is right - a lot of compassion for the seminarians may have left Maynooth with Fr Marsden. I hope that the trustees acknowledge how serious an indicator it was that he felt he couldn't continue. The remaining seminarians - those who are attentive to training as good, authentic priests - will need all the support we can give them.

      Delete
  19. This whole affair - Good grief! - How much more/worse is to come?

    ReplyDelete
  20. So we have had a number of days of this and it seems that despite all the coverage nothing has changed - Archbishop D Martin seems to be isolated and alone and it has all the hallmarks of being swept under the carpet - wouldn't surprise me if Martin is recalled to Rome and given a red hat and Maynooth will continue to function

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I can understand your feelings.

      But, for me, there is both the force of "providence" and the force of the Holy Spirit.

      As the old Irish used to say: "God is good but he's awful slow".

      I remain hopeful.

      Delete
  21. I am delighted to see that you have printed Brendan Marshall's letter and have accepted his innocence. Perhaps as a gesture of goodwill you could remove, as he has requested, the various and comments that refer to him and, as a matter of justice, the other person who was also wrongly accused of being involved.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have given Brendan the opportunity of a defence, explanation and refutation.That is my policy on this blog.We have still to hear from others. He has been given a full opportunity to defend himself.

      Delete
  22. Pat
    You are up against a heartless brutal regeim who strike me as being totally amoral. Christianity is entirely incedental to how they function.I had a large family gathering tonight and I consulted the sons, daughters, nieces and nephews ie the future of our church. The resounding message was shut Gaynooth down now! The chaplin and spiritual director at my sons primary school in Armagh was none other than Fr Rory Coyle of grindr fame. If that little fucker Eammo thinks he can dismiss parishoners and support Maynooth he is gonna get his his ignorance is exceeded only by his arrogance!

    Rasputin

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I agree. It is a thoroughly evil organisation.

      Eamo is a weak and effeminate irrelevance. There is more testosterone in a male bluebottle.

      Let him run on home and cry to his Mammy.

      Delete
    2. Pat
      What you should understand is that armagh people have these cardinals parachuted in. Usually gob shites. We deserve better!

      Rasputin

      Delete
  23. In a unrelated matter it is reported on the Internet that former bishop of derry dr edward daly is gravely ill in hospital and his family are sitting with him . Prayers are being asked for him

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We wish him the best.

      Edward Daly = Hero
      Seamus Hegarty = Nero.
      Francis Lagan = Zero.
      Donal McKeown = Giro.

      Delete
    2. According to someone on Twitter Bishop Daly has passed away - RIP if true

      Delete
    3. Yes he has passed away . Probably the only decent bishop derry ever had

      Delete
  24. I posted this comment before, but since it didn't appear, I'm guessing that it didn't make it through cyberspace.

    I agree with anon at 17:37 regarding the unforeseen, unintended and sometimes catastrophic consequences of outing someone. As a tool being used to try and crack an institution its a fairly blunt one.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Mulhall's letter is just his side of the story. May be true, may be false. I smell a rat. What was he doing in the room with the other lad?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It could have heen seminarians talking theology.

      Obviously Derry Conan felt he saw something else.

      Maybe the controversy could be referred to to gmail -

      independentpanel2@gmail.com.

      All information to panel Chair Rev Sr Breege O'Neill who has no connection whatsoever with the Catholic Church.

      Delete
    2. It's comments like that one that ruins peoples reputation. The guys that brought these allegations have now come out and said they accept it was a misunderstanding according to the media. When I was in Maynooth we always went into each other's rooms. It's a sad day if you can't be in a room without being accused.

      Delete
    3. Is entering another seminarians room not forbidden in the Maynooth rule book - even though the rule is not applied?

      Delete
    4. surely in seminary a students room is his "home" for want of a better word, and he should be free to welcome his fellow students in without the fear of being accused of something immoral or illegal, if its reached that stage then no wonder DM described the atmosphere as 'poisonous'.

      Delete
    5. A Maynooth seminarian's room is no more than a bunk in the Gulag.

      His "rights" are dependent on the whims of the Gulag's commandants.

      Delete
    6. Actually in this case I wasn't thinking about the staff, i was thinking of other students who make an judgement about a fellow student, spread rumours about those students and then expect it to be all ok when they say it was just a "misunderstanding".

      Delete
  26. Eammo must go! Eammo must go!
    (cool mantra....what do the rest think?)

    Rasputin

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Eamo has just cum. How can he go?

      Delete
  27. Derry Conan is a fair and balanced man with good judgment. Very unlikely he would make up such a story. If it was a "misunderstanding" why was he expelled? None of this adds up.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have never had any kind of contact with Derry Conan.

      But others have spoken to me about him in glowing terms.

      I have a very good feeling about him.

      I would love to hear from him.

      Delete
    2. Perhaps he was expelled for something else?

      Delete
    3. Thats the first time I have heard that suggestion.

      What was his crime?

      Spending too much time in the chapel or kneeling for Communion?

      Delete
    4. rumour, idle speculation, gossip... you're at it again! If this derry student doesn't want to engage with this blog or its author then how about respecting that and not wasting your time on what ifs and maybes.

      Delete
    5. Derry Conan did not like gay people and to this day believes no gay persons should be ordained. I heard on the grape vine that he found out someone was gay and decided to share this with others (outed them) and went to the extreme of telling people that this person couldn't be ordained. I could be wrong however?????

      Delete
    6. I think that we should allow Derry Conan speak for himself - if he wants to.

      I would like to hear his side to the story.

      I hope he is not homophobic?

      Delete
    7. Unfortunately I heard this also and its word on the street that Derry Conan referred the seminarian to church documents on homosexuality and that priests can't be gay. So what does that mean? I did hear he didn't like gay people. This might sound naive but is he homophobic or just living on church teachings?

      Delete
    8. Now, thats one excellent questio. Well done.

      Delete
    9. If that be the case Conan is more "Catholic" than Diarmuid Martin and other bishops.

      Maybe Conon's "crime" was in the area of rigerous orthodoxy?

      Delete
    10. :) Though it doesn't give anyone the right to dislike a person or treat them any different because of sexual orientation which was the case unfortunately :((

      Delete
    11. I repeat my comment of 23:28!
      rumour, idle speculation, gossip... you're at it again! If this derry student doesn't want to engage with this blog or its author then how about respecting that and not wasting your time on what ifs and maybes.

      Permitting this kind of idle chatter does the credibility of your blog no good Pat.

      Delete
    12. I beg to disagree. In a church that forbids free expression of opinions I think this blog (imperfect as it and its author is) is allowing uncensored dialogue,

      Delete
    13. There is a world of difference between informed discussion, dialogue and debate and gossip. To my eyes a lot of what has been written this evening is gossip.

      Delete
  28. Received an envelope to contribute money to retired priests today. I have decided that the local priests in Armagh have to declare that they dont have a grinder account before I part with with my hard earned cash. I suspect that Eammo and his crew are gonna have a lean winter!

    Rasputin

    ReplyDelete
  29. Cum and gone as they say!! In Maynooth

    ReplyDelete
  30. Read some of the irish papers today. The bishops have really retreated to the 'berlin bunker'. 5 daysvago the Russians were 10km from Berlin. Today they are prising the door of the bunker open. When do the 'war crimes' trials commence....??

    Rasputin

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think the bishops feel caught by the ballshovicks?

      Delete
  31. Delighted that Brendan Marshall is to be considered innocent - as indeed I have always thought him to be. Sorry though that Conan's name has been published in this blog entry - I don't think that that was necessary. That said, we give him the benefit of the doubt as well.

    Taking away this allegation then, which has been repeated many times in the last week, is there really much of a basis on which to consider Maynooth a 'hotbed of promiscuity'? I think not. It would seem to be unsubstantiated for the greater part.

    The credible line of pursuit is in how well governed Maynooth is, whether its structures are effective and whether poor judgement on the part of formators leads to a damaging atmosphere in which to nurture the vocations of the Irish church.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I very much want the governance of Maynooth to be the central story.

      My blog tomorrow addresses that very point - with some fascinating revelations.

      Tune in

      Delete
  32. In fairness I know that Maynooth were not aware of Pucks antics (Pass the man an Oscar for the love of God). I always assumed that a certain Dublin seminarians relationship with a lay student was an open secret. No scandal here folks! just healthy people expressing their sexuality.

    ReplyDelete
  33. Blog visitors today: 12,523. Highest ever.

    Serving the right of Catholic freedom of expression.

    ReplyDelete
  34. and with every right comes the responsibility to exercise it responsibly and with regards to the rights of others.

    ReplyDelete
  35. How about a bedtime story Pat:
    There was once a man who repeated a rumour about a neighbour. Soon, the whole community had heard the rumour. Later, the man who spread the gossip learned that the rumour was untrue. He was very sorry and went to an elder in the community who had a reputation for great wisdom to seek advice. The elder told him, “Go to your home and take a feather pillow outside. Rip it open and scatter the feathers, then return to me tomorrow.” The man did as the elder had instructed.

    The following day, he visited the elder. The elder said, “Go collect the feathers you scattered yesterday and bring them back to me.” The man went home and searched for the feathers, but the wind had carried them all away. Returning to the elder, he admitted, “I could find none of the feathers I scattered yesterday.” “You see,” said the elder, “it‘s easy to scatter the feathers but impossible to get them back.”

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You are in complete denial anon 00:26! You should be a bishop!

      Delete
    2. Denial about what? The effects of gossip? The effects of publicly outing someone against their will? Im not in denial about anything.

      Just google outing and suicide and read some of the tragic stories.

      Delete
    3. Hmmm... Very like the story of St Philip Neri!...

      Delete
  36. 12,523!! Thats what I call momentum. I can feel the swell or decent catholics sweeping the irrelevant bishops to one side and dictating the agenda as we move forwards. Fair fucks to people power!

    Rasputin

    ReplyDelete
  37. The governance of Maynooth SHOULD be the central story.

    The letter sent today, to Pat, by a former seminarian, is very telling.

    The student says that Collins "extracted" his sexuality from him. He describes a painful and traumatic experience at the hands of this "Dean", Michael Collins.

    A man who does that to a seminarian is a danger to seminarians. He must be stopped.

    He is guilty of spiritual abuse, psychological abuse and gross professional misconduct. Such a Dean needs expelled from the seminary for the safety and wellbeing of students.

    What Collins did to that student was psychological rape. A Dean is there to see that lads get up in the mornings, go to prayers and Mass, attend lectures, keep the rules, etc.

    A Dean is absolutely forbidden, by Canon Law, to interfere in matters pertaining to the internal forum. Under no circumstances is he permitted to quiz students about erections, masturbation, sexual orientation, etc. Such things are between the student, his confessor and God!

    The Deans in Maynooth and the administration are unfit for purpose. This evident reality is central to this crisis and nothing should distract from it.

    On Friday, Connolly lied, on RTE Radio, about a transparent and independent complaints procedure, in Maynooth, overseen by persons unconnected to the Church.

    On Saturday, this blog exposed Connolly's lie as Collins and whoever else bungled, like clowns, on the College website, scrambling to play catch-up.

    They forgot the lie the previous day by hastily putting a nun up as the front for this pretended "independent" complaints body. FARCE! Fr Ted wouldn't be in it!

    Keep the flamethrower aimed at them and the spotlight directly on them - the Formation Team - who, at so many levels, are unsuitable and unworthy of such a role.

    Don't persecute and hurt poor students by naming them. If the Deans were doing their job properly, there would be no promiscuity - "gay" or "straight", in Maynooth.

    Those engaging in such activities would be directed towards another walk of life away from the priesthood.

    Priest.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I agree with you completely Fr Anon. Current and recent ex-seminarians are/have been victims, who have been subjected to the caprices of the corrupt staff in Maynooth for far too long.

      The Formation team need to go now before they wreak more havoc and heartache on the Irish Church.

      Delete
    2. What sort of priest would quiz students about their sexuality, except a dysfunctional man, with serious issues of his own?

      Why would a Dean in a Catholic Seminary question students about erections, masturbation, sexual orientation, except for prurience and his own titillation???

      Delete
  38. Hugh Connolly has proved himself to be a bare-faced, brazen liar on the national media in his claims that seminarians do not have to sign confidentiality agreements. I SIGNED THE BLOODY THING MYSELF.

    How can anyone now believe a thing this man says?

    Maynooth Ex-seminarian

    ReplyDelete
  39. maynooth needs to be closed before it implodes

    ReplyDelete
  40. It was hilarious, on Saturday, to follow the pantomime, in Maynooth, as the Gulag authorities frantically played catch-up and made a balls of it.

    Someone, on this blog, took the trouble to write an Irish Pictorial Weekly type of sketch, set in the Roost! :)

    Mons. Hugh Connolly made the following statement, this morning, to the Irish public, on Morning Ireland:

    "Sorry about Saturday folks. I can explain everything,

    On Friday evening, after my earlier interview on Sean O'Rourke, the unthinkable happened.

    Every last one of the meticulously chosen, independent panel, that had been in place for a number of years and who had given sterling service to Maynooth, were abducted by aliens.

    It happened without warning, here in this very College, as the panel were meeting for a review and a briefing update on the crisis.

    Fr Mullaney noticed an unearthly glow outside the window of the St Columba Centre. He got up to investigate and opened the window - the worst thing he could have done.

    Within seconds, before he could get the walkie-talkie out of his back pocket to call security, the room was full of little green men.

    Just like that, Pffffff, the independent complaints panel were gone without trace. The prayers of the Seminary Community are with their families and friends.

    Fr Mullaney tearfully described how, as the space ship was taking off in the direction of Kilcock, the little green men mooned at him.

    As if all that wasn't bad enough, on Friday night, shortly after the alien abductions en masse, the seminary website was hacked and years of work destroyed. The links and advice, for students who needed to make complaints, vanished.

    On Saturday afternoon, Fr Michael Collins, volunteered to get it all back together again, as quickly as possible. He saw it as an urgent task, as the wellbeing of our seminarians is our top priority.

    Such was his haste that he did, indeed, make a few technical errors and typos but, again, it was an URGENT matter that needed sorting.

    He also had to replace all of the members of the independent panel who are now somewhere, in a space ship, in a different galaxy.

    Sr Breege O'Neill readily agreed to chair the new panel until we find another person, unconnected to the Church, who has no fear of aliens.

    Once again, apologies for the inadvertencies and thank you for your patience".

    Sincerely yours,

    Mons. Hugh (The-Dog-Ate-Me-Homework) Connolly.

    ReplyDelete
  41. Your Grace, do you think maynooth can really reopen in just two weeks time?

    ReplyDelete
  42. Bishop, God knows the truth regarding puck, Marshall etc. We have proof of puck, but if Marshall is telling the truth he has nothing to fear. However if he is lying, then him and his little gay friend have everything to fear. For God will bring justice. I hope and pray he is innocent but I also trust that God ic cleansing maynooth and no one can fool God.

    ReplyDelete
  43. Wow 100 + comments. Lets hope a proper result is found. Any chance of some sort of Summary Pat? The amount of info is mind blowing Thanks

    ReplyDelete
  44. Sorry Pat I cant count! Theres a big difference between 100 and 12000+ My mistake

    ReplyDelete
  45. RTE News reporting that the trustees of St Patrick's College in Maynooth are to meet within the next five weeks to decide their response to the current controversy at the institute.

    The announcement by Primate of All Ireland Archbishop Eamon Martin, comes hours after Dublin's Archbishop Diarmuid Martin, publicly expressed surprise that a trustees' meeting had not yet been called to address the ongoing crisis.

    Yesterday, on RTÉ's This Week, Archbishop Diarmuid Martin defended his unprecedented decision to move his three seminarians studying at Maynooth to Rome's Irish College.

    He described the climate of anonymous allegations about inappropriate sexual behaviour in the main national seminary as "dangerous and poisonous" saying there was "a strange atmosphere of innuendo" which was "unsettling" for his students and that he had to do something for their futures

    He expressed surprise that Maynooth's 17 bishop-trustees, including himself, had not been summoned to a meeting on the ongoing controversy.

    Asked by RTÉ News to comment, Archbishop Eamon Martin said he has since spoken to Archbishop Diarmuid Martin and to St Patrick's President Monsignor Hugh Connolly.

    He said that the archbishops had agreed that it was important that, before the new academic year begins next month, the trustees should receive a full update on developments since their last meeting in June and decide on their response.

    Archbishop Eamon Martin, is abroad on leave and released his comments through a spokesperson.


    A huge crisis and Eamo is on his holidays - good greif! The expressionn Nero fiddles while Rome burns comes to mind!

    ReplyDelete
  46. I wonder if Sean O'Rourke will go back after Connolly this morning after Friday's lies?

    ReplyDelete
  47. The choir in Killorglin are learning this new Gospel Acclamation for an Ordination next year.

    It's a traditional piece in a new setting, composed by Dr John O'Keefe, Professor of Sacred Music, Maynooth Seminary:

    Ailliliú, puilliliú, ailliliú tá an puc ar buile!
    Ailliliú, puilliliú, ailliliú tá an puc ar buile!

    I nDaingean Uí Chúis le haghaidh an tráthnóna,
    Bhí an sagart paróiste amach 'nár gcoinnibh,
    Is é dúirt gurbh é an diabhal ba Dhóigh leis,
    A ghaibh an treo ar phocán buile.

    Ailliliú, puilliliú, ailliliú tá an puc ar buile!
    Ailliliú, puilliliú, ailliliú tá an puc ar buile!

    English translation:

    Aill-il-lu puill-il-iu - Aill-il-lu it's the mad puck goat.
    Aill-il-lu puill-il-iu - Aill-il-lu it's the mad puck goat.

    In Dingle Town the next afternoon,
    The parish priest addressed the meeting,
    And swore it was The Devil himself,
    He'd seen riding on the poc ar buile.

    Aill-il-lu puill-il-iu - Aill-il-lu it's the mad puck goat.
    Aill-il-lu puill-il-iu - Aill-il-lu it's the mad puck goat.

    ReplyDelete
  48. Maybe Pat you should ask +Noel why HornyAndy is no longer in formation...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. As an ex-seminarian I would hope the answer to that question would be "mind your own business" !

      Delete
    2. I suppose we could always ask Caoimhin himself.

      Delete
    3. I suppose we could always ask Caoimhin himself.

      Delete
  49. The now ex-seminarian who lit the fuse to this massive bomb must be somewhat consoled to know that there is one bishop who has "a very good feeling about him" and "would love to hear from him." Perhaps he could be ordained at The Oratory in Larne?



    I have a very good feeling about him.

    I would love to hear from him.

    ReplyDelete
  50. From the blog: 'I was deemed "unable to form" and asked to leave with full options available in the future.'
    Can someone explain to me what the former seminarian means by 'with full options available in the future'?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's church speak for 'don't bother coming back'.

      Delete