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Catholic MPs & The Expenses Scandal…

May 18, 2009 in Morality, Politics, Uncategorized, United Kingdom, conscience, parliament by editor | 48 comments

“…pressure is growing on Commons Speaker Michael Martin to resign for his handling of the expenses scandal.

It has emerged that the Liberal Democrats leadership is considering tabling its own motion of no confidence in him.” http://www.theherald

.co.uk/news/news/

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The Westminster parliament is in chaos. MPs have never been held in such low esteem.  Looks like Michael Martin might be the first speaker in at least three centuries to be forced to resign his office.  Michael Martin is a Catholic – although I’m not sure whether he is still a Mass-going Catholic.  He certainly was at the time of his election as an MP – I remember it well, since he hails from the north of Glasgow where I grew up.  I remember our priest’s delighted remarks about the good news that Catholic Michael Martin had been elected to Parliament.  Just as well he didn’t own a crystal ball.

So, this latest media excitement, with the usual “will he, won’t he” (resign) got me thinking and this is what I’ve been thinking:  are the Catholic MPs any less likely to have been dipping their fingers in the till, than any of the other MPs?   Has Michael Martin the Speaker been the model of a Catholic layman, a role model of a Catholic in public life – or not?

Tell us what you think about the MPs’ expenses scandal by clicking on ‘comments’ now…

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Glasgow: “gay” priest blackmailed – latest scandal…

July 26, 2008 in Dissent, Morality, Scotland, Uncategorized by editor | 21 comments

Here’s the latest sordid ”gay” priest scandal to hit the headlines:

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/2008/07/26/rent-boy-faces-jail-for-3k-blackmail-plot-over-gay-priest-86908-20671857/

Seems to me that Father Gordon Brown, of the Archdiocese of Edinburgh, was not exaggerating when he told The Sunday Mail (23 January, 2000) that there was an entire network of homosexual priests in Scotland operating under the very noses of the hierarchy.  

Isn’t it about time that they outed themselves so that we can all know who they are?  Are they really such hypocrites that they have no qualms about living a double life?   Do they feel no shame at making their living out of the Church, no shame at taking money from parishioners who are increasingly hard-pushed for cash just to make ends meet, when they really do not believe ?    No shame at all?

The Archdiocese claims that this priest, Fr Anthony Sweeney paid the substantial blackmail money out of his own pocket.  But how do we really know that?  After all, Fr Sweeney is already logged as retired in the current Directory and but for newspaper coverage, this scandal would undoubtedly have been covered up. Shouldn’t parish funds be available for public scrutiny and be sufficiently detailed (unlike the accounts of the Bishops Conference) for scrutineers to be able to know precisely where our money is going?  

Of course, the money angle is just one part of the whole.  What really concerns us is that, increasingly, it is obvious that we have a dissolute priesthood.  Maybe, though, if these dissolute priests are hit very  hard in their pockets, they’ll have to really think about whether it is worthwhile (let alone morally licit) to continue the duplicity. 

Short of priests we may be (although  the shortage of laity probably balances things out) but we will never want bad priests, whether involved in affairs with women or engaging in sodomy.  We don’t need you.  Go.

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