Monday 28 October 2013

SORRY FOR MY ABSENCE

SORRY FOR MY ABSENCE

A number of blog readers have been in touch to register their noticing that I have been absent from blogging for a few weeks.

And so I have - my apologies.

WHERE WAS I?

Well for the last few weeks in September I was caught up in a matter that I cannot speak about just now - but will blog on at a future date in the not too distant future when the circumstances are right.

HOLIDAY:

I then had my annual holiday from October 4th to 18th. I generally take a break in October as it is a quiet time for weddings and I am very busy celebrating weddings from Easter until the end of September each year.

MALLORCA:

This year I spent 14 days in Mallorca. It is the first time I have been there and I was very impressed with the island. Thankfully the weather was a very nice 24 - 28 degrees for the 14 days. 

I stayed in a very pleasant 3* hotel in the Santa Ponza area and had a lovely view from the balcony over the hotel swimming pool and the bay.

I am not a sun worshipper that likes lying in the sun. The days were filled with sight-seeing (by foot and hired car) exploring, an odd beer in the shade and dinner was a mixture of cooking in the apartment and eating out - very inexpensively, I might add. In Spain General Franco introduced the "Menu Del Dia" many decades ago so that poor people might be able to east out if necessary. A three course Menu Del Dia is available throughout Spain for 8 or 8 Euros per day - £ 6 / £7.

PALMA CATHEDRAL:

The cathedral in Palma in Mallorca is a magnificent building:


I attended evening Mass at the cathedral on Sunday October 6th. I was sitting in the front seat waiting for Mass to begin when an elderly German man with a Hitler-like attitude ordered me out of my seat announcing that he was a "friend of the sacristan". I told him to get lost as I was " a friend of God's" :-)

On one day we took a trip up the west coast of Mallorca to town likes Deia and Soller. Deia is the local millionaire's row and people like Andrew Lloyd Webber have expensive villas there.

LLUC MONASTERY:

On my second Sunday in Mallorca I travelled to the Mallorcan national place of pilgrimage in the north of the island - Lluc Monastery.

It had been founded by the Augustinian monks but is now in the control of another non monastic Catholic religious order:

I wanted to celebrate my Sunday Mass there. But believe it or not - on a Sunday - none of the priests or brothers were available to assist me! 

There were plenty of people there selling wine, bread, cheese, meats, souvenirs etc. A friend commented:

"It's more like a theme park than a spiritual place of pilgrimage !!!

In any event I begged a crust of bread from the bread man and a thimble-full of wine from the wine man and sat in the back seat of the basilica and celebrated Mass quietly for my family, friends and intentions.

AND NOW ???

I came back from my holidays refreshed and ready to head into the fray for another year.

I have various challenged ahead - even in the very near future - but more about that in future blogs.

Bishop Pat Buckley
28.10.2013





  









Wednesday 9 October 2013

FATHER AIDAN TROY AND THE ADAMS FAMILY

FATHER AIDAN TROY AND THE ADAMS FAMILY

FATHER AIDAN TROY
I HAVE SEEN LITTLE OR NOTHING IN THE MEDIA ABOUT THE ROLE PLAYED BY THE PASSIONIST PRIEST, FATHER AIDAN TROY, IN THE ADAMS FAMILY SEXUAL ABUSE CASE.

LAST WEEK LIAM ADAMS - GERRY ADAMS BROTHER - WAS SENT TO PRISON AND IS AWAITING SENTENCE FOR THE RAPE AND SEXUAL ABUSE OF HIS DAUGHTER.

THE LEGAL AUTHORITIES IN BELFAST ARE CONSIDERING THE PROSECUTION OF GERRY ADAMS FOR NOT REPORTING HIS BROTHER TO THE POLICE.

BUT WHAT ABOUT THE ROLE PLAYED BY THE FORMER PARISH PRIEST OF ARDOYNE IN THE WHOLE SAGA?

AT ONE POINT FATHER AIDAN TROY IS REPORTED TO HAVE VISITED THE VICTIM AND PUT PRESSURE ON HER NOT TO PROCEED WITH THE PROSECUTION. ALLEGEDLY HE TOLD HER THAT IF SHE DID CONTINUE WITH THE PROSECUTION IT WOULD DAMAGE SINN FEIN AND THAT IF THAT HAPPENED THE WHOLE "PEACE PROCESS" WOULD COME TUMBLING DOWN!

HE MORE OR LESS INDICATED TO HER THAT SHE WOULD BE SINGLE-HANDEDLY RESPONSIBLE FOR DESTROYING THE PEACE PROCESS IN NORTHERN IRELAND.

IF THIS IS TRUE - WHAT A MASSIVE BURDEN TO TRY AND PLACE ON THE SHOULDERS OF A YOUNG WOMAN WHO WAS ALREADY MASSIVELY VICTIMIZED AND TRAUMATISED.

I HAPPENED TO BE IN THE BELFAST CROWN COURT DURING THE ADAMS TRIAL AND IT WAS SAD TO SEE THE ADAMS FAMILY DIVIDED INTO TWO CAMPS.

I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT FATHER TROY HAD BEEN ASKED TO COME AND GIVE EVIDENCE AND THAT HE HAD REFUSED.

HE IS NOW THE PARISH PRIEST OF A PRETTY LITTLE CHURCH IN PARIS.

DOES SOMEONE NOT NEED TO INVESTIGATE FATHER TROY'S BEHAVIOUR AND THE ROLE HE PLAYED IN THIS VERY SAD DRAMA?

Bishop Pat Buckley
9.10.2013

Monday 7 October 2013

PROSECUTE GERRY ADAMS? PROSECUTE ALL NON REPORTERS

PROSECUTE GERRY ADAMS?

PROSECUTE ALL NON REPORTERS

THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC PROSECUTIONS (A CATHOLIC) IN BELFAST HAS SAID THAT HE HAS ASKED THE ATTORNEY GENERAL ( A CATHOLIC) IN BELFAST TO REVIEW THE DECISION BY THE PPS NOT TO PROSECUTE SINN FEIN LEADER GERRY ADAMS FOR NOT REPORTING HIS BROTHER LIAM ADAMS
LIAM ADAMS

 TO THE AUTHORITIES AFTER HIS BROTHER ADMITTED TO HIM THAT HE HAD SEXUALLY ABUSED HIS NIECE.
GERRY ADAMS
LAST WEEK LIAM ADAMS WAS SENT TO PRISON FOR HIS CRIMES AND IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS HE IS TO BE SENTENCED.

GERRY ADAMS HAD ADMITTED THAT HE HAD KNOWN ABOUT THE SEXUAL ABUSE AND HAD MADE A STATEMENT A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO TO THE POLICE.

HE HAS ALSO ADMITTED THE SAD FACT THAT HIS OWN FATHER HAD PHYSICALLY AND SEXUALLY ABUSED FAMILY MEMBERS OVER MANY YEARS.

APART FROM THE CRIMINAL ASPECT THE WHOLE AFFAIR HAS BEEN A FAMILY TRAGEDY - DIVIDING THE FAMILY AT LEAST IN TWO AND CAUSING GREAT PAIN FOR MANY - ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO WERE VICTIMS OF THE ABUSE.

AS FAR AS I KNOW MR ADAMS SNR IS NOW DECEASED AND WE MUST LEAVE HIS JUDGEMENT AND PUNISHMENT TO A GREATER JUDGE THAT A BELFAST JUDGE.

LIAM ADAMS HAS BEEN FOUND GUILTY AND AWAITS SENTENCING AND WILL I IMAGINE SPEND A LARGE AMOUNT OF TIME IN PRISON.

HOPEFULLY THE WHOLE FAMILY AND THE VICTIMS IN PARTICULAR WILL NOW BEGIN A PERIOD OF HEALING.

THE CURRENT THOUGHTS OF PROSECUTING GERRY ADAMS ARE A VERY ILL THOUGHT OUT PURSUIT BY THE BELFAST AUTHORITIES. THEY SMACK OF MASSIVE POLITICAL OPPORTUNISM.

THE FACT THAT THE DECISIONS ABOUT PROSECUTION NOW LIE IN THE HANDS OF CATHOLICS - BARRY MCGRORY AND JOHN LARKIN IS ALSO A BIT WORRYING.

WILL THESE TWO MEN NOW HAVE TO PROVE JUST HOW VERY ABSOLUTELY IMPARTIAL THEY ARE BY RECOMMENDING THE PROSECUTION OF A HIGH RANKING AND POLITICALLY  CONTROVERSIAL MAN LIKE GERRY ADAMS - THE PRESIDENT OF SINN FEIN?

DOES IT REALLY MAKE SENSE THAT A CURRENT MEMBER OF DAIL EIREANN -  THE IRISH PARLIAMENT - WILL NOW BE PUT ON TRIAL BY THE BELFAST / BRITISH AUTHORITIES?

AND IF YOU ARE GOING TO PROSECUTE GERRY ADAMS FOR NOT REPORTING SEXUAL ABUSE - ARE YOU ALSO GOING TO START PROSECUTING SOME OF THE ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOPS IN NORTHERN IRELAND FOR NOT REPORTING ABUSE - PEOPLE LIKE THE FORMER CATHOLIC BISHOP OF DOWN AND CONNOR - BISHOP PATRICK WALSH - WHO WAS BOTH SLOW AND UNWILLING TO REPORT THE SERIAL PAEDOPHILE AND PARISH PRIEST OF BANGOR - FATHER JAMES DONAGHY WHO IS NOW IN PRISON WITH LIAM ADAMS?
PADDY WALSH
ARE YOU ALSO GOING TO PROSECUTE ALL THE GRANDPARENTS, BROTHERS AND SISTERS, AUNTS AND UNCLES AND COUSINS OF VICTIMS WHO KNEW ABOUT THE ABUSE AND DID NOT GO TO THE POLICE - ESPECIALLY AT A TIME IN NORTHERN IRELAND WHEN THE POLICE FORCE - THE RUC - WAS UNACCEPTABLE TO CATHOLICS.

IF SO, WE WILL HAVE TO BUILD SEVERAL NEW PRISONS FOR "NON-REPORTERS".

THIS WHOLE SCHEME IS BADLY THOUGHT OUT AND IS POLITICALLY MOTIVATED - BY PEOPLE WITH VERY SUSPECT POLITICAL MOTIVATIONS.

Bishop Pat Buckley
7.10.2013