'HOMOPHOBIC BISHOP WON'T BE INVITED TO MY WEDDING'
The Daily Mirror(UK), Feb 2, 2010 by LYNNE KELLEHER
GAY Bishop Pat Buckley yesterday slammed the "homophobic" cleric who ordained him - and insisted he won't be invited to his wedding.
The 57-year-old maverick priest hit out at independent Bishop Michael Cox for failing to give his relationship with Filipino Eduardo Yango his blessing.
The pair are due to marry in a civil partnership in the North next week.
Buckley, who was suspended in 1986 and excommunicated in 1998, was ordained as a bishop by Cox without the Vatican's approval.
Both priests now run services independently of the church but Buckley revealed Cox's radical beliefs do not extend to gay marriage.
He said: "He won't be at the wedding. Poor Michael has many talents and gifts but I'm afraid, like a lot of people, he would be a bit homophobic."
The maverick cleric yesterday revealed he met his 32-year-old fiance on the internet. He said: "He was just a few days in Northern Ireland and we decided to meet for a cup of coffee and a chat and then we met for a couple of meals. And then he came to stay with me.
"That was three years ago and he spent six months in Northern Ireland."
The priest, who conducts an independent ministry in Co Antrim, said he had found the solitary life of a Catholic priest very lonely in the past. He added: "One of the things that made me a little bit sad was I always had to go on holiday more or less on my own.
"I remember being in Rhodes in Greece a few years ago for a week and in the evening I was sitting at a table with a book or a newspaper and was surrounded by couples and families.
"As the Book of Genesis says in the Bible it's not good for a man to be alone. I am very happy to have a companion and friend and someone I can communicate with at the very deepest level and vice versa.
"I never really knew whether I would have a companion in life. At 57 I haven't rushed into it.
"I thank God for sending someone my way so I don't have to be on my own all the time."
The priest, who is originally from Tullamore in Co Offaly, said he went on a number of dates with Eduardo and his family when he first met him in 2007.
The couple will tie the knot in an official ceremony on February 8.
He said: "Two or three members of my family will be at a simple ceremony and then we will have Mass and ask God's blessing.
"In the evening we are going out for meal and the following Saturday night we are going to have a night with some Filipino music and Eduardo is going to cook a meal."
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BUCKLEY WEDDING IS OFF.. BUT ONLY FOR FORTNIGHT
The Daily Mirror(UK), Feb 9, 2010, by JILLY BEATTIE
GAY rebel bishop Pat Buckley postponed his wedding yesterday after his fiance became distressed by the media onslaught surrounding photos of the couple.
Their home in Larne, Co Antrim, has been at the centre of press attention since the date for the civil ceremony was listed at the local council offices.
Eduardo Yango, 32, from a devout Catholic family in the Philipines, has had several conversations with his family about the situation, who only learned about his marital intentions when they read about it in their local newspapers 11,000km away.
Mr Buckley, 57, told the Irish Daily Mirror yesterday: "They were very surprised and their culture is so different to ours that they've found it very difficult to contend with the fact that their private family news has now become public.
"They are devout Catholics and they have found the whole situation very trying. Our relationship and intentions became public after we visited the council offices in Larne, and then it hit the internet and went around the world, including the Philipines.
"Eduardo and I are very happy. After many years I have managed to find someone very special to complete my life because until I met Eduardo, I always knew there was something missing. We've been very happy for years now after I met him through his sister and our decision to commit to each other has not been taken lightly.
cope "After 25 years of experience, I can cope with the press attention without a problem. But it's a different matter for Eduardo.
"He has no experience of it and he is a very private person so it makes him very stressed. We contemplated having the ceremony in England but we don't think we should hide our commitment to each other.
"In the Philipines family issues are dealt with very discreetly and privately, so you can imagine how difficult this has been for him.
"So we decided last night to postpone the ceremony and go back on a different day when the press have gone away."
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