Wednesday 17 January 2018

DEATH OF FR GREGORY CORMICAN - DOWN & CONNOR


Fr Gregory Cormican.

GREGORY CORMICAN, a priest of Down and Connor, died last Sunday at the age of 61. Born in 1956, he had been a priest for 36 years.l took place yesterday, in his native Glenavy in County Antrim.

He died after a long battle with cancer.

I first met him back in February 1983 when he replaced me as a curate in St. Peter's Cathedral in Belfast when I was moved to Kilkeel in County Down.

Gregory was a "safe man" and a "company man" and never rocked any ecclesiastical boats - at least in his public life.

His private life was a different matter - and even though the bishop and clergy were very aware of this "private life" is was, of course, not mentioned in the days since his death or at his funeral.

It is best summed by the saying an old, now deceased priest of mine had: "IF YOU SEE A PIG WITH TWO HEADS SAY NOTHING"!

He was a classmate of a cleric well known to readers of this Blog - The Very Reverend "Dean" Hugh Kennedy.

The Dean Emeritus


"The Dean", as we call him in still among the missing and indeed was noticeable by his absence from yesterday's funeral.

Another classmate - Fr. Con Boyle gave the homily - and as you would expect from Con - it was not a rousing performance in any sense of the word. 

Con "The Orator" Boyle


Another classmate still - Fr. Stephen McBrearty (now there is one to watch) - spoke at the end of the funeral Mass -  in his capacity as Gregory's executor. Again, no Oscars were awarded.


STEPHEN "APOSTLE OF THE POOR" MC BREARTY
The other "executor", believe it or not, is another person well known to this blog - Fr. Brendan Mulhall - the PP of Turf Lodge who commutes to Turf Lodge from his "family" home in Andersontown.


Another interesting connection Dear Reader?

MISSING CLASSMATE:

Gregory had 4 classmates - Con Boyle, Stephen McBrearty, Hugh Kennedy, and Denis McKinley - the PP of Castlewellan in County Down.

However, Denis McKinley is uncontactable - as he is at an unknown international venue. In fact, Denis is the only cleric in Down and Connor with more air miles than Noel himself :-)

ANOTHER SHOW:

Another well-known blog priest turned up at the funeral - CIARAN DALLAT of Maghaberry Prison:


It was an interesting day.


NOEL "EMOTIONAL" TREANOR



Of course, there could have been no D&C show without the presence of the High Priest himself Noel Treanor - who was as emotional as ever!

A longstanding lady friend of mine from Glenavy Parish told me yesterday that there was no love lost between Gregory Cormican, his family and Noel Treanor.

She did not want to go into the reasons behind this coolness - which has left me thinking that Gregory and his family probably experienced Treanor's coldness, aloofness, and distance???

This estrangement seemed to lead to Gregory's body not being brought to the chapel the night before the funeral and the absence of the diocesan clergy preceding the Mass with the Office for the Dead - a longstanding tradition.

Of course, we know that Down and Connor has become basically leaderless under Treanor's episcopacy with the clergy largely disillusioned by the coldness of their bishop.

As Treanor still has a good few years to go in the job this estrangement and low morale will only deepen.

Treanor had little to say at yesterday's funeral and he was basically there as a functionary.

As I say, there was a big elephant in the room yesterday - but I suppose this is not the time to address that elephant.

But it will need to be addressed in the future!




146 comments:

  1. Mulhall’s “family home” is a wee bit further up the road than Andytown, Pat - but you’re spot on.

    Yes, indeed. What a crew. “Birds of a feather” and all that.

    The volcano is rumbling. When will it spew?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Lagmore is where lives with his “family”.

      The parish secretary runs Turf Lodge.

      He drops in and out to “say Mass” and do funerals - all of which has to be arranged to suit him and his convenience - not the families of the dead or parishioners.

      Its shocking.

      Delete
    2. It's somewhat weird that he doesn't live in his actual family home, which, as a Religious, is Clonard... I've obviously missed something along this gossip path. Has he totally left the Reds?

      Delete
    3. He does not live in Clonard. He does not live in Turf Lodge where is PP. He lives in Lagmore and visits Turf Lodge.

      Delete
    4. The Reds don’t want him and they are glad to get rid of him. Noel is so desperate to fill gaps that he will accept anything - even this sorry excuse.

      Who cares about the people who must deal with it? The good parishioners of parishes like Coleraine and Turf Lodge who it seems are deserving only of contempt and a skeleton service.

      Delete
  2. Pat when you say executor what do you mean ?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Well, I didn't mean anything Pierrepoint-ish:-)

      Delete
    2. What roll did mulhall have at the funeral ?

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    3. Ham and cheese

      Delete
    4. Sounds about right. He's partial to a bit of meat now and then.

      Delete
    5. He's no rollover that's for sure. How many parishes will ice-cold Noel allow him to wreck?

      Delete
    6. The blame for the Mulhall situation lies much more with Treanor than Mulhall.

      What bishop with a faith, a prayer life and even 10% of a pastor's heart would allow this to happen.

      I have been up to look at the presbytery in Turf Lodge.

      It looks deserted.

      Delete
    7. Somebody asked "What roll did Mulhall have at the funeral?"
      I was standing beside him.
      It was a ham and salad roll with light onions.

      Delete
    8. I've heard he's partial to baxters cockaleekie

      Delete
    9. Never continue to stand beside anyone who's had onions, light or heavy.!

      Delete
  3. Without special knowledge or experience, but reading between the lines, I assume most, or all mentioned are polycephaly challenged.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yep, Pat.. Which is a sign you were dealing with an insufferable showoff!

      Delete
  4. Pat, Gregory et al were all in Rome in my time. It was a time of strange goings on.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I was. Still plodding on, although I often ask myself why?

      Delete
    2. Well at least you have the quality of self examination. To me that most often suggests integrity.

      Delete
    3. Oh shake yourself up, boyo!

      Delete
    4. Strange goings on are still going on.

      Delete
    5. Why, 06:56? Because of Christ. Remember always it is him you are called to serve, not the institutional Church.

      Keep your eyes fixed firmly on Christ, and you will never again feel impelled to ask yourself 'why?'.

      You are a priest of God, not a priest of the institutional Church.

      Delete
  5. Treanor has so many elephants he needs to buy more land around Lisbreen and open an elephant enclosure :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. But who let them in in the first place? And who has been looking out for them down the years?

      Delete
    2. Elephants should be returned to us at the zoo...pronto! It's only a few bus-stops on up the road from bishop.

      Delete
    3. Ok. Does Belfast Zoo have the facilities for those elephants who like to celebrate Mass according to the Novus Ordo?

      Delete
    4. That's a new one on us up here at zoo.. We are searching through boxes of stuff and can't find the Rule Book and the boss is away because his wife needed Friars Balsam.

      Delete
    5. If he's lookin' Friars Balsam he must be going to give a vapour rub

      Delete
    6. Any room for a few snakes, moles, rats and bears? It's getting a bit crowded.

      Delete
    7. No,.... He has too many grey squirrels which do his head in.

      Delete
  6. Seems again there is no person like a dead person and no priest as good as a dead priest. I remember visiting retired priests and sisters in Sligo and feeling sad. Did anyone know their real names or care anymore. Honor the dead but respect the living

    ReplyDelete
  7. I too was a student in Rome at the same time as most of the characters mentioned above. It was an interesting, and a fun, time ! Boy, we were all so lucky to be able to spend a number of years in Rome. Such a privilege.

    I'm assuming the 'elephant in the room' concerning Greg has to do with a relationship / friendship / companionship ? Or perhaps with a family he had created. You know, I suspect the vast majority of people will have a sympathy with a priest who negotiates a way of life that is supportive, loving, affectionate and loyal. It is time the official church caught up and allowed its priests to have a life that is emotionally and lovingly supportive. So, whatever the 'elephant in the room' is concerning Greg, as long as it is not abusive or illegal, it is fine with me, and in all likelihood enabled him to carry on in ministry and be of service.

    I know some people will be using the H word - hypocrisy. But, I prefer to see it as people sensibly and carefully negotiating their way through life as best they can in the circumstances in which they find themselves. If there is an accusation of hypocrisy to level, then level it not at the individual who is doing his or her best, but at the structures around the person and institution that hobble, hinder and damage them and their lives by requirements which simply are not tenable for most people.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. MourneManMichael18 January 2018 at 10:49

      Anon @ 09.41: A considerate thoughtful and compassionate comment deserving of thought, and appreciation. Thank you.
      MMM

      Delete
    2. 9:41: Would you also defend my parish priest?

      I went to see him when I was 18 to talk about being gay and how I could reconcile being gay with being Catholic.

      Without saying anything, he stood up, turned off the light, pulled down my jeans and started to give me oral sex.

      I was stunned and literally stuck to the ground.

      Was he a hypocrite or just a good priest whose sexual activity "helped him stay in ministry"?

      Delete
    3. I imagine many priests are very careful not to make sexual morality a priority (in sermons, for example), but you have others like Rory Coyle who preach one thing and do another. It’s not nice and if it wasn’t for +Pat he’d still doing it!

      Delete
    4. 11:09 I had a similar experience with a priest at Westminster Cathedral. Horrifying.

      Delete
    5. 11:09 I would like to echo the horror of 11:24 and wish you both and anyone in a similar situation every good wish and prayers for healing.
      I would also like to add another suggestion as to the character and state of these priests mentioned, "Were they not criminals guilty of sexual assault?"

      Delete
    6. Tom, they were. But the incident described at 11:09 happened in Catholic West Belfast in 1983 when Catholic did not, dare not, approach the RUC, especially about a priest.

      But it was reported to both Bishop Daly and later Bishop Walsh who continued to promote the priest to new appointments.

      Have we not heard all this before???

      Delete
    7. PS: I did not know about the Westminster case until today's Blog.

      Delete
    8. MourneManMichael18 January 2018 at 13:20

      I don't think Anon @ 09:41 needs to defend his comment.
      If I may summarise his key points:"..as long as it is not illegal or abusive it's fine by me".
      and if I may paraphrase: "..level hyprocrisy charges not at the individual doing his/her best, but at the structures that hobble hinder and damage by requirements simply not tenable for most people."
      (I take 'structures' to refer to the clerical requirement of celibacy in the RC church)
      Like Tom Wood, I certainly regard the incidents referred to by Anons @ 11:09 & 24 as abusive sexual assaults and from what he says would expect the commentator @ 09:41 to be of a similar view.
      So if you Anon @ 11:45 consider my view that Anon @ 09:41 has made a compassionate response, then so be it. We obviously view things differently and I can live with that.
      MMM

      Delete
    9. MMM, Everything you say is totally logical.

      The key words being: "as long as it is not illegal or abusive".

      Clearly the young men in Belfast and Westminster were abused and their abuse was illegal.

      Delete
    10. You're a nice person @ 9.41

      Delete
    11. I am @11:09. The Westminster Cathedral Clergy House incident occured in the 1990s. I didn't think I'd be believed. Years later I heard that he'd asked to/been told to transfer to another diocese and that he died of alcohol related conditions.

      Delete
    12. Another queen of Scotch.The priesthood is famed for it.

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    13. Too many priests and sems seemed inspired by the Cosmpolitan magazine notion of "having it all". Free house, job for life, few formal schedules duties so can be as idle or hard-working as they like, while at the same time living hidden lives. As far as I know, priests are ordained at the age of 24 or 25, after six or seven years of training. So they were grown men who freely made vows or promises. They were not conscripted, nor are they indentured slaves who cannot leave. The priests who leave have much more integrity than those who stay.

      As for the notion that hidden and in RC theology, sinful sex helps their ministry? What? In my denomination (Presbyterian) a married Minister who had an affair and made such a claim wouldn't last long.

      Same with a doctor having an affair with a patient. I once heard a preacher say that, if only for your peace of mind, try to avoid doing anything that you'd be embarrassed to see printed in the papers.

      Delete
    14. Sorry, I should have added that I was a seminarian at Maynooth and Rome (not ordained) and I became a non-Communicant member of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland three years ago.

      Delete
    15. 11:09, I'm sorry that you were betrayed by this priest.

      Delete
  8. Pat, What did Fr Cormican do? Did he have a boyfriend? Or a girlfriend? Is that what you mean? Why don't you say? Why weren't you as coy about Puck et al? Also you wrote a blog before about Meath and said it was a slow burner. The stew must be ready by now Pat?

    ReplyDelete
  9. I take it the elephant is called Nellie the Caelibatus.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. More like 'Nellie the so-called Caelibatus.

      Delete
  10. I notice the priest at 09:41, supported by MMM, is very silent about the comments at 11:09 and 11:24! Is he another hypocrite?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, I too notice the silence of Father 0941.

      Delete
    2. It's unusual for MMM to shoot his mouth off before knowing the facts. In fact, he criticises the rest of us for doing that.

      Delete
    3. MMM is correct and I think his reply is sincere and justified.( He has often supported my comments in the past and so today I...)

      Delete
  11. Pat. It was obvious to the frequent readers of the Irish news death notices that there was something amiss. Normally when a priest dies the notice ends with “ deeply regretted by his family and the Bishop and priests of the diocese of ......”. The last bit did not occur in Greg’s death notice. A completely separate notice from the bishop and clergy was inserted. Spoke volumes!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes indeed.

      In this case reading between the lines is more informative than reading the lines.

      And listening to what was NOT said, more informative than what was said.

      I imagine Noel is rummaging through his files today - if he is not in Brussels, that is.

      Delete
    2. Funny you say . I noticed that also , thought it was a bit strange

      Delete
    3. And, the priests did not pray the Office for the Dead as Mass began as always happens. Why? Who stopped them doing It?

      Delete
    4. And normally the priests are at the front in choir dress. Yesterday they were at the back and half of them were not in choir dress.

      Delete
    5. Ah.. was it not too coul to get changed out o'your scarf and top coat in that weather...?

      Delete
  12. Yesterday was the Stephen and Brendy Show. Priest. D&C.

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  13. And where was Gregorys golfing buddy Johnnie Murray the late pp of Rasharkin?

    ReplyDelete
  14. Did priests in choir dress carry the coffin?

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  15. So was he in a relationship with another priest?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It seems he had a “private life” that did not get in the way of his job.

      Also, usually if an estate if worth more than £35K, a copy of the will can be obtained for a small fee.

      Delete
    2. 13:42 Are you suggesting that it is ok for a priest to have a "private life" that contradicts his public promise and protestation of celibacy?

      Are you a priest too?

      Delete
    3. It's no secret about gregory cormican and his private life he was well known in certain pubs/clubs in Belfast and dublin . He had a nickname the godmother or grandmother I'm not sure which ?

      Was he a good priest ? In my opinion yes . Was he a good man ? Yes and no he was a very kind and generous man but he had a deceitful side also .he wanted loyalty from his personal friends but rarely returned the favour . I hope history is kind to greg and I hope he is now at peace .
      I'm sure plenty will disagree but this is the gregory cormican I knew both professional and private and it's my own opinion

      Delete
  16. Nothing compared to the parish of Convoy in Raphoe. The priest there vanished and reappeared in the tabloids as having won Mr Bear Ireland and his successor also vanished and reappeared with a male lover. The one currently there is clearly also gay too but no rumours as yet.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The guy currently there is a hangman, always throwing people under the bus when he was in Maynooth. A good product of the system.

      Delete
    2. A snitch, presumably.

      Delete
    3. Yes, indeed, 14:02 - a hangman...He got several good and genuine seminarians kicked out of Maynooth, but sailed through himself. As you say, a good product of the system - just the kind of man the Maynooth authorities wanted ordained.

      And very friendly with the Professor of Liturgy - Okay.

      Delete
  17. What is it with Roman Catholic bishops? Do they have all their souls drained out by a Vatican hoover before they become bishop?

    Take the retired Bishop of Derry and former Bishop of Raphoe Seamus Hegarty who is in the middle of dementia now, and is hidden away in his home in Muff, County Donegal - he never seemed to be human. Cold, yes as cold as the arctic circle. No warmth at all to the man. I met him many times, and it seemed he was from a different planet. No idea on how to interact with human beings. Even the doctor in Dr Who has more warmth with the human race than Hegarty ever did.

    Former Bishop of Raphoe Philip Boyce, his grating voice and arrogant attitude, plus his terrible attempt at pretending he cared one ounce about the victims of child sex abuse in his diocese just showed he had all humanity drained from him.

    Please tell me, what is it? I do not get it. Where does their humanity and decency go?

    I am not saying Anglican bishops are the best, I have met many who have Olympian heights of arrogance, but it does seem to be the Catholic bishops who have all warmth drained from them just before they are ordained bishop.

    I do love the ones who try and pretend they have warmth and humanity in them. Bishop Donal McKeown from Derry is one. That constant Cheshire cat grin on his face and the constant "trust me man of the people" does not fool me or any of the Derry parishioners. Detested in the Long Tower Parish for removing their two priests, the vanishing act that Fr Brendan Collins did, silence on Fr Collins, and bringing their parish under just one resident priest, relying on aged retired priests to support this historic parish along with "help" from the cathedral parish next door. When he attended their annual novena two years ago as a guest speaker, McKeown got such a cold reception, that even dye hard parishioners called his "talk" empty, cold, and even worse a repeat, as one parishioner who attended the cathedral Mass the previous week said it was a "copy and paste" talk from a homily he gave the preceding week. Pathetic!

    Can't the Catholic church have warm hearted, dedicated men as Bishops?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Bishop Donal is a good man. Fr Brendan Collins found that the priesthood wasn't for him. Population centres change and just because a church is a "historic" parish does not mean it requires priority placement of priests.

      Delete
  18. All this bad talk, no evidence, no accusation, no anything! what was the point of this blog?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Revealing a Church rife with intrigue and misconduct in a gossipy way, which we all enjoy.

      Delete
    2. Not all of us... but someone needs to stay and defend when you guys get carried away like Alice in Wonderland.

      Delete
    3. I totally agree....i came across this blog by accident.....it is full of gossipy trash talk. I find this blog completely distasteful and wrong. Cutting down other people who cannot defend themselves. Pointing fingers at sinners.....and highlighting their sins. All I can say is that the owner of this blog and those that contribute to it or enjoy the gossipy details will not find salvation. I hesitated at first to respond...but I will not be a silent witness to people who are ready to cut others down for their own agenda and enjoyment. May God forgive you all.

      Delete
  19. Perhaps the Church needs more "warm-hearted dedicated" parishioners too.. eh, poster 14.01?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Parishioners are loyal, warm hearted, kind, it just their priests and bishops who are not.

      Delete
    2. Not too much of that kindness on the part of the parishioners in evidence on this blog at times... So sadly, I remain unconvinced. @ 14.26

      Delete
    3. I will not take a lecture from someone who remains anonymous on this blog. At least I give my name, you?? Have the balls and step up and say who you are and where your from, before judging.

      Delete
    4. How do we know John King is your real name?

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    5. Good point 19:06

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    6. We are entitled to give my opinion just as much as stuck up Johnny - come-Lately who signs himself "John King"
      Remember this,Sunshine...The only king here is Bishop Pat!

      Delete
    7. And Pat is not a king. Just a blogger where people can speak truths banned elsewhere.

      Delete
    8. Fair enough.

      Delete
    9. Oh wow... John King... This is just way too freaky... That's my name too.

      Delete
    10. And mine..!! There is a whole nest of us on Facebook. Take your pick!

      Delete
    11. (@16.40.
      `It should be "where you're from.."

      Delete
    12. Yeah.. the name, John King's dead common.. Guaranteed anonymous... I played football with a geezer in Dublin who was called John King. Two left feet..

      Delete
    13. Better than anonymous. It is my name, and I am proud to use it. Why not use yours? I am from Creggan in Derry, you want my address, DNA etc for proof?

      Delete
    14. And mine's Magna Carta!

      Delete
    15. @ 22.03
      Sorry.. we don't "do" the Creggan.
      (We're not that desperate...)

      Delete
    16. 22:03 "John King" please would you provide the following:

      Current valid (signed) passport
      Current full driving Licence
      Current years HMRC Tax Code notification
      Recent utility bill – gas, electricity, telephone (not mobile phones)
      Bank / building society statement

      Delete
    17. I went to school with a girl called Jo King.

      Delete
    18. @25.10.
      That girl called Jo King.. Did anyone ever take her seriously?!

      Delete
  20. His family and friends and, possibly, his lover(s) must be horrified by all the speculation and guesswork on here today, although I must admit, I have enjoyed reading it all.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, we are horrified.. His funeral was just this week. People's cruelty has been astounding.

      Delete
  21. As Paddy Walsh used to say at clergy meetings: "The man in Larne knows too much".

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I never remember P Walsh saying that??

      Delete
  22. I am anon @ 0941. The reason I've not responded to anon @ 1109 and 1124 is because I have been rather busy, and have only just had cause to look at this blog now. I'm not avoiding anything, or any challenge, or any debate, I assure you.

    In fact, I think MMM has adequately dealt with the difference between a priest whose life involves affectionate, loving and loyal support by either a man or a woman / companion / affectionate friend or even a gay or straight partner, and a priest who behaves in a sexually abusive way, which is described by 1109 and 1124. They are as different situations as chalk and cheese ! Simple ! Of course the experiences of 1109 and 1124 were wrong, and the priests were wrong and sinful in taking advantage and being so abusive.

    So, do tell me what point I am supposed to have missed, and what should I be addressing ? Because I don't see that what I am talking about has anything to do with what 1109 and 1124 have experienced.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. What if the priest mentioned by 11:09 was the priest you were, without full knowledge, the priest you were potentially defending?

      That obviously would make you think differently as it would be in the "abuse" category.

      Delete
  23. A group of us priests are working with a lawyer in Dublin to see if we can get your Blog closed down.

    Your says are numbered Bucko.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. How would lawyers in the Republic have recourse to the courts there about Pat, who's in the UK?

      Delete
    2. So you priests want to silence criticism of the clergy?

      Sad!

      I will always find a way to speak out!

      Delete
    3. If yous worked harder for the people in your parishes then there would be no need of this blog . It would fit you all better to go round dublin with a tray of sandwiches for the homeless instead of seeing solicitors

      Delete
    4. Which lawyer on Dublin?
      (I bet you a pound to a penny that's the six mark question that won't be answered!)

      Delete
    5. "A group of us priests are working with a lawyer in Dublin to see if we can get your Blog closed down."

      How ambitious.

      Delete
    6. Pat, you have upset today a vicious little coterie of queens in D&C with whom Brendy M is very friendly.

      They are small in number but have a certain prominence. I’d say it’s them trying to threaten you with shut down.

      I’m sure you’re laughing it off though. These few queens and their antics are well known. They are nasty, vindictive and ugly but I’d say they will meet their match in you.

      Indeed, hopefully, they will eventually get their own well deserved comeuppance.

      Delete
    7. Well, how's it going so far, guys in Dublin? Any luck with the lawyer, or is still "out at the dentist"?

      Delete
    8. LOL! He'll be getting all his root canals done on the money. Nice one!

      Delete
  24. Aren’t they so lucky to be able to afford lawyers.
    Some of us have to work for a living...not scrounge off the catholic public.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Bishop Pat, by 'private life', I presume you mean that Fr Cormican was in a sexual but longstanding relationship with someone. I presume, too, that you have evidence of it. Are you going to publish this evidence on your blog?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. No MC, I don't think he was.

      I think he was a gay bar and club man.

      As per comment above his name on the scenes was "Godmother".

      Delete
    2. I see.

      Met him once. Seemed a decent fellow. Probably was. But, like the rest of us, pale imitations of the God we do our best to serve.

      May he live forever in peace. And may his family find that peace, even in the midst of their grief.

      Delete
    3. So why couldn’t you have told us that at the beginning of the blog.
      So he was promiscuous...that is SINFUL...very SINFUL.

      Delete
    4. It has to be said he was a handsome man for 61 and I don't mean that in any sexual way he certainly didn't look his age at all

      Delete
    5. Sure 61 yrs old only late middle age nowadays. I suppose it might seem old to people under 50... I don't know.

      Delete
    6. Magna @ 20.47. You ask a very serious and relevant question of Pat - asking Pat if he has evidence on the deceased priest's private life and would he (Pat) publish it (evidence). Pat's response at 20.50 is disgraceful as is the commentary elicited (with few exceptions) all day about Fr. Cormican. This man has just died and Pat has given no thought or consideration as to how his grieving family feel. Their loss and grief is deepened and more painful with the totally hurtful, unnecessary and immoral intrusion into his life and by extension into the lives of his family. It is crude, unkind, un - Christlike and unacceptable. I cannot fathom how Pat's obsession with other people's lives could ever come under his motto - "the memory of Jesus is both Sacred and subversive". Indeed - I would argue that Pat's nosiness and unkindness today is a subversion of the memory of Jesus. I think Pat, the Jesus you supposedly follow might say to you - " Let HE who is without SIN cast the first stone". You are a contradiction of all that Jesus stood for. But, as we discover more each day - you couldn't give a damn about other people's feelings, sensitivities or vulnerabilities. You mock, jeer and ridicule. Not commendable behaviour!

      Delete
    7. 21:50, you are called by Christ to one thing: to love. You are not called to judge.

      In this moment, that love is best exercised by prayer for Fr Cormican, and for his family.

      Show some charity. Please.

      Delete
    8. 22:55, keep your pompous and prim self righteous advice to yourself! Better still, take your own advice and learn to show charity yourself! Buffoon!

      Delete
    9. 23:02, I have the vaguest feeling that you don't like me. But I'm probably wrong, for once!😆

      Delete
    10. Magna, do you not think that by having sex with more than one person is sinful?

      Delete
    11. Thank you poster 22.46
      Your charitable comments are very kind and appreciated.

      Delete
    12. 23:49, how do you know he had sex with anyone, let alone with multiple partners? And even if he did, does this place him beyond your charity?

      Can't you see that Christ's passion, death and resurrection were for this man alone, and for every other person alone?

      Delete
    13. Magna once claimed to have 'had' many women. I'm sceptical about that, myself.

      Delete
    14. May you, and your scepticism, live happily ever after.

      Delete
  26. Another boring Confirmation coming up
    March....Donal duck
    Not a day to look forward to.
    Never got over the last one I was at.
    Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

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  27. 18.58 If the blog closes we will know it is all true.

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  28. What if that couple were committing bigamy...that the pope married midair.
    Thought the whole purpose of registering for the sacrament was to make sure both were free to marry

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    Replies
    1. Just a wee stunt to get Francis some PR.

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    2. Not an impromtu stunt, but a WELL-rehearsed one.

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    3. Of course, it was well-rehearsed and all the necessary pre-marriage documentation carefully checked and available . We would expect nothing less.

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    4. Caroline Pidgeon is a former flight attendant and on her blog she says that staff are instructed never to approach famous passengers and that couples are not usually put on the same flight, especially if they have children, in case something goes wrong. Something very fishy here.

      If it was a genuine spontaneous event it's worrying too. No preparation, Francis knew nothing about them and in Amoris Latitia (The Joy of Sex) he urges careful preparation by priests ahead of witnessing a marriage. What if their relation was in trouble and one or other had doubts - would they have been too starstruck to say no.

      Anyway it got PF the desired headlines and distracted from a disastrous visit to Chile. He could have asked them to come to Rome but the cameras were there.

      Pat, would you marry a couple you'd just met?

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    5. The stunt was prearranged. In an interview published in December 2017 they revealed the plans to be married by the pope at 38,000 ft http://www.emol.com/noticias/Nacional/2017/12/19/888055/Con-emocion-y-nerviosismo-Tripulacion-del-avion-que-trasladara-al-Papa-en-Chile-cuentan-como-recibieron-la-noticia.html

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  29. Pat
    Publish now and be damned! The only reason they are threatening your blog is a desire to prevent publication of what you already know - and what they know will come out in time.
    These comments about "hurtful", "grieving family", "just died", "loss and grief" etc etc are bollox. They are submitted to protect lying hypocrites, dead or alive. They are supported by a cabal of systemic hypocrites who wish to continue, secretly, in the same mould.

    The more time you give them, the more they have the opportunity to defeat you.

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  30. And so this is the moment when the gauntlet is thrown down..! So the question is whether to heed the baying of the crowd or have the guts and decency to be your own person and do what's right and respect a bereaved family's privacy. (How sad that it should even be challenged by the scandal-hungry mob!)

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