Monday 24 July 2017

FATHER SHIRLEY BASSEY PP


VERY REVEREND FATHER RICHARD GEOGHEGAN PP - BALLYNEALE - TIPPERARY

ON RTE 1 ON SUNDAY NIGHT AT 8.30 PM WE SAW AN IRISH PARISH PRIEST PERFORM A DRAG ACT AS SHIRLEY BASSEY.



IT WAS THE THIRD IN A SERIES OF FRANCIS' BRENNAN'S TOUR OF VIETNAM WITH 12 TRAVELLERS - INCLUDING FATHER GEOGHEGAN.



Image result for francis brennan tour of vietnam





A Blog reader had told us that we were in for a treat on Sunday from Father Geoghegan and we all waited with bated breath.


Would it be a new colourful shirt? A new hairdo? A new tattoo? 

But the treat was to leave all those in the ha'penny place. Father Ricardo really surprised us - and with full female dress, jewelry he appeared as the famous singer Shirley Bassey.



Father Richard says that he is following the parable Jesus preached about not hiding your talents under a bushel but to go out and use them. He is saying that he has a talent for drag and he is using the drag talent that God gave him.

So, what, if any, are the issues here?

1. Is it ok for a parish priest to dress as a woman and do a drag act on public TV on a Sunday night at prime time?

2. Are people entitled to be shocked at this - or does people being shocked show that they are old fuddy duddies?

3. Is there any way in which RTE are exploiting Father Geoghegan?

4. Are there deeper, more personal and possible health issues involved here?

5. Phonsie has "A DUTY OF CARE for Father Richard. Is he fulfilling that role?

6. Is Phonsie being emotionally blackmailed by someone?

7. Is Richard's drag act Phonsie's idea of Theology of the Body?

MESSAGE FROM ONE OF RICARDOS PARISHIONERS:

It was sad. It is a complete mockery of what he is meant to stand for. But it's a common occurrence at weddings and celebrations he attends. He has a collection of wigs and high heels. 

Thanks for highlighting his living arrangements
even though I doubt anything will come of it. Phonsie is very smug in himself. 

Xxxxxxxx

WHERE DOES THE DISCERNING WATERFORD PRIEST SHOP FOR HIS FROCKS, TIGHTS ETC?



----------------------------------------------------

MEATH NEWS

CONGRATULATIONS



Congratulations to the new Meath Deacon Kevin Connolly on his ordination and to his good friend Father Kevin Heery of Navan.


93 comments:

  1. Jesus, Pat can't it get any worse. Why is the Bishop of Waterford standing idly by and allowing this? What would his fellow bishop's think of allowing such scandouls behaviour? This is an outrage and his Bishop must act now. Some of us knew about this carry on but to allow this to be broadcast on national tv is a scandal and brings the church into disrepute. Cashel & Emly Priest.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Relax and breath deeply.

      David danced before the Ark.

      What's the fuss? The church has been involved in amateur dramatics for decades.

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    2. Are you for real?

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  2. Dame Fr Shirl is a grave matter Bishop Pat. He/She needs to resign without a shadow of a doubt. I'm slowly joining up the dots with the next Meath saga in the same blog tonight/today but I'm very cautious to say anymore. It's quite an outrage that's currently ongoing . Keep up your investigations. You remind me of that Cook fellow who used to investigate serious cases on tv some years ago and got abused physically and verbally because of it but he got to the truth in the end.

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  3. I watched some of that programme on Sunday night. How can I say this without expressing a lack of charity? I changed channels before long: it was so, bloody BORING!

    By the way, Fr G's hair is his own. (I'd swear so!)

    ReplyDelete
  4. You know in the Anglican church you can be dismissed for 'conduct unbecoming of a clergy man/woman'. There was a vicar dismissed, with the approval of parishoniers, who had dragged it up for a charity event.

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  5. Phonsie is blaming Will Lee for not dealing with the Fr Richard situation. There's a real blame game going on here in Waterford & Lismore. Priests and senior ones at that all think it was a vast mistake for Phonsie to refuse you Communion. I personally think in light of the Fr Richard debacle on RTE, Phonsie should step down. It was not just inappropriate but it causes great scandal to Waterford Diocese but to the whole Church in general. You've emailed Phonsie before this 3rd episode was even broadcast. You had prior knowledge of the Bassey act. I bet Phonsie hasn't replied. His position is now untenable knowing what he knows and doing feck all about it. He blames Lee but it's him who is currently in charge. Resign Bishop Cullinan, you have proved ineffectual

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Well bishop Lee was his bishop for longer that bishop Alphonsus. It is up to the new bishop to clean up the mess left after over 2 decades of Lee. That cannot be achieved over night. I have a feeling that now there is clear evidence it will be easier for bishop Alphonsus to act.

      I imagine that progamme is pre recorded. If so is Richard back in the country?

      Delete
  6. I can see why the Bishop's Conference appointed +Phonsie as Chair of Vocations now. In relation to Meath, did Rev Deacon move to Meath diocese from Monaghan where he is from or did he start out with Monaghan diocese (not sure of what the diocese is called) or did he commence training as Meath?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. He's from Clogher Diocese, a very fine Cathedral in Monaghan town.

      Delete
    2. And why change from Clogher to Meath? Why did the bishops of Clogher and Meath allow this?

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    3. He needed to be near a relation in Meath.

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    4. Navan?? I'm joining the dots.

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    5. Phonsie, Chair of Vocations? Are you having us on? Jesus, that man wouldn't inspire me to go to the chip shop let alone a Seminary. No wonder why the Church is fu**ed from a vocations point of view. Maybe trannies stand a better chance than most.

      Delete
  7. On a scale of 1-10 how angry will the bishop of Waterford and Lismore be? Off the scale I'd say. Rumours are easily dismissed but when it's broadcast, literally.....

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  8. St Otteran pray for us!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Our Lady of Waterford pray for us.

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  9. A former priest who complained he was pooved on by Cardinal O'Brien, who was a Bishop at the time, said: "You're controlled by your Bishop. You have no freedom of movement, of action. He can determine what your life is like."

    Obviously, +Phonsie hasn't taken this line with Dame Shirley, or he probably gave up trying years ago.

    Also, I cannot imagine her returning to ministry now. She will probably write her autobiography.

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    Replies
    1. Or go on to a new vocation on stage and "TV" :-)

      Delete
  10. I believe Dame Father Shirley is doing a number over the summer season at Funnygirls in Blackpool.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. What is Funnygirls?

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    2. With the greatest respect to Fr Richard, as a Bassey fan he doesn't look at all remotely like her. He's not singing either only miming. What a fraud to us Bassey fans. Get yourself a dark brown wig luv that resembles hers and a singing voice to match.

      Delete
  11. What's the story with the deacon pat?

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  12. Who said there was a story?

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  13. Pat, you are lifting the lid in the wasps best and some of the wasps are trying to sting you. I have been watching these situations in many dioceses for years with despair. Persevere. Dublin PP.

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  14. I am not sure dressing up and miming to a Shirley Bassey record constitutes ‘talent’. It reminds me of the audience reaction in The Producers. LOL.

    https://d3j0sq6zklqdqq.cloudfront.net/photos/2016/04/01/53-33673-producers-audience-1459471022.jpg

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  15. Had Fr Heery worked in Maynooth as an external member of the formation team? I seem to remember he has?

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  16. Really good questions Pat.

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  17. Totally disgusted this man is allowed to behave in this way. What the hell are Waterford doing about it. For God sakes on RTE. Killala PP

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  18. Pat, as previously suggested by another poster that Fr Richard's party piece was displayed in the Mekong Delta I would say his party piece was more closer to home hence the wigs, heels, lippy and frocks.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Well that clothing was hardly bought in Vietnam and must have been brought from home. Dorothy Perkins?

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    2. No Pat, he has a preference for Laura Jane's in Carrick.

      Delete
  19. Were those Pretty Polly tights Shirley was wearing? Were they from Pretty Polly's "Ballroom" range?

    ReplyDelete
  20. He did his Shirley act in Lourdes, everyone laughed but were secretly disgusted. It was the whole talk of the place the next day. There is a place for this - maybe a tranny drag act bar but not Lourdes.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Was this on the Waterford diocesan pilgrimage to Lourdes being led by Phonsie?

      Any picture out there of this Lourdes "apparition"? or indeed of other performances by Shirley?

      Delete
    2. His drag act seems tame compared to what we've heard other priests get up to in Lourdes.

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    3. There is only one thing in life worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about. (Oscar Wilde)

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    4. 12.03 So? What's your point? Doesn't add up.

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    5. 12.01 Some of us wouldn't know what other Priests get up to in Lourdes so why don't you enlighten us. If drag is tame in Lourdes what else worse has happened if you are more knowledgeable?

      Delete
    6. Pat, he never performed in front of the Bishop in Lourdes, the Bishop was in a posher hotel where most bishop's stay. However, he performed in front of every bishop in the land on RTE on Sunday night.

      Delete
    7. Yes the bishops stay in the 5 star De La Grotte Hotel in Lourdes.

      Delete
    8. @12:13

      Actually, you don't have to go as far as Lourdes, try the truck stop at Mullingar.

      Delete
    9. @11.27. ".. everyone laughed but was secretly disgusted.."
      The way to register your disgust at something like that is to quietly stand up and walk out of room and don't laugh if you don't find it amusing. That would have been an 'eloquent' sermon for him if enough people had the courage to do it!

      Delete
  21. Who is the Meath Priest Pat who likes to wander around truck stops and cruising/dogging areas without his clothes on. Bit of an exhibitionist.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think I met that priest one night at a truck stop outside Mullingar. I had pulled in for a sleep to keep my tachometer right and I noticed a man walking up and down beside another truck. He got into the cab and stayed there. When I left 90 minutes later he was still in the cab. By the sound of it I had a near miss.

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    2. Yes(12.07) very wise indeed to pull in and rest if, as you say, you had "a near miss"outside Mullingar. There is no sense in continuing to drive a truck when overtired and it keeps the tachometer correct.

      Delete
  22. As a yearly pilgrim to Lourdes I am totally horrified at the thought of a priest doing a drag act in such a holy place. I am even more horrified that his bishop tolerates it. It is nothing short of pure evil - evil at a holy shrine.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I agree with you 12.12 that it does seem very disrespectful to the venue and purpose of the pilgrimage. There is plenty of time all year but other recreational activities.

      Delete
  23. Best way to let an idiot know he is an idiot is to let him have his own way

    ReplyDelete
  24. I don't see this as a big deal. Variation on Fr Trendy

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. So, you see nothing wrong with a priest doing a drag act on a pilgrimage?

      Delete
    2. Page you don't see many things as a big deal, apostasy being one of them.

      Delete
    3. I agree, Sean.

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    4. 12.51 Welcome back my funny friend. Pat I thought you were monitoring discriminatory postings

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    5. Do you mean apostacy? I'm sure you can answer that,?

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    6. I can but some may not on a public forum. Religious freedom is enshrined in law.

      Delete
  25. Pat who was the Antoinette that you shouted at Phonsie in Tramore? Was it another name for Shirley or was it another tranny in Waterford you were referring to. Whoever it was it seemed to have the desired effect because Phonsie became more agitated and angry. That's when he called on all his Priests to remove you but only one came and he was out of his depth. He didn't like you mentioning the name Antoinette, red rag to bull lol.

    ReplyDelete
  26. What sort of Priest does a drag act anywhere let alone a pilgrimage?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It is not that unusual. Father Anthony aka Big Mama Capretta had a dance hit with ‘Three Hail Marys and a couple of bloody Marys for the road.’

      http://www.inquisitr.com/26821/pick-whats-wrong-with-this-sentence-gay-catholic-priest-has-minor-dance-hit-singing-in-drag/

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    2. I've Protestant and Atheist friends who would argue that our priests do drag every single day in life...what are vestments if not dresses (for men, yes, but dresses all the same). But would agree that from the video what this priest indicates the need for some spiritual 'support'

      Delete
  27. This is yet another low point in the recent history of the Catholic church in Ireland. A scandal to the faithful, and a cause of derision among the rest. Phonsie should get his pal Christopher West to have a word.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. What's scandalous about this? Doesn't fit with your idea of good?

      Delete
    2. What isn't scandalous about it, cop yourself on.

      Delete
  28. This sort of Priest would turn your stomach. Why doesn't his Bishop grasp the situation and kick him out. I've known others kicked out for less. This is a scandal, what is Bishop Cullinan saying about this outrage to the Church and Priesthood. Couldn't believe it and totally dumbfounded when told about it today. I'm genuinely shocked. Cork & Ross PP

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kicked out for less? For example.

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    2. That's for me to know personally and for you to find out.

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    3. Weasel words.

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    4. Cork and Ross... priests have been retained there for more!!

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    5. Pat will need to visit Cork and Ross soon by the sounds of things.

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    6. To the Cork & Ross PP: Tell us what you know about Fr. Gerard Galvin's situation??? Isn't he living with his (male) partner? His bishop is well aware of it too as are his parishioners?!?!?

      Delete
  29. I live in Waterford Diocese . I have never met Fr Richard but I know he was extremely popular when he was stationed in Carrick- on-Suir and there was weeping and knashing of teeth when he was transferred to Ballyneale. He was very active on Facebook and had a large following but seems to have given that up.

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    Replies
    1. I don't know, but I imagine he is the type of person who would organise lots of social activities for the parishioners to look forward to and enjoy.

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    2. Very wise decision, to give up Facebook.(People have so little privacy nowadays)

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    3. I think the reaction to Fr. Richard on the Vietnam road trip is over the top. Ever heard of fun and a laugh. Does it mean because he is a priest he can't have a laugh and a bit of fun. So what who did it hurt

      Delete
  30. Ultimately this just goes to an individual's question of, and struggle with, identity.

    Let us not forget that both Irish seminaries put on annual plays encouraging men to dress as women. While this is not a problem, it can allow a person struggling with their identity to have a hiding place... indeed a hiding place that is not available to them after ordanation.

    CR

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Well vestments are dresses albeit based on classical roman male ones.

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  31. Why is pat congratulating 2 fine newly ordained men??????????????????

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Well obviously because he's waiting for the evidence before breaking the scandal..

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    2. I hope not -- we’re running out of denunciatory language with which to describe these increasingly unbelievable scandals.

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    3. Seems strange pats recent trip to Meath with his protection officer. It seems he was gathering evidence so can we assume a scandal is brewing there?

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  32. On a different note Cardinal Pell will be appearing in court tomorrow

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  33. @Pat I think it's fair to say you've ruined the chances of those two ever being appointed to the same presbytery. Seeing as they're friends like.

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    Replies
    1. What a shame, there's plenty of room at the priest's palace at Navan too.

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  34. Wasn't that priest with the beard at WYD, without the beard. I mean there were photos of him attending it on here.

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  35. That priest moved from a diocese? But isn't he a deacon?

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  36. Pat do you notice all the people that came on yesterday to stand up for the interior designers and their priests seem to be absent today in Meath? What is that?

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  37. @Pat did the Clogher deacon start out for Clogher in Maynooth or did he always go for Meath?

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  38. @Pat what about Blondie?

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  39. A society gets the priests it deserves.

    If elements of Irish/Western/global society are dealing and struggling with identity, what is so strange that similar percentages of clergy would have to do that too?

    Should only those who have it all worked out and together - if there are any such people - be the only ones worthy of discipleship of Jesus of Nazareth, whose own family thought he was possessed?

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  40. Fr.Richard should have a career change and go work as an entertainer on a cruise ship, jmo.

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  41. Matthew 7:15.You shall know them by their fruits.

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