Wednesday 4 April 2018



Canon claims church ‘misled’ public over Cardinal Keith O'Brien's funeral wishes

A ROW has broken out in the heart of the Scottish Catholic Church after former friends of shamed Cardinal O’Brien claim the hierarchy “misled” worshippers over his final wishes.

Canon Matt McManus, who was a friend of Cardinal O’Brien for 60 years, criticised an “almost universal presumption of guilt” on the part of those who didn’t know him, in relation to allegations of sexual misconduct.


CANON MATT MC MANUS


And he accused many within the Catholic Church of abandoning the former Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh when allegations of inappropriate sexual behaviour involving four men him first surfaced in 2013.

Canon McManus, of St Peter in Chains, in Ardrossan, said the church itself had done little to counter the claims.

“When the accusations were made the Cardinal sought the help of the Catholic Press Office to enable him to make some response. His calls were not answered or returned. He was cut adrift,” Canon McManus said.

When it was announced last week that Cardinal O’Brien would receive a funeral mass in Newcastle,followed by burial in Edinburgh’s Mount Vernon cemetery, the church announced that these were according to his wishes.

This was only partially true, Canon McManus said.

In fact, he had hoped to be buried at St Mary’s Cathedral in the heart of his archdiocese, but had added a caveat, suspecting the church might reject his first preference, Canon McManus said.

“With regard to the funeral arrangement, a presumption of guilt has been followed. His will and instructions – and I have seen them – ask if possible that he be buried in St Mary’s Cathedral, ‘but if that is not possible, then I would be happy to be buried with my parents’,” he explained.

But only the second half had been made public, Canon McManus said: “It is surprising a half sentence can be quoted in a press release from the Catholic Press Office. As priests we bury people in Scotland all the time and we don’t ask for a religious or moral clean bill of health first. But not in this case.”

He also queried the decision of Archbishop Leo Cushley – Cardinal O’ Brien’s successor at St Andrews and Edinburgh – to attend the hospital in Newcastle to administer to the Cardinal the ‘sacrament of the sick’, commonly known as Last Rites – even though a hospital chaplain had already done so.

It would have been better if efforts had been put into giving him a fair hearing, while he was still alive, he said. “I think I would have seen more Christian witness from our community in giving human rights, rather than last rites,” he added.

Canon McManus said he had seen no indications that his friend had had a “long term gay relationship”, as has been reported, and said he was saddened that anonymous allegations might overshadow the good work done by a man with whom he trained and was ordained, and with whom he frequently went on holiday.

Were accusations about he Cardinal’s behaviour proven, he would respect that, the canon said. “in the meantime, I intend to ignore the speculation... The ‘guilt without trial’ brigade can continue with their character assassination.”

He said plans for a memorial mass for Cardinal O’Brien as St Mary’s cathedral would be some comfort to former friends. “The decision will allow many people from all over Scotland to pray together for the Cardinal. Cardinal O’Brien will not worry how or where he is buried, he has died at peace with God,” he said.

A church source said it was wrong to say Cardinal O’Brien had been abandoned by the church. “He was given 24/7 support and press statements were made on his behalf. The support given was extensive and intense and he was extremely grateful,” the source said.

Meanwhile a spokesman for the Archdiocese of St Andrews and Edinburgh claimed the church was unaware of what had been in Cardinal O’Brien’s will. “The funeral notice for Cardinal O’Brien was drawn up in consultation with – and then approved by – the executor of the late Cardinal’s will who believes that it is entirely accurate to describe the chosen place of burial as being in accordance with wishes expressed by Cardinal O’Brien himself.”

PAT

Today Cardinal Keith O Brien is being buried in a strange church in a strange land by an English cardinal.

Tomorrow, instead of being buried with his predecessors in Edinburgh Cathedral he will be buried in a simple grave with his parents and sister.

The Roman Catholic Hierarchy said these were Keith O'Brien's wishes.

His friend of 60 years  - Canon Matt McManus denies that and says the Church is deceiving us.

I believe Canon McManus.

The Catholic Hierarchy and its press officers have always told lies and misled people.

Keith O'Brien wanted his funeral to be in his old cathedral and be buried there.

The Catholic Hierarchy, who now find him an embarrassment, now want to dump his bodily as quietly as they can.

So much for their so-called respect for the dead.

The disgraced Bishop of Galway - Eamon Casey - was recently buried in his former cathedral by the Irish Bishops.

Why make a difference?

It's about POLITICS and PUBLIC RELATIONS.

When POLITICS and PUBLIC RELATIONS ENTER INTO IT - TO HELL WITH THE TEACHINGS OF CHRIST AND THE CHURCH ABOUT SINNERS HAVING A PUBLIC FUNERAl.

TOTAL HYPOCRITES!

67 comments:

  1. Typical Pat. Posting a post from a newspaper article from over a week ago. You're just trying to cause trouble. If he had been buried in the cathedral you'd have been screaming about his victims having their noses rubbed in it.
    I don't expect you'll post this comment as whenever I have challenged you before you've not published!

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  2. MournemanMichael5 April 2018 at 00:49

    The conflicting views prompts me to ask you Pat about your wishes for your own send off.
    With respect for your integrity I think it would be right for those of us who have valued your contributions either personally or through your blog to acknowledge your passing. So in that respect, when the inevitable happens it would be good for those of us still around to show our acknowledgement.
    MMM


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    1. MMM,

      I wish to be buried in a grave in Larne which is already and on which there is already an Oratory Society headstone.

      I have not worked out a ceremony yet but I certainly do not want a send off Mass from an RC clergyman - not that such would be on offer I imagine.

      Of course I am hoping that the event is some time away :-)

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    2. No R. C. Cleric at your funeral Pat! Pity, you do have friends in the Church, but not me. Will Mother Mary whom you ordained preside, or Sinead O' Connor? Why not? But I'd not trust Sinead: she has changed and might tear up your photo first!! Have you still priest/s in the Oratory???We hear nothing now...why?

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    3. Pat if you did want a R.C. Cleric at your funeral, if you ask nicely, maybe Bishop Phonsie might attend LOL.

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    4. 12.54: What a strange comment. I hope Pat is around for a long time. I would happily officiate if needed and I wasn't dead first. I'm sure Pat has given the matter appropriate thought and there are priests he could call on if neey

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  3. Foreign Church and Foreign Land presided over by an English Cardinal - you summed it up nicely Bishop Pat. So called Christians forcing this on a man who loved Scotland, Scots are incensed despite his failings. Take an Irish Bishops' funeral to London, Cardiff or Edinburgh - that's what a big kick in the teeth this is. Casey gets full honours and burial in Galway Cathedral despite getting a woman pregnant and embezzling thousands of punts from his diocese, O'Brien took no money from his diocese. The hypocrisy of the Church and the Scots & English hierarchy in particular sickens me. He did more for Scotland than Nichols will ever do. They should have brought him for his funeral over the border in Scotland, many Scots will not forget that. Cushley has been viewed as a snake but even more so. Funeral in a strange Church, strange land and by an English Cardinal - Bishop Pat you have summed it up well.

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  4. boooooring!

    Hows everyone's week going?

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    1. Week has been very rainy until today's beautiful sunshine Good to see!

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    2. Week is going well, thanks! But so nice to see the elusive sun rolling back across my bit of sky...

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    3. On the contrary, it is incredible the Canon did not know KOB was dropping [sic] his standards throughout their sixty-year friendship.

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  5. Ah lads, would you expect any more from the Church than half truths twisted to suit PR needs?

    Come on, we all know better than to expect better from the Old boys club.

    As for the Irish Bishops and their choices around Bishop Casey; it had nothing to do with Eamon, they were too afraid of setting a precedent for their own early remains.

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  6. "KOB wanted his funeral to be in his old cathedral..."

    Mind you, +Pat, St Mary's is literally on the doorstep of the vibrant 'gay village' in Edinburgh's city centre.

    The cathedral may have needed to be cordoned off to prevent any rainbow flag waving queens from protesting outside and blowing loud whistles throughout the service. It might have turned into a circus

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    1. Maybe secretly KOB would have liked a rainbow flag at his funeral?

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    2. 11.5o: Pat, I think respect should be your hallmark today on the day of the Cardinal's funeral. Let's leave the rest of the script to our merciful, loving and just God, please. I am so glad you removed that most hateful, horrendous, dangerous and contemptible comment by Magna in the early hours. I think Pat you should not give this sick man any further opportunity until he is healed of his illness. Ignoring his comments for now may be a catalyst for his own future well being. Other contributors can then be spared his evil words.

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    3. @11:59

      Its certainly warrants it considering all the gay encounters he admitted having over his lifetime.

      Let’s hope there is no unnecessariness tomorrow when he is, finally, laid to rest.

      +Pat, do you know if there is a knees-up afterward at Newcastle or Edinburgh?

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    4. 12:48, Pat didn't remove my comment; I did. I didn't disapprove of the entire comment (far from it!), but only of one word. However, Blogger does not allow for such precise deletion.

      Nor do you! Allow for precision...in your comment. Learn to pay greater attention when the words below a deleted comment read: 'This comment has been deleted by the author.'😆

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    5. 16.40: Crap ar**e Magna. Such peace and civility when you're not around. Oh, did your conscience finally get to you to make you realise the evil, poisonous and hateful comment you posted while midway through your drunken stupor that you deleted your ugliness from this blog. Deleting it doesn't make you a moral person , sadly. You are still the unlikeable specimen despised by all.

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    6. 18:18, Jesus loves me!😆

      And he wants me for a sunbeam.😇

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    7. It's not difficult actually. You can select and copy the whole of your comment before removing the published version. You can then copy it to a new comment and edit it.
      Or does your ZX81 not allow that?
      Actually I will make the unusual gesture of admitting you are right - your comments are much better just removed.

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    8. Magna Carta you are truly a sunbeam... An unreliable antiquated car made by a collapsed company.

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    9. 20:02, but if all my comments were removed, then who would be left that you could aspire to be? And you do try so hard?😆

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    10. Oh but esteemed one, I your unworthy imitator am merely taking your advice. You say there is no Magna Carta but you and the vanishment of your comments would, as you say, stop me being one of the Magna Carta!

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    11. You, Blue Magna: 20.44: Inspiring others is not your gift. You need to be virtuous and have an unblemished life, which of course you do not have. (Seminary memories!). Too much angst, too much drink, too much hate - the fabric of your life, rotten with nastiness. Perhaps the vipers in your underground patch might be inspired, but, we, who are humanly decent, do not, would not aspire to look up to you.

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    12. '...we who are humanly decent...' , 22:04? There is a biblical echo of something here. What is it? Ah! Yes! You remember the disdain with which those Pharisees treated the blind man given his sight by Jesus? No? Well, they reviled him, believing themselves, like you, decent fellows altogether, since they proclaimed themselves (loudly no doubt) as 'Moses' disciples'.

      And then they turned on the healed man and reviled him with these words: 'You were born in utter sin, and would you teach us?' After which these men, decent like you, cast the other fellow out, that is, 'they excommunicated him'.

      And the moral is? Beware of the self-proclaimed 'decent'.

      Never tell yourself that you are 'decent': it's usually a sign of indecency, not to mention vulgarity. Let others do the telling...if indeed there's anything to tell.😆

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    13. At 00.14 You are not in any position to utter an imperative here (or anywhere.)

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  7. Pat, we cannot be exclaiming 'total hypocrites' for years on end. We know hypocrisy and many other evils run rank. So let's get back to business - prayer, penance, acts of love and mercy and allow God's will for the weeds to grow among the wheat and pray that we are not the weeds. It's sunny out today.

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  8. This is a mixed story but the reality is the Church wanted to keep the "Future" Cardinals Cushley or Tartaglia but maybe Scotland will not get one.

    KOB was NOT even allowed to rest in the Chapel last night and on Tuesday in the SCO it said the Family and Friends of the Cardinal invite Bishops, Priests and the laity today the Requiem Mass today (so Sad)
    The Cardinal admits his failings yet TWO of his accusers are STILL Parish Priests in the Archdiocese and everyone knows they are Gay and leading double lives but Cushley turns a blind eye.

    For the Canon to say he does not know the accusers well he should as he was also at the parties or the visits.
    It was shocking the way the PR guys have handled this lets hope they handle the "active" clergy or the Archdioceses closures.

    In the same week of the Cardinals death it was announced in the Press that the Archbishop of Glasgow was paying a women money for counselling who alleges she was raped as a child by a priest who was given a full Requiem Funeral but the Archbishop has stopped paying now and told the women to get a lawyer.
    Should he not resign or will he get buried in St. Andrews Vault
    It is all Double Standards.

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  9. So what were Cardinal O Briens wishes. There does seem to be alot of politics involved. Even if he were buried with full honours would anyone remember in a generation or two. The church needs to now concentrate on the living

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    1. Sean at 12.36: Why, having left your Catholic home, identity and heritage, do you continue to be obsessed with all things CATHOLIC? Come home again Sean, all is forgiven! Is the Anglican community so bereft of hokey pokey and so uninteresting that you're still kerping your nose in the Catholic trough?

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    2. 18.22 Catholic means universal so I dont need to go anywhere. As for my past I respect the Roman Catholic Church for all its problems and in fairness I owe it a great deal. I dont think in terms of us and them but I am in a better "place" now. P S Pat is not Roman Catholic

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    3. 16.47: The whole ecclesciastical world knows Pat is not R. C......I'm in a better place too - faithful to my Catholic home, heritage and identity....

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  10. Cushley and Nichols are a couple of ambitious, arrogant "see you next time"s (make the see a 'c', the you a 'u' and you will get the meaning !). They are only interested in protecting their own arses and their own careers. Cushily is a smooth cheeked, not sufficiently manly and robust, curial type. The sooner he goes back to Rome the better. And as for Nichols, the quicker his 75th comes and he can retire with his nun, the better. His priests despise him. He has no time for them, only if they get in to some trouble which is going to reflect on them, and then he fillets them. Not a nice man.

    Oh, and how I would like to be able to do a forensic insight in to the recesses of their private lives. Maybe KO'B wouldn't seem so bad after all !

    I think the way the Church has dealt with KO'B stinks and is all about protecting itself. No mercy, no compassion, no kindness, just hypocrisy, lying, falsification, cutting him loose unceremoniously and not recognising that it is they who made him, trained him, advanced him and supported him. What a horrible institution led by horrible people.

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    1. 12:45 That's a great generalisation about Nichols' priests despising him. I'm sure there are many Westminster priests who don't despise him. Unless you know different?

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    2. @ 12.45
      That is one nasty bitter poster... Dreadful attitude.

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    3. Vincent flys into a rage if the photos of him and the nun appear in public, especially the one in the limo where the nun tries on his new red hat. Such japes and scrapes!

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    4. There's nothing in Vinnie's private life (although my new phone wants to call him Victoria lol) - that would mean an I - thou exchange with another person and that's never happened!

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    5. @ 19.10
      "..flies.."

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  11. 12.13 sounds like the illiterate gay Irishman living in Scotland who recommends reporting to the nuncio about the sexual lives of everyone else.

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  12. His epitaph should be “I had my cake and ate it too!”

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  13. Whatever the faults, flaws, hypocrisy, imperfections and sins of the late Cardinal, is it justified that he should be mocked, jeered at and rudiculed on his burial? I don't believe this attitude wiuld be approved by the God of Jesus. But then, Christians can often be the worst enemy to have as they are so assured and self righteous (in their own estimation) and easily forget Jesus's words: "Judge not and you will not be judged: do not condemn and you will not be condemned..." : "Let those without sin cast the first stone..". Surely, we should now leave the good Lord to have his moment with the Cardinal!

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    1. KOB and the Lord had their moment the second he died.

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    2. 14.0r: That's my point Pat at 13.42: So, a little decency and self judgment should encourage us to be as merciful now to the Cardinal as God is and will forever be...I believe enough has been written at this stage. Glad you AGREE...

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  14. He should’ve been fed to the fishes as a commentator suggested a couple of weeks ago.

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    1. 13.46 fed to the fishes and you think you are Christian well there are a lot of people who admire the cardinal and like him many of us fall short of what the Lord wants so let the Lord judge.

      But think about the people in parishes who admire the clergy and think of them Holy Men yet they lead double lives and yes there are a few and really it is shocking.
      These so called accusers in the Archdiocese are still in the priesthood two in the present day and people are adding 2 + s = 4 so lets hope the Smart Leo acts now for the good of his Archdiocese Sadly it was all over an Auxiliary bishops job and promotion to bigger parish's Thankfully it did not happen but the cardinal paid the price and a merciful God will judge him.

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  15. Who are these priests in Edinburgh / St Andrews who accused KOB ? It sounds to me that they are having their cake and eating it, having it all ways. Getting revenge on KOB, and carrying on their own lives of hypocrisy and God knows what else. So, let's hear who they are, and then they might find themselves under the microscope and in front of their Archbishop giving an account for how they live their lives. It really does sound as though they were just seeking revenge on KOB and found their opportunity to push in the knife. They could have addressed their grievances long before but chose not to do so. It was only when something upset them that they decided to take down KOB. I understand they were saying that they didn't like KOB's duplicity and hypocrisy when he came out strong on gay issues. Probably because they are sensitive gays themselves and felt upset ?! Or because it put their behaviour under the spotlight? I am sure, there must be some correspondents who know a little about these characters and could not only give us their names, but also some insight in to their lives. Go on, tell us ! Then we can see them for the hypocrites they are themselves. It takes one to know one, and KOB was not the only one.

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    1. I heard that one of the accusers is now living with his Anglican Vicar boyfriend in England (as was before the accusations were made).

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    2. Reading between the lines at the time, it seems for reasons unknown, he had dropped them socially; no more invites to St Bennet’s or Christmas cards, for example, and they took umbrage.

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  16. 17.52: I agree with you. While I abhor the abuse by anyone in power or authority, especially in the Church, those priests who sought revenge on the Cardinal should be more honest about their own luves. I don't condone the "abuse" they endured, but they have now completed one task - naming and shaming the Cardinal. Now they must face their own truth in full conscience. And I hope when they do, they might repent of their sins, spiritual blindness, flaws and moral cowardice and hypocrisies.

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  17. According to the BBC, during the funeral, Cardinal Nichols said: "In recent days, the life of Cardinal Keith has been laid bare.”

    Really?!?! All we still only know is, KOB got laid and was probably bare.

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  18. 18.40: Disgusting comment. I hope you never have your flaws publicly proclaimed. Horribly unkind displaying your ignorance.

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    1. "Laid bare" means to uncover something, especially something that has been kept secret, e.g., like the details of allegations made against KOB.

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    2. 18:40 The lowest form of wit - so low as not to count.

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    3. Cardinal Wolsey:

      O Cromwell, Cromwell!
      Had I but served my God with half the zeal
      I served my king, he would not in mine age
      Have left me naked to mine enemies.

      W. Shakespeare ‘Henry VIII’ III.2. 27-30

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  19. Lol you couldn’t make it up.

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  20. Pat--I have known the Canon for 53 years. If he says it, it's true. He was a life-long friend of ++Keith; the Canon is a man of immense pastoral holiness; one who has the smell of the sheep. In this, he's like Elijah, with a mantle few could don, and fewer still could wear!--G. McM. PH

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  21. An attendee at today’s funeral says that other old retired cardinal, the Wounded Healer was there. True?

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  22. I will be offering Holy Mass this Sunday Divine Mercy for Cardinal Keith O'Brien RIP.
    Parish Priest England.

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    1. 'Holy Mass'? Is there such a thing as unholy Mass?

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    2. 09:12 Clearly you have yet to learn how to differentiate between the attributive and predicative use of adjectives.

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    3. 23:05, neither type of adjective is relevant here; you lost focus.

      'Mass' MEANS something that is holy, so attributing this meaning to it was repetitious.

      Tautology: fault of style.

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  23. I'm 17:52, and it's quite clear to me that that reason for these clergy pushing the knife in to KOB was simply venal, petty, nasty and vindictive indulgence by the priests concerned. There was no higher motive, notwithstanding their protestations about KOB's hypocrisy. They will have known about that for many years. They will have 'borne' their 'abuse' by KOB 'bravely' for many years as true 'victims / survivors' do.

    But, the reason they will have come together and decided to 'out' KOB and shove in the knife, will have been something nasty and vicious and vindictive - on their part. Were they scorned ? Were they just dizzy gays who suddenly felt they wanted to cause trouble ? Were they self-indulgent clergy who wanted to make a mark for themselves ? Whatever. They have done incalculable damage to the Church, to themselves, and to KOB. All out of petty self- indulgence and nastiness. Do not for a moment ascribe any higher motivation to them. They are nasty little clerical prima donnas used to being the centre of attention, and used to causing havoc and mayhem wherever they go. For those of them still in 'ministry' I bet wherever they are serving, you will find them divisive, bitchy, nasty clerical Queens ! They will reap the whirlwind of their petty vindictiveness one day. Cushley, take note ! Sort them out !

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  24. 18.40
    Very good...I laughed.
    Expect that 20.54 has no sense of humour at all at all.
    If he was having gay sex he wd have been naked, a bit like Pat’s Jewish friend.

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  25. 23.50 I wouldn't interpret 20.54's comment as lacking a sense of humour. On the contrary 18.40's contribution was disgusting. And your need to 'explain' the 'joke' is in appalling taste. Ugh!

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  26. Think 02-17 you’ve had the humour bypass surgery

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  27. 12.54 your taste is in your mouth.

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