Tuesday 14 November 2017

MISSING DERRY PRIEST

BRENDAN COLLINS
CONTRIBUTION FROM A DERRY CATHOLIC PARISHIONER


Dear Bishop Buckley 

I hope you are keeping well.  I recently attended the novena in the Long Tower Church in Derry City with my cousins, the novena is nine Sundays leading up to Christmas, and they have asked to me find out information about their former curate Fr Brendan Collins.  We had a chat after the novena, and it seems to them that the Long Tower Parish under the administrator Fr Aidan Mullan wants to eradicate the fact that Fr Brendan Collins ever served in the parish. 

They asked me to email Bishop Donal McKeown, something I knew would be pointless, but I did. Bishop McKeown actually sent me an email when I asked about the lack of priests in our cathedral parish, and he sent me a vague reply about not having enough clergy and that other parishes in the city have survived with few priests, the cathedral will be alright. 

Well, a week has passed by and no reply from Bishop McKeown to my email. I told my cousins, and it is coming to the point where some are ready to jump ship and worship in the Church of Ireland cathedral.  I have been there many times and have taken communion there, much to the annoyance of many of my Catholic relatives.  However, my cousins are sick and tired of the lies and the silence. I am too.  My mother has already left the church and has become a Baptist, and attends the North West Baptist Church in Derry and is very happy and content with not being part of the Roman Catholic Church. 

BRENDAN AT WAILING WALL JERUSALEM


Fr Brendan Collins simply does not exist and never has existed, that is the attitude we get from the diocese. His photo and name remains on the diocesan website, God knows why? What do you think? http://www.derrydiocese.org/parishes-clergy/index-of-clergy/24-collins-rev-brendan-joseph-cc 

I do not want to abandon my own parish of St Eugene's Cathedral, to be honest, Fr Paul Farren who is the cathedral administrator seems very Anglican to me. He is best buddies with the Archdeacon of Derry, Robert Miller, they wrote a book together. Fr Farren even wears a very Methodist type of priest clothes. He usually never wears black. Take a look at his photos when you Google him and you will see what I mean.  Fr Farren never says the "Fatima Prayer" after each decade of the rosary and his sermons are very Anglican, so I am happy with the cathedral but detest Bishop McKeown. 

For my cousins, it seems the final straw has come, and many have said to me they will give it to Christmas, and in the new year, they will reconsider their church attendance.  The lies, the silence, it is appalling. I would like to know what you think, what should I advise my cousins, and will Fr Collins ever be mentioned again in the diocese?

My best wishes to you. I remember you in my prayers every week.


DONAL MC KEOWN



Dear XXXX,

You are wasting your time with Donal McKeown. He has sold his soul to the institution in return for a mitre and Derry.

When he was a younger priest 30 years ago when I first met him, I would have hopes for his integrity.

Not anymore. He is a waffler with no substance.

Nobody seems to know where Father Brendan is or if he is ever coming back. As you will be aware there were "rumours".

You and your family should worship God where you feel comfortable - and where there is integrity.

In the RC diocese of Derry, integrity, is as rare as the Corncrake !!!

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

MISSING GORGEOUS



Several readers had told us that Deacon Micheal "Gorgeous" Byrne would be ordained with two others yesterday in the Pro-Cathedral, Dublin on the Feast of St Laurence O'Toole.

As it turned out there was no Gorgeous - but the ordination of the other two went ahead.





Where to now - for Georgeous???

He has not been seen in Ireland for many months.

One Dublin priest told the Blog that Diarmuid Martin was financially supporting him at an overseas location???


86 comments:

  1. Pat, the letter you received is typical of the type of "stuff" that's become your daily bread. Let the author and his relatives flock to the other Christian Churches or Baptist Halls or Synagogues or Mosques. It's a free country. The utter ridiculousness of their so called concern is mind boggling. As for your reference to Bishop McKeown: it reflects more on your ignorance, stupidity, immaturity and un-Christ like behaviour than on any failing of the good Bishop. If there are so many Catholic malcontents around, why don't they join The Larne Oratory? Another searching for all the gossip you can find Pat! How pathetic.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. People are entitled to think and write as they wish.

      Donal McKeown is just another company man on the treadmill.

      Delete
    2. Yes, 23:32, it is indeed, as you said, 'a free country'. Which means that we may make critical comment if we wish.

      People like you would rather the clock were turned back to the days of 'Holy Ireland', when there wasn't quite the same public scrutiny of Roman Catholic clerics that we have today. A major reason why so many of them, for so long, got away with abusing kids.

      Delete
    3. 23.32 Let people flock to other churches? I believe this is easier said than done. If I were still in the West of Ireland I believe I would either be a second class citizen in the R C Church or like so many I would be in no mans (persons) land-Purgatory on earth. I suppose the Church would have to bury me when I died-Every dead person is supposedly a saint according to many. Here in the UK when I started attending CoE Services it took me a long time to figure out I was not in a second class church This had nothing to do with logic. I was a product of my past. How many Irish people with no real option to choose are conditioned over the years. Perhaps that is why many are afraid to run to the Oratory or anywhere else. When I was in Sligo the view of Pat Buckley was that of a renegade who did Travellers Weddings-has anything changed in popular culture.

      Delete
    4. Magna, your contribution at 10.27 is also typical of a deeply wounded malcontent. I don't know what happened to you in your life but you display many traits of a disturbed mind. I am a very progressive thinker, have spoken out against all abuse, have zero tolerance for any abusive, racist, defaming and hate filled behaviour of any kind. Those who work with me know my track record. I cannot understand Pat's patholigical obsession with pointing out and dwelling on the failings, sins and imperfections of others. We know them already and I'm certain these Bishops are aware of their human failings. Magna, I abhor your constant negativity, imbalanced judgments and your nasty racism. Your dismissive "people like you" attitude reveals your hatred and intolerance towards those with different opinions.

      Delete
    5. And your comment, 12:29, clearly reveals your hatred of me.

      Kettle and pot?😆

      Delete
    6. Haters like you, Magna, elicit hatred in others - petrol and fire.

      But you are too self-absorbed and blind to see it, or to do anything about it.

      And so, on and on and on it goes, day after day .....

      Delete
    7. Love your closing sentence, 14:50. Suggests a sequel...with me as the star!👤🍻

      Delete
    8. Pharisees like Magna never do get it.

      Delete
  2. +Pat

    Tell Conor Gannon of the Dublin Diocese to stay away from the gay bars in Rome. Did you see him in the Pro-Cathedral?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Conor Gannon is hot, hot, hot!

      Delete
  3. MB has left Pat. How does it feel to get what you wanted?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. There is no evidence anywhere that I know of to indicate that MB has left?

      People still think that poker is being played.

      Delete
    2. Pat, please explain in a rational way why you feel it necesssry to continually caricature Bishop McKeown. Do you feel better in light of other people's failings? Do you get some "high" or "sensation" when you smugly say - thank God I'm not like them!! Of course we know you are the awaited one! But what a disappointment you are......

      Delete
  4. Pat, why did you allow a post on the previous blog that allowed a post calling another poster .
    I’m loosing confidence in your sincerity.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I completely accept that the parishioner who wrote that letter has the right to worship where he/she wishes but having said that, I always find it very puzzling and maybe a little sad that a person should be so dependent upon and influenced by the vagaries of how this or that member of the clergy behaves etc before he/she decides whether it is worth his or her while to continue in the practice of the Catholic Faith! Surely he must operate from more personal conviction than that would indicate.
    I would say to that parishioner to be his own person and continue to practise and really value his Faith for its own sake. Never mind what everyone else is doing. Don't be so influenced and put off by other people's shortcomings because you won't have to look far to find them (I always tell myself that I don't have to look further than the nearest mirror!) Have confidence in yourself and be the person who thinks for himself and leads by good example. That might be more help to your cousins but ultimately we all have to take responsibility for our own lives and that includes how we present ourselves in the Final Judgment. That's the moment of Truth and as the tree bends, so it will fall. May God guide you in His ways.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think that people are right to be concerned when they are being kept in the dark in parishes they have supported a lifetime!

      Delete
    2. Anon @ 00:07, perhaps I make the wrong assumption from your comment that you are a cleric totally encased in a traditional belief system. If not, forgive me.
      But it seems to me that from your own background imbued in that nebulous concept of "The Faith", you place rather too much reliance in the belief that others are similarly imbued with an unquestioning faith. And in that, you underestimate the influence upon the ordinary layperson of the personal behaviour of clerical figures supposed to represent and be examples of the central religious message their role is intended to convey.
      In simple terms: why should someone seeking spiritual significance and guidance identify with a cohort led by one whose behaviour shows little evidence of spirituality?
      Jacob's coat had many colours. I think he may have relished the diversity
      MMM

      Delete
    3. But MMM, isn't that exactly what the other poster said...! That "he should be his own person" and not be "influenced by the vagaries" of others.

      Delete
    4. It doesn't matter whether catholicism is from God or man, the fact remains that if you sign up to it you are obligated to worship in it not in other Churches except in ceremonies that are non-denominational. A religion cannot function without boundaries. It is not the religion that binds you to worship but your own signing up to it. However Catholicism would disagree and argue that as the Church is God's only authorised way of bringing you to himself that there is more to it than just your consent. You are obligated also because God commands it.

      Delete
    5. "I always find it very puzzling and maybe a little sad that a person should be so dependent upon and influenced by the vagaries of how this or that member of the clergy behaves." A growing number of scholars argue that there are serious moral problems with the men looked up to as prophets by the Church such as Moses, Elijah and even Jesus. the creators of the Church such as Constantine the great and St John Chyrostom were bigots and hate mongers.

      Delete
    6. Anon @ 11:43 I don't think I 'signed up' to anything when I was baptised as an infant.
      I don't remember at any stage being given any choice before induction into the religious tribe of my parents. I don't remember having any choice in the matter of my confirmation either.
      And as for the "church being God's only authorised way of bringing you....": forgive me but I thought the "extra ecclesiam nulla salus.." belief had been long abandoned?
      MMM

      Delete
    7. A silly, ill-conceived comment, 11:43.

      No one signs up to Catholicism: generally, they are baptised into it as babies, hardly free to 'sign up' to anything.

      And no, we as Catholics are not 'obligated' to worship in Catholicism alone: God is everywhere there is genuine love, even in non-Catholic ritual. You are using the language of duress, not words of loving freedom. Are you such a religious bigot that you cannot see this?

      As for your utterly ridiculous view (that 'the Church is God's only authorised way of bringing you to himself'), you need to read the teaching of Vat II on the presence of God beyond the smug walls of Catholicism.

      Wait! You're a 'traddy', aren't you? Beyond persuasion, then.

      Delete
    8. Actually 11:43 has shown in that comment that he or she isn't traddy at all. If you weren't such an idiot you would have noticed that.

      Delete
    9. When I see Carta’s name above a posting I skip it. So it’s only the replies that have to be navigated.

      11:43
      Misinformation, a major non-sequitur and hence a false/fallacious conclusion.

      11:53
      Unscientific grasp of biblical characters and a skewed view of a prominent patristic one, together with an u historical and false evaluation of a Roman emperor.

      With gems like these the blog has reached a new low.

      Delete
  6. http://www.thejournal.ie/new-priests-dublin-3695207-Nov2017/

    ReplyDelete
  7. https://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/religion-and-beliefs/two-priests-ordained-for-dublin-s-catholic-archdiocese-1.3292012

    ReplyDelete
  8. http://www.leinsterleader.ie/news/home/281629/kildare-man-bill-o-shaughnessy-ordained-to-the-priesthood-today.html

    ReplyDelete
  9. Dermo financially supporting Gorgeous? I thought that clerics were self-employed. Don't tell the taxman.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The notion that a Catholic priest is self employed is a great big lie.

      Delete
    2. The tax man knows that priests come under category of self employed. We are all registered with Revenue and are tax compliant in accordance with the law. Stop pedalling lies Pat. Have some moral truth. Stop.

      Delete
    3. I mean that priests do not have the freedom of a self employed man.

      Delete
    4. 9.23 Have to agree Pat. Being a R C Priest is a bit like being a full time soldier

      Delete
  10. Great piece on RTE by Br Kevin and Fr Peter McVerry on the helping the homeless in modern society.
    Real pastoral work in action.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. 10.28 Heard it and have to agree. How far away from reality are these "officials" in and who advise government.

      Delete
  11. Now you really are trying to run with the hare and hunt with the hounds. If Brendan is at odds with the requirements of life as a Catholic priest and has left, that's only what you've advocated repeatedly here. I will also agree with your repeated view here that the diocese should at least say sonething.
    But the author of this letter plainly wants to be an Anglican - in fact admires the Anglican ethos greatly - and should just jump ship.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Pat

    Did you see the Irish College students from Rome serve the ordination???

    ReplyDelete
  13. 10.28 listening to Fr Tim on RTE about priest's who had a false allegation made against him.
    Unlikely to get coverage on this blog.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hope he gets the all clear.
      Innocent teachers can get this also.

      Delete
  14. So where is he ?
    Is he left ?
    What were the rumours?
    Is he away with his gay partner\ girlfriend
    Or is he away for reflection?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Whatever the reason(s) I can’t imagine female involvement.

      Delete
    2. One thing is clear anyway.. with you poster @12.11, there are more questions than answers!!

      Delete
  15. Jeepers that letter is hilarious. Fr Farren is very anglican?! You could not make this up. My mother is a baptist now! You my good friend should be on a talk show!

    Seriously Pat you should be doing podcasts! This stuff is comedy gold!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Personally I blame Pat for publishing.
      Anyone can be whatever religion they want to or none.
      Maybe the author of the letter could email Pat...as I know that Pat is very good at counselling.
      So please...letter writer...talk with Pat...not about your preference of churches but about your life in general.

      Delete
    2. Ha ha!.. Priceless..!

      Delete
  16. Pat, fair play to you for pursuing the "Gorgeous" scandal.

    It looks like you saved the Church from another "mortgage for a lifetime" (Pope Francis' description of ordaining unworthy candidates to the priesthood).

    As regards the letter writer from Derry: that person sounds decidedly odd and has been on here before, several times.

    Good luck to the Anglicans and the Baptists with him/her and his/her family.

    Now what about King Puck?

    ReplyDelete
  17. 11.53
    We were never taught about most of those scholars lives at school
    We weren’t even allowed read the bible
    What we were taught was that the priest was the all knowing saint in the parish...to be looked up to.
    Can you clerics get it into your heads that the ordinary catholic had a sterilised version of ‘’ church history ‘’ booked into them at Rc schools.
    If those men were mentioned in passing ...they were great god fearing men or they had great conversations after boyhood antics.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Conversions not conversations

      Delete
    2. I too think that you Pat should not have published this letter.
      The writer may need counselling at the very least.

      Delete
    3. Ha ha! - - great Freudian slip there with your "conversations"!

      Delete
  18. See how these Christians despise one another!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I don’t agree that we despise each other’s religion.
      But this letter would unnerve me somewhat if I was Pat.
      The writer has problems that should not be aired here.


      Yes we need to know where this young went, or rather his parishioners do.it would be respectful if their bishop to came to one of their masses and say so.
      On the other hand bishops are really irrelevant in today’s society they don’t do anything to enhance the lives of their parishioners.they just travel around showing off their big cross and ring..hilarious if it weren’t so pathetic.
      At least you Pat converse with us, chat to us, listen to us....what a pity you ain’t our leader.

      Delete
  19. 11 43
    We didn’t sign up to anything.
    We were groomed from birth, same as our parents were.
    Once the people were so uneducated that they followed like sheep
    No in the 20 / 21 century people are developing a moral compass and many actually think for themselves.
    God does not command , he guides.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Try telling that to Moses...!

      Delete
    2. 14:53, Moses didn't know much about obeying God's commands: he struck the rock twice, not once (as God had ordered). God was quite sore about it, which is why he sadistically teased Moses with a glimpse of the Promised Land, but wouldn't allow him to lead the Hebrews into it. (That honour fell to his kid brother, Joshua.)

      Anyway, did you know that Moses was the very first motorist? No kidding. He came down Mount Sinai in a Triumph.

      Delete
    3. Er, where are all the biblical scholars who contribute here? Can't anyone spot the kindergarten error im my post at 16:42?

      Delete
    4. Took your little test, 17:46.😇 Shan't tell you how I scored.😈

      Delete
    5. No surprises there then 18:46.

      Delete
    6. Yes, yes Magna. of course we spotted your "kindergarten" mistake. You named Joshua as "kid brother" of Moses.The brother of Moses is named Aaron in the Bible. But the atmosphere of that post was humorous and it seemed a bit mean to "correct" a jokey post. We didn't post a comment to say cars weren't invented either!

      Delete
  20. No harm in these ecumenical times in recognising much that is attractive in the various Protestant denominations. Still, someone who started life as a Derry Catholic might not be ready for the large dose of Britishness they would have to swallow if they wanted actually to join one of them.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. And what is wrong with Britishness, you smug Irish bastardo?

      Delete
    2. Whatever about 12:50’s comments, Magna, when it comes to “bastardos”, you’re the head honcho.

      Delete
  21. If young men interested In becoming followers of Christ were encouraged instead of being formed, more would stay the course.
    It is not healthy that young men should be housed together like Gaynooth.
    They should be allowed to be students just like uni until studies are completed.
    And the studies should be changed dramatically...it is all mismanaged.
    Manipulated men cannot or should not try to influence the young.
    Yesterday’s blog should surely teach us all something.a man letting his imagination run riot and expect to inspire.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Today it seems very clear that this is simply a blog for a mish-mash of people who have seriously lost their way... They can't agree with the Church... can't agree with each other... can't agree with me.. day after day... yack yack yack.. on it goes!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Very insightful 13 .24.
      Great post,you do inspire.
      Yack, yack and more yacking....keep it up.


      Delete
    2. Thanks...will do.

      Delete
  23. Clear the f*****g lot of em out Pat. Hell give it to them. That's Derwin and Byrne gone. Now for the king puck.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. 20.44. How ignorantly low you stoop. Your comment reflects a crass, empty, tabloid mind. Keep your head iut of your a**e and maybe you might have a cleaner vision. For now - what an imbecilic fool you are.

      Delete
    2. Derwin isn’t as gone as you may think

      Delete
  24. If Michael Byrne was not a deacon at the ordination of priests at the Pro a few days ago he's well and truly gone. Puck next, followed by the truly creepy and leery Brendan Marshall of Armagh. The ghastly Barry Matthews got ordination and will destroy lives in Armagh archdiocese.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Was Byrne keeping a low profile as they would know that if he was seen there would be trouble?

      Delete
  25. Fr Alex Anderson has been on the "missing in action" list, AKA "c/o Bishop's House, Derry" for at least a decade. What's going on?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Good question and one I have thought about - where exactly is he and at the same time what about the other Derry MIAs?

      Delete
  26. I am sure +Donal has the means to put the Derry parishioner's mind at rest... and concerned readers. We don't scandalise easily.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Brendan Collins has left - he wont be back - obviously was not for him - time to move on - nothing to see anymore

    ReplyDelete
  28. If Collins aka Fr could not cope without his sexual partners....why was he ordained?
    Surely it was known pre ordination.
    Was he just ordained to make it look good...another good looking priest.
    Was this another faupax by his bishop.?

    ReplyDelete
  29. Communion in a Protestant church is simply a piece of bread. If the author likes bread so much he or she would be better off in McErleans bakery. Also, let your ma run off to the Baptists, fat lot of good it will do her. There is only one church and it is holy, Roman, catholic and apostolic.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The other one true church would vehemently disagree with the above assertion.

      Delete
    2. I would leave out the holy.
      Please don’t denigrate the Protestant or any religion.
      People are entitled to practice wherever they choose.
      I did not choose Catholicism, I was born into it.
      And yes I would take communion in any.
      What a degrading post 00.25 from a so called Christian.
      You are no credit to your faith.

      Delete
    3. Anon @ 00:25. While entitled to your opinion, do you have any idea how sanctimonious, opinionated and uncharitable it is?
      I see others think similarly.
      Just think it through, ....please.
      MMM

      Delete
  30. 'Fr Brendan Collins simply does not exist and never has existed, that is the attitude we get from the diocese.'

    Does seem strange, especially when his photograph and contact details are still online.

    If +Pat can't get to the bottom of it, then no one can.

    ReplyDelete
  31. 00:25 are you a priest?

    ReplyDelete
  32. “Not all the good looking guys get married! Some of them become priests!” Remember that one, Michael Jack?

    If that wasn’t an indication of narcissism and gross immaturity what was Prying Paul and co thinking?

    Oh yes, that’s right, we know what they were thinking!

    ReplyDelete
  33. If 00.25 is a priest, I would never want to meet him.
    The post was offensive to all Christians and any other faith.

    ReplyDelete
  34. Of course good looking fellas become priests and ministers.
    I’ve no idea who else u are talking about there 11.44

    ReplyDelete