Saturday 6 May 2017

LETTER FROM DUBLIN PRIEST



"Dear Pat,

Writing from the Archdiocese of Dublin as a priest who has given many years of faithful service, I am now close to the point where (to borrow inspiration from the Epistle of Timothy) I have run my race, fought the good fight and it remains to be seen if I'll have any Faith l;eft at the end!

I have worked in every type of parish in different parts of the Archdiocese. I have always served to the best of my capacity. I have battled alcoholism for the latter part of my adult life, a battle I believe mirrors my deep inner struggle with celibacy and the severe lonliness I have gone through because of it. At this stage I ask myself what was it all for; my life as a priest?

There was some hope that Archbishop Martin would bring with him a new dawn marked by listening, learning and support along with a unity of purpose underpinned ny open communication. I quickly realised that this would not be the case. While you have given much coverage on your Blog to the end-result of our dysfunctional Seminary Formation system, I'd like to include another group that is a product of our Formation system and which to date enjoys a high degree of protection from the Archdiocese. The group is Parish Pastoral Workers.



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Image result for Dublin Parish Pastoral Workers

I try and support new initiatives and not be an obstacle to change. When the role of Parish Pastoral Workers (PPW) was created I thought it was worth supporting for the future of the Archdiocese. I honestly thought that PPW would begin to challenge clerical control of the Church. However what I have found is that in most cases PPW has just created another layer of the clerical caste with an even greater sense of entitlement, with some exceptions.

I have endured much throughout my life but the final straw came for me with PPW. It would seem that the Archdiocese has now landed itself with a group of permanent employees, some of whom are unsuitable, with others who have failed at the previous occupations and are unable to hold down jobs in other sectors.

PPW's have a secure and well paid job where they exert control and are largely unaccountable. When they are challenged they often play the victim card and fail to see that they are as immersed within clericalism as those they criticise. The level of passive-aggressive behaviour of some PPW's is striking and at this point I believe that the post of PPW actually undermines the active participation of the Laity as envisaged by the Second Vatican Council. A number of PPW's are interested in anything as long as it is not Catholicism - this includes New Age practices and promotion of other World Religions.

The response of the Archdiocese is to appease them rather than deal with the issues at hand. While the main work of the PPW should be evangelization the reality is that a lot of them are more like administrators - sitting at their desks, unaccountable during working hours, and taking extended holiday time as if they were primary school teachers.

They, along with others, are the new generation of untouchables that the Archdiocese has created. God help us all!

Fr. ****** Dublin priest.


PAT:

Dear Father and Brother Priest,

Thank you for this wonderfully honest and heart felt letter from a man who has toiled in the heat of the day.

I commend you for your perseverance against all the things you have had to persevere against.

Please, do not forget that Jesus The Priest, has watched all your moments and will reward you for all your struggles - hopefully here - as well as in the Here After.

DIARMUID MARTIN:



I do not dislike DM. In fact everything in me wants to like him. But I am very concerned about his time in Dublin and his legacy.

I have come to the conclusion that DM is NOT a pastor. He is a hierarch and an empire builder. 

I believe that he never wanted the Dublin job. I think his heart's desire was a Vatican job and a cardinal's red hat.

That's why he is out of Dublin so much globe trotting.

His dysfunction with most of Dublin's priests is tragic. He seems only interested in clerics who are gay! I do not really know what is behind this and perhaps we never will. Of course I have my suspicions.

I think he keeps his reputation protected by his close relationships within the media - the St. 
Patsy McGarry Guild of the National Union of Journalists.

THE PARISH PASTORAL WORKERS:

This is another aspect of DM's empire building. The more "soldiers" you have the greater the "general" you are.

While I abhor clericalism - there is a certain type of lay Catholic who are nearly worse than the clerics - waiting in the wings to take over when the clerics disappear.

They will be the tyrants who replace the tyrants!

Hopefully a new archbishop disband this "Army Reserve".


Please feel free to communicate with us as often as you can.

You would be welcome here for a visit or a few days break. There are already a few priests who come here and NO ONE will ever know you were here.

You will find the door open, the light on, the kettle boiling and if required a cork popped :-)

Pat.







53 comments:

  1. Pat, what an insensitive final sentence of your response above. This man details a struggle with alcoholism and you suggest popping a cork, for goodness sake!

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    1. I disagree. You cannot force anyone to stop drinking. You meet them where they are at and take it from there.

      You obviously have never worked with alcoholics?

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    2. The priest would been far happier popping his cherry by the sounds of things.

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  2. Obviously your clerical correspondent is speaking out of a negative experience of pastoral workers in Dublin and while this may well be his experience it is not universally so. In my own parish we have had a pastoral worker working alongside the priests for the past few years and it seems to work very well. The PP did express annoyance to me once that these workers were receiving in year 1 what he after 40 years service could never hope to earn, so maybe this is the cause of dissatisfaction on the part of your writer.

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  3. I AM AN ALCOHOLIC - IN RECOVERY - AND WOULD NOT APPRECIATE AN OFFER OF POPPING A CORK.

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    1. Obviously you would say no.

      Not everyone is at your stage of recovery.

      We need to meet everyone WHERE THEY ARE AT.

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    2. So if this poor man accepted your offer to honour 'where he's at' you would have no problem giving him booze??? What a strange amoral stance.
      The PSNI should monitor clerical visitors leaving the Oratory in Larne late at night,. They may have been met where they're at by Bishop Pat.

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    3. Pat you must be on the jar yourself tonight!

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    4. True Pat, but then we must assist them in going in the right direction.

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    5. It is wonderful that you are in recovery. Well done indeed! Life had to go on and no doubt there have been many occasions when you had to reply with a quiet " No thanks!" when someone offered to pop a cork. No need to act offended as you come across well-meaning people who are unaware of your new decision until you (graciously) decline their offer of hospitality.

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  4. Dear Father I know how you feel. When I was a priest I was sent to a parish with a pastoral worker in Tallaght. She undermined anything I tried to do, and reported my activities to my PP. My confidence was destroyed and I have now left the priesthood. Oddly enough I now hold down a 9-5 job. She is still the part-time pastoral assistant who will probably never get any other job because she would not be tolerated anywhere else.

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    1. yOU MUSTM'T HAVE HAD MUCH CONFIDENCE TO BEGIN WITH IF A MERE WOMAN COULD THREATEN YOU SO!

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    2. MourneManMichael6 May 2017 at 01:47

      How revealing is this expression: " A mere woman"!
      I post this in the knowledge that many of those of severely limited understanding will not have any inkling of what I am referring to!
      "There's none so blind as cannot ......."
      MMM

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    3. Reading your experience in Tallaght saddens me. I do not know if you were a diocesan or religious . If a religious, where was your support from your fellow-religious? I hope you will find happiness.

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    4. @anon 00:54
      You must have picked up cockiness when confidence was being dished out.

      With comments like loniliness will catch up with you.

      CR

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    5. To MMM at 1.47

      I agree with and fully appreciate the point you are making re/"mere woman" comment. That pejorative comment spoke volumes about the mindset of the original poster's attitude to women. She was obviously being regarded as a weaker, less significant person than her male counterpart... very revealing. Attributing female nicknames eg "Amy" as a means of showing dissatisfaction with a man is also insulting to women in general, but as you rightly imply MMM, the subtlety will not be obvious to some and they will not see the point I am making either. But thank you for drawing attention to this in general.

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    6. 12:43, you and MMM have made excellent and irrefutable points.

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    7. Thanks MC to you... You get the point too obviously.

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  5. Quote from above "You would be welcome here for a visit or a few days break. There are already a few priests who come here and NO ONE will ever know you were here."
    COME INTO MY PARLOUR SAID THE SPIDER TO THE FLY!

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    1. MourneManMichael6 May 2017 at 02:03

      Your anon comment @ 00;52 is at first glance an entirely sensible caution. However on the basis of my following this blog by +Pat for the past three years, I take an entirely opposite perspective. I view it as a genuine open invitation to come and interact non prescriptively with other earnest truth seekers. Based on my knowledge of +Pat, I do not think for one moment he is intent on creating any self serving ediface.
      MMM

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    2. Oh dear, that would be very worrying if Pat was found to be luring them in to the sticky web from which no-one ever appears again! Naughty Pat!... Surely you heard what happened to Myra Hindley...

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  6. I agree about parish pastoral workers. They are worse than the priests.

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  7. It is a shame that these PPW's are doing this I can only speak or rather give my own personal comment for I see going on in D&C.
    The PP surrounds himself in many cases with his closet allies and yes people. They in turn take on the cleric roll and crack the whip demanding a sense that they be reguarded as important.
    It's like all the lay who are ministers of the Eucharist, my own brother in law sees it as a job and dare anyone take it from him or ask him to step down after 3 years for others to "" play.
    What next for D&C yeah Permanent Deacons being formed to be clericalists. For some of them it looks like they have been brain washed of their own personal identity and for others they look more like wannabe priests,
    I say roll on the day they can be, they cannot do amy worse than the ones currently in place.

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    1. Actually to be fair some are OK, but it can attack a certain dominant personality.

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    2. B H you have definitely hit a cord. People in church can become very possessive of their roles. Does this come from some sort of insecurity? I don't know. Guess a key might be to aim for church communities where everyone is valued. May sound corny but structures don't appear to be doing much.

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  8. The Dublin priest has just realised his life has passed him by. No point blaming PPWs for it all. He should have enjoyed the sin of Sodom when he had the chance, like normal priests and seminarians do nowadays.

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    1. It is never good to choose sin over our continual efforts to practise virtue. (Eternity is a long time and it won't "pass you by" if you want to choose sodomy)

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  9. That's a brave letter. I do wonder about some of the people I have seen doing that job.

    Why is it a paid job? This conflicts with the life of St. Paul and many other examples. I agree it undermines real lay participation.

    Be brave with your alcoholism. Well done for admitting the struggle. Remember, 'No is both a small word and a brave word but it's your friend.

    CR

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  10. Dear Fr. I appreciate your story and have experienced some of your journey. Don't feel your time is a total waste. I'm sure inspite of your struggles you have done a great deal of good. This is down to the grace of God. I understand you may still have some regrets. As for lay employees, they can be an asset or a curse. Sadly in a parish setting I have experienced this as well.

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  11. Fair play to that Dublin Priest. I have seen the same here in the UK with lay catholic employees - on a massive wage and ruling the roost.

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  12. Any new word on the ordinations ?

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  13. Part 2

    Part 2.
    Part 2. Surely, it is time for decent priests and lay faithful in Dublin to DEMAND clarity in these matters. Even if DM is an arrogant autocrat, he will not be able to ignore or brush aside such an uprising in his diocese - especially if it is made public and taken to a 'higher court' than Archbishop's House, Drumcondra.

    So, for good of the Church and in the Name of Jesus Christ, smash the glass and press the alarm button in the archdiocese of Dublin!

    For too long now, the toxic smoke has been gathering and spreading. Send out the alarm call - loud and clear - NOW!

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  14. Part 1. As an outsider, could I ask, is it not time for the Dublin presbyterate to confront, Diarmuid Martin and demand answers and accountability from him, regarding the very grave matters that are being constantly raised on this website?

    On the very worrying issue of allegations concerning a transitory deacon of Dublin diocese being ordained a priest:

    Are the allegations well-founded? Is there credibility to the "stories" circulating about this man?

    If not, then this man's reputation must be publicly restored. Why has that not happened? Why has there been no robust refutation of the allegations? Why have the concerns and fears not been allayed?

    If there are problems with this deacon, then to ordain him is utterly insane. There are many ways for this deacon to work out his salvation - and he should be afforded every support if, indeed, he has "sex addictions", etc. But to ordain him to the priesthood will be a DISASTER!

    For DM to insist on ordaining him in the face of grave concerns (unless those concerns are shown to be unfounded) shows DM's judgement to be dangerously impaired.

    It calls into question his fitness for office as a Catholic bishop. It raises as grave a concern as a could possibly exist for DM to continue as archbishop of Dublin.

    DM's "sexuality" is of no relevance to the issue. What is relevant is if he is ordaining individuals who are going to harm the Church even more than it has already been harmed, who have no intention of living the kind of life required of a priest of Jesus Christ. Indeed, they may not have the ability to do so.

    Surely, the matter is now so grave as to warrant a deputation of Dublin priests and laity going to DM and confronting him?

    If there is no satisfaction - or no plausible explanations for these bizarre circumstances - then concerned priests and laity should call a press conference and make public their worries. Then Rome will have to take notice.

    A vote of no confidence, from a considerable number of priests and people, will certainly make Rome sit up and take notice and they will have to intervene.

    Such intervention will bring to an end any "blackmailing" that is going on, even if it also brings, to an ignominious end, the "career" of Diarmuid Martin.

    As regards these PPWs - how long can Dublin diocese sustain these salaries? Is there a proper complaints procedure, for both priests and PPWs, to air grievances?

    The substantive issue, if what has been expressed on this website, 'Wise Catholic', is true, is dysfunctional leadership - namely DM - the buck stops with him.

    No Catholic bishop, worth his salt and in his right mind, would knowingly ordain a man who has been habitually cruising for "unattached" gay sex on Apps and websites, who is also accused of a very serious sexual crime.

    It must also be borne in mind that these matters have twice made media headlines in Ireland and across the world. The deacon's name and photograph, in relation to the alleged incidents, have also been published on the internet - so it is not just Bishop Buckley who has raised the alarm:

    https://www.churchmilitant.com/news/article/irish-seminarian-accused-of-homosexual-activity-transferred-to-rome

    http://clericalwhispers.blogspot.co.uk/2017/01/active-gay-irish-seminarian-shipped-off.html

    If the deacon is innocent, I repeat, then why has he not been exonerated? Why no law suits against his detractors?

    There has been no defence at all of this man's reputation. If these stories are untrue, then this is an injustice that cries out to heaven.

    If they are true - and he goes on to be ordained a priest - that too will cry out to heaven for very different reasons.

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    1. Part 2. Surely, it is time for decent priests and lay faithful in Dublin to DEMAND clarity in these matters. Even if DM is an arrogant autocrat, he will not be able to ignore or brush aside such an uprising in his diocese - especially if it is made public and taken to a 'higher court' than Archbishop's House, Drumcondra.

      So, for good of the Church and in the Name of Jesus Christ, smash the glass and press the alarm button in the archdiocese of Dublin!

      For too long now, the toxic smoke has been gathering and spreading. Send out the alarm call - loud and clear - NOW!

      Delete
    2. The big question in my mind is this: does Dermot Martin even believe in God?

      I seriously question whether he does.

      I think he is just a crassly cynical, ambitious functionary, who climbed up the ladder as high as he could, giving giving some of his buddies like Tighe a leg up as well (Tighe is a foul-mouthed non-entity with the personality and charisma of a block of wood).

      And what about the poor Dublin priest who thought he was "well in" with Dermo - but wasn't - suffered a breakdown- and has now exiled himself to an American Monastery!!!

      Dermo is a crass and heartless cynic. He has no heart for the priests and faithful of Dublin.

      And he pretended to "care" about the victims of clerical abuse in Dublin because it was "politic" to do so. He is incapable of compassion. I believe he is sociopathic.

      His handling of "Gorgeous" et alia beggars belief. He is aware of other scandalous situations in the diocese and does nothing. One must wonder -why???

      The best thing that could happen would be for Martin to go - not to a job in Rome - just to GO!

      And for crying out loud don't send Tighe to take his place. He will be more of the same. Another lame duck who couldn't hold down a lowly job in the real world but, because he is in the Church and has "connections", rises high.

      God help Dublin.

      Disillusioned, Dublin diocese.

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    3. Yes, what happened to the priest who went to the monastery? Why did he leave the diocese?

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  15. The Roman Catolic church is a monarchy state and certainly never will ve Deomocratic. It is now in a situation where it does not know which way to turn. For those from the pre vatican II days they want the latin and the new guys on the block want the latin and the lace because it makes them pretty and elitist. The high pulpit cannot come back quick enough from them.
    So where's the problem then, well it's the educated pews, they are fed up to the back teeth with all the sanctimonious pomposity that goes with all these Popes, Bishops and priests.
    The faithful want a Democratic Catholic Church, even +Bishop Pat says his Oratory of faithful are based on the earliest days church.
    I agree that the priest from the blog must be a lovely man who had high hopes for his church, his vocation, his life only to feel it under valued but it is nothing more than what "" normal people go through in life, relationship, work and play....
    I do say to him however its never too laye to make a difference, get up get out and shout from the rooftops what you want, feel or believe in. Never be afraid for who you are or wamt to be. Even at 78 years of age is it Pope Francis says get out and be among the sheep, smell them let them lead you, change your way. This is from a pope who was ordained post Vat II so this is all he knows.
    Jesus asked to Peter do you love me?
    He replied yes master you know I do!

    Summing it up then love the sheep, if you a Pope, Bishop, Priest, Religious, Nun get on with it. If your happy to be a sheep then be shepherded and be prepared to lead the shepherds to the better pastures they don't know about.

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  16. As a former seminarian for Dublin in the Clonliffe days I maintain an interest in 'happenings' in the Diocese. Dublin diocese is more or less run by a gay mafia with origins in the pink champagne parties held in Pat O'Donoghue's rooms weekly when he was on the seminary staff. After his sudden and unexplained disappearance form the Pro-Cathedral just before the Eucharistic congress he still pulls many strings as Director of Liturgy of the Diocese and part of the diocesan 'Curia'. Someone should do a little digging around this. All DM's pals from the Teutonic in Rome are now in high profile positions in Dublin and Rome (Bishop Paul Tighe!). Nepotism is alive and well in Dublin despite DM's constant public condemnation of clericalism.

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    1. PS: Many believe that Paul Tighe will replace DM in Dublin ???

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  17. Pat when are investigating Galway and Clonfert?????

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  18. Tighe was apparently earmarked for Meath but has demurred. He is much more a high flyer on the international stage - the humdrum of diocesan life would bore him. He is acutely shy as a person and would not have the necessary 'bon homie' for a diocesan bishop. He is more at home delivering lectures and speeches that mixing with the plebs Dei.
    He is nice to meet one to one but appears a little taken by his own importance since the pointy hat was conferred. He is very much a protégé of Diarmuid to whom he attributes his rise to prominence in the Vatican.
    I wouldn't wish him on Dublin - could be another disaster like the late great Cardinal Connell.

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  19. The Padre referenced in 12:37 is indeed the prominent figure in a gay cabal which exercises considerable influence in Dublin. Many key figures in Dublin hold in common a friendship with this man. Including a VG of the Diocese as well as other well placed people. His influence is sinister and is worth a close look at. His removal from the Pro-Cathedral and disappearance from the Lourdes pilgrimage raises many suspicions. Perhaps there are other who can throw some light on this subject?

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    1. a radiologist from scotland could enlighten you on that one

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  20. At 15.20. I dont believe Paul Tighe will be appointed as Dermo Sucessor. I know Pat thinks he is a strong choice. I think Leahy from Limerick will be next Abishop of Dublin . Other than that I would say Nulty from Kildare and Leighlin.

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  21. I'd say a radiologist could see right through him!

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  22. Hopefully our worst nighmare Doran from Elphin wont return to Dublin or that would be a disaster.

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  23. Who knows.....but I'd give 50000/1 That it won't be Pat Buckley...

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    1. And I'd give to the nth degree that it won't be you.

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  24. The laity are an absolute nightmare generally. Puffed-up know it alls who couldn't run a piss up in a brewery forever harping on about the priests not doing it right. Do they offer to lend a hand? Not a bit of it. But convinced they are right all the same. The laity get the priests they deserve and they don't deserve better than what DM is going to give them, so fair play to him I say. As for this bollox about a democratic church, how exactly is that supposed to work - majority rule? So if the majority vote for euthanasia for the over 80s, let's bring it in!

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    1. Well, dear, successive magisteria have, for centuries, voted for death to its enemies...despite what Jesus said about loving them . Explanation?

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    2. Well. petal, answering a question with a question isn't illuminating so try harder.

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