Wednesday 9 November 2016

TURF LODGE VISIT



TURF LODGE VISIT

HOLY TRINITY CHURCH - TURF LODGE
I VISITED TURF LODGE on Tuesday afternoon as I had promised I would and got talking to a number of different groups and parishioners.

The Presbytery in which FR BRENDAN MULHALL sits in the grounds just behind the actual church.



The first thing that struck me was that The PRESBYTERY looked ABSOLUTELY UNINVITING !

Its a very plain late 1970's very dull looking red bricked house.

On Tuesday afternoon it was raining cats and dogs and The Presbytery looked abandoned - as if nobody lived there.

All the doors and windows were locked tight and on that very dark afternoon there was no light in the building and no sign of life.

It looked like a rural part time police station. 

If I went there as a priest I would spend just a couple of hundred pounds and paint it a welcoming white.

I would put a little well lit shelter over the door and hang a sign which would read: PRESBYTERY - ALL WELCOME.

I faced a similar situation when I went to Kilkeel in 1983. The curate's house was back in off the road beside a graveyard and was as dark as the hobs of hell.


CURATES HOUSE KILKEEL


Together with my fellow curate I put three lights at the front of the house with one over the door and it was on EVERYDAY from dusk until midnight.

Even those who did not need to call to the house said to me that just passing it at night - lit up and welcoming - was comforting in itself.

in Turf Lodge I did visit the after school study group which is housed temporarily in the church basement and I met the leaders and the young people there.

Many of those I met were reluctant to speak about Fr Mulhall. I imagine they do not want to cross him.

There was some criticism of the former PP - Father Brendan Smyth - over his installation of a large and unneeded church organ. 

No one is happy about the parish webcam being removed. No one is happy about the axing of the radio Mass for the sick and the housebound. 

I have the impression that the people of Turf Lodge are a good people. 

It is early days for Father Mulhall in Turf Lodge.

If I was him I would be fighting hard to be kind to people and win people over.

He should avoid alienating any more people than he already has. 



BRENDAN ! YOU'VE SHOWERED ENOUGH PEOPLE WITH THE VINEGAR OF YOUR 
SEVERE PERSONALITY AND ABRASIVENESS. 



TIME TO BUY YOURSELF A BIG NEW POT OF HONEY, HONEY !!!




=======================================


81 comments:

  1. Looks like you got the cold shoulder, Pat

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  2. It was the same in coleraine when he was there . The blinds were never opened the house was in darkness apart from a upstairs room . People would knock the door and get no answer . A young girl with a newborn baby went to the door to discuss baptism got soaked with rain . She saw him lookin out the side of the blinds at her but wouldn't answer the door . What kind of a odd ball is he ?

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  3. It' certainly was a windswept day, Pat, judging by your hair. Lol
    In fairness to our own clergy, I wd telephone to make an appointment.....to get him to sign my passport.

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    Replies
    1. That pic above was from a recent wedding I had.

      The pics I took at TL were very poor - dark, rain, wind etc.

      Delete
    2. Pat it may be too personal a question, but do you colour your hair?

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    3. I hope this is a personal-enough reply: Mind yer own!

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    4. ... or is a syrup of figs? I wonder.

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    5. Pat, there are people who hate the fact that they cannot change your good heart so they will pick on your hair colour. What does it matter what colour hair a person has? It matters nothing. What matters is that you are doing the Lord's work.

      No doubt there will be bullies who will ask questions to distract from your good work. They play the man, not the ball.

      Ignore such ignorant bullies Pat. You're a good man and you have a fine head of hair! God bless you.

      Delete
  4. primetimes investigates - you look like The Equalizer

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  5. Bishop Pat, I was one of the ladies you met on Tuesday here in Turf Lodge and I wanted to thank you for coming. So far you have been the only one interested in our issues. I sincerely hope that Father Mulhall takes your advise and makes an effort to work well with all the people here. We are quite prepared to forget the past and concentrate on the future. D.

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    Replies
    1. D, thank you. That is also very positive of you and your friends.

      Thanks for the cuppa and biscuits.

      Pat.

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  6. I saw workmen going into the Turf Lodge presbytery today!

    Is Father Mulhall renovating the house before he moves in?

    Where is he living now?

    How is he to be contacted for urgent calls?

    TL Parishioner.

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  7. LOL. if he spends money doing the presbytery up you will have something else to rant about. Hanged if he does, hanged if he doesn't

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    Replies
    1. If the house needs repairs / redecoration it needs it.

      Why would anyone complain about that?

      Many people redecorate their house every few years.

      Most new priests do a little bit of work on arrival in their new home.

      People might be concerned if a sauna, steam room, hot tub, etc were installed?

      But I imagine that is not planned?

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    2. I'm sure if BM needs any advice on wallpaper or door handles Bishop Treanor will lend him some catalogues?

      PP D&C

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    3. I like that positive comment too. I have known Father Mulhall for years and he is wonderful.

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    4. How much exactly did Bishop Treanor spend on doing up his home? And was it mostly diocesan money?

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    5. Anon 12.51 . I know a few priests and there good guys but I wouldn't refare to them as wonderful . Is there something you need to tel us ? Are you brendans mr Friday night ?

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  8. People come to your house now before a baptism....apparently
    I def wd not want that

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    Replies
    1. What else are they ment to do ? Dus the parents and priest not need to discuss the time date names ect . Maybe they shud just turn up at mass and shout I want te call my wee babby shitehawk charlie

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    2. 13.51
      People appointed by somebody,prob the priest come to the family home to discuss baptism...not names..it's the new way now
      Didn't happen in my day, but I'm saying I would not want parishioners coming to my house to discuss baptism.
      Perhaps it's because lots of parents do not go to mass, only for baptism and confirmation...first communion.
      But if I was a regular mass goer, I would discuss via email or telephone.
      Some now have to give 3 weeks notice because of the parish pressures and that is ok
      But I do remember when babies were baptised asap after birth as if it was the end of the world

      Delete
  9. being a woman, I often wonder why women call themselves ladies lol
    I might have typed ...had I'd been there

    I was one of the gals..never a lady...just sayin

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    Replies
    1. Is a "lady" not a gal / girl of a certain age?

      Just askin?

      Delete
    2. I'm still a gal, well over 70 , Pat, mostly it depends on how one lives her life...I just never liked the word lady, it's like a lady in waiting to Royalty or toilets, as in ladies.ha ha
      No lets just be women and men...it's just my opinion
      Who cares about age theses day...it's how fit one is
      When I become dis...abled I will become of a certain age
      but still be a woman

      Delete
  10. I do not know Fr. Mulhall.
    It does appear that he has problems - if we are to believe what has been written.
    Is it medical, psychological - or otherwise?
    It would seem necessary that the Diocese should take immediate action to assist him.
    Donald Trump style venomous rhetoric is not going to help - practical Diocesan intervention would seem to be essential.
    Sam

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    Replies
    1. I agree with you Sam. It seems to me that Bishop Treanor needs to sit down with Brendan and ask him where all this aggression / upsetting people comes from.

      It seems to me like a hurt person coping with his hurt by hurting others.

      But Bishop Treanor is too busy on other things to be a listening, guiding father to his priests.

      A good bishop must minister to his priests so that they in turn can minister to others.

      Delete
  11. Isn't the contactable telephone number on the weekly bullitine ?

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    Replies
    1. Yep - 07800 666 666

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    2. Is that a joke....the telephone number ?

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    3. 666 is that not the sign of the Beast?

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  12. So that will answer the posters question regarding how to contact him
    Sam....don't think you needed to mention Trump
    Exactly Pat, but you must remember that the Roman Catholic bishops think that they are many steps above their parishioners
    It's not their way to even pretend that they should listen to mere people.
    A bus load of protesters are needed....Hammering on his door, he must live somewhere, or is he hiding too.

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  13. That's a beautiful house in kilkeel
    A big house for one person
    I hope you liked being there, Pat,

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  14. 12 .51
    Perhaps you could tell the good people of turf lodge in what way their new priest is wonderful, so that they can start to appreciate how wonderful he is.

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  15. Haha, Bishop P. Buckley, Private Investigator. I think this "pastoral swoop" methodology could be very useful. What about attending Mass on a Sunday or the vigil perhaps? What other parishes could benefit from a pastoral swoop?

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    Replies
    1. Might be interesting. But need to manage reaction appropriately

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  16. Sounds like the presbytery is uninviting and Fr is on another planet. The lady you met said her piece so what happens next I can't see Fr M taking advice from anybody

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    Replies
    1. Not a snowballs chance in hell

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  17. I heard the presbytery is to be sold and the money used to make the church smaller as its a dead parish. the new PP fr. mullhall will live with a cluster whatever that is. What is a cluster ? whats with all the proddy names. Sean Page should know

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    Replies
    1. Cluster is an amalgamation of parishes resources etc. Didn't exist in my day

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  18. I'm sure my comment will be of approval why not it's the truth l. Jenkins

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  19. A cluster could mean in a housing estate..many priest do
    Didn't Fr Wilson
    Live with the people
    Pat I don't like your mustard, or gold I think
    Maybe it might look better in daylight, but how much daylight theses days
    Did u take advice about colour ?

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  20. Pat did they give you a drop of tea or a biscuit?

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  21. One question - how many people exactly did you speak to when you visited Turf Lodge Pat? Like numbers of adults and numbers of younger people?

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    Replies
    1. Hold on - you open this blog by saying you went on Tuesday and spoke to a number of different groups and parishioners ... and in total this amounted to 11 or less??? How many were in each group?

      Delete
  22. ah Lynne you back on the bottle ? and you were doing so good.
    must be the pressure I guess

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    Replies
    1. You are a brave person, at least Lynn has the guts to stand by what she believes and is not ashamed to put her name on it. You should look at your christian values, take the plank out of your eye. Hopefully God will have more compassion than you when we meet Him.

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    2. You're a nice one to talk percy you slagg her off every chance you get

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    3. See you tomorrow. Bit hard to believe you when we haven't spoke in two years

      Delete
  23. Come on and give the man a chance. Have lived in TL all my working life and have seen many new priests come and go and all with different personalities created by God.
    Change is nothing to be resentful about, it's good.
    Let time be the 'Judge & Jury' for Fr Mulhall, I wish him well.

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  24. The series of questions you, posed, Pat, in the 'Mulhall Saga' blog the other day, are very very pertinent to the overall context of Brendan Mulhall.

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    Replies
    1. I think so.

      Sadly, I think there are sadder things behind it all.

      Delete
    2. Brendan M needs help - not put in charge of a parish - especially a parish like Holy Trinity, where there has been huge suffering and trauma - down through the years - and more recently, the sad death of Fr Matt.

      Giving Brendan power is like giving an alcoholic a bottle of whisky. Power makes Brendan "drunk" and crazy. He immediately starts issuing decrees and diktats and he doesn't care who he hurts.

      His unavailability, refusal to answer doors, phones, peeping out blinds, etc. is indicative. His redemptorist superiors have an awful lot to answer for.

      Delete
    3. Maybe they are celebrating making him a D&C problem?

      Any of them I speak to say NO COMNENT.

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    4. Their "NO COMMENT" though speaks volumes, Pat! As if D&C hasn't enough problems! What is NT thinking??? :-(

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    5. According to Redemptorist Facebook Page their general chapter is currently taking place in Thailand! Maybe they are too busy out there to comment regarding Mulhall!

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    6. Lololololol :D

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  25. So if there is a sick call....what happens
    If it a big parish, sick calls may be daily

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  26. Could holy trinity be almalgamated with another parish.
    We all know that there just isn't enough priests.

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  27. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  28. In any parish where there is a dysfunctional priest just withhold money from the collection. Money is what the Institutional Church cares about.

    If a priest does feck all he is not entitled to his wage - which is true of everybody, we all need to work. When a priest cannot fund a parish the Bishop takes a very dim view.

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    Replies
    1. Oh I'm pretty sure that is what happened with the previous PP - the place was dying and the collections were at an all time low, Parish morale was at an all time low. Come to think of it I went to my child's prize giving last year in the primary school and the previous PP didn't show up - a teacher there told me that someone had to go to get a missionary priest from a neighbouring Parish to be there.

      Delete
  29. Why concerned?
    Who do You want to forgive?
    Isn't that what we Catholics do every day.....forgive anyone and everyone who disappoints us
    We not talking about anyone needing forgiveness here today, we talking about a parish who don't have an effective pastor.
    Only talking about it can problems be solved
    Isn't it good to talk
    Silence is golden, but there is a time and a place for action

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    Replies
    1. For some people "forgiveness" means - "roll over, play dead, allow me to do whatever the hell I like and, if you are a good wee Christian, you will suck it up, stuff it down, and grin and bear it"!!!

      Delete
    2. Perhaps 'Concerned' wants the posters here to forgive the bishop, who is doing nothing to help his people
      Why doesn't he just tell theses parishioners that he hasn't enough priests to go around
      Why can't he go and minister to the people and be there in person to minister like Saint Peter And the other apostles


      Delete
  30. There are sadder things behind this Pat. Fr. Mulhall is not the only Belfast Redemptorist to be treated so unfairly by his brothers. He is hurting. I wish I could reach out to him but I can't.

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    Replies
    1. And none of it is poor Brendan's fault of course.....

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  31. The Barnum Brothers Circus at Red HQ should sort things out before sending their ringmaster to Pattaya! The Whyte elephant is no longer Jackie's castle on Orwell Road!

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  32. Pat, did the English priest go with you? Could you share his name?

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  33. I don't really get the sudden interest in Holy Trinity all of a sudden to be frank.
    Where was all this attention when the totally woeful previous PP was destroying this place? And I mean destroying. Forcing people away, being totally disengaged from Parish life and the people and squandering the people's contributions on a totally unneeded Church organ - which was merely a toy for his closest ally and allowed him to act the showman and be the centre of attention; which he clearly craves.
    As one of the very few contributors on this and previous threads who actually has experience as a Parishioner of Holy Trinity I will assure you that when Fr. Mulhall last was here collections were healthy and masses were well attended - very well attended.
    The sad demise of this Parish came at the incompetent hands of Rev. Brendan Smyth - why even the Presbytery colours that you draw attention to Pat was a job done under his tenure.
    I walked past last Saturday and there was a large group of teenagers brushing and shovelling - quite a while from young people were part of Holy Trinity given that Fr. Smyth regularly bad mouthed local children from his pulpit.
    Terms some contributors use here such as "drunk on power" seem somewhat misplaced.I gather Fr. Mulhall is here to do a job - the job of rectifying the damage done by someone whose actions you'd be doing some good by exposing.

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  34. Someone once said "Hurt people hurt people"
    So if Mulhall has been hurt by his confreres he should take sometime out to process his hurt and resentment and not be placed in a position where he can "work off" his ill feeling on a parish which has suffered enough as the result of social issues and the tragic loss of its PP

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  35. Photo Database of Priests, Religious and Students in Formation. I challenge each diocese and religious congregation to publish profile pictures of their consecrated members online. I am tired of meeting these people in saunas in Dublin, Belfast, and in bath-houses in the US and Canada. If you are reading this, then you know who you are! To be continued.....

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  36. Iggy, could you please resubmit your comment. I deleted it by mistake. Sorry. Pat.

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    Replies
    1. Some years ago I had lunch with the late Fr M Wallace at Holy Trinity. I had the impression then that he was running a most vibrant show in Turf Lodge. The phone and doorbell never stopped. He seemed to be a counsellor, a social worker and a very good priest and pastor. A pity if things have come to what is being said on your blog.
      Iggy O Donovan

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    2. Sadly things changed drastically when poor Fr Matt got sick and Mulhall was first sent to Holy Trinity to "help" Matt. All downhill ever since.... and now Mulhall is back. God help us.

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  37. Pat, I am curious to know the names of the priests who said NO COMMENT in relation to Brendan Mulhall? Who are they?

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  38. Pat, I am curious to know the names of the priests who said NO COMMENT in relation to Brendan Mulhall? Who are they?

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  39. Think he said Fr Rice...it's In the blog

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