“BISHOP” PAT AND SAME SEX CIVIL UNIONS

Same Sex Civil Unions
The Irish Times - Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Madam, – Good to see that Pat Buckley doesn’t descend to ad hominem attacks in his letter about me (September 14th).
However, just for the record, I’m not Irish and I do not serve Mass for Fr David O’Hanlon. –

Is mise,

KIERON WOOD,
Grange Wood,
Rathfarnham,
Dublin

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/letters/2009/0916/1224254643211.html

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Same-Sex Civil Unions
The Irish Times - Monday, September 14, 2009

Madam, – The Irish right-wing Catholic and special adviser to the Latin Mass Society of Ireland, Kieron Wood (September 9th) is not only guilty of engaging in a totally discrediting argumentum ad hominem with regards Fr Ted Flanagan and myself, but is also guilty of an unworthy attempt at misinformation.

Fr Flanagan, who is indeed one of my priests, was ordained on June 19th 1960 at Maynooth by Archbishop John Charles McQuaid for the Diocese of Clogher.

Fr Flanagan remains a priest “in good standing” as he has never been disciplined, suspended or excommunicated and is a lifelong friend of Clogher’s Bishop Joseph Duffy, who has entertained Ted and his wife Kate over the years at his palace in Monaghan. Fr Flanagan has also, in recent times, concelebrated Mass at Maynooth with his 1960 classmates Bishop Colm O’Reilly of Ardagh and Clonmacnoise and Bishop Francis Lagan of Derry.

As I was out of the country I had no input into Fr Flanagan’s recent letter to The Irish Times in support of civil partnerships. My homosexuality, which I have publicly acknowledged for 10 years, is irrelevant, except to homophobes, and is no reflection on Fr Flanagan who is robustly heterosexual and the father of five wonderful children.

However, I do think that Mr Wood’s position in the Latin Mass Society of Ireland and the fact that he serves Mass for Fr David O’Hanlon, whose right-wing views have been rejected by Bishop Michael Smith of Meath, the Vatican and Father O’Hanlon’s own priest-uncle are highly relevant. –

Yours, etc,

BISHOP PAT BUCKLEY,
The Oratory,
Larne,
Co Antrim.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/letters/2009/0914/1224254474653.html

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Same sex civil unions
The Irish Times - Thursday, September 10, 2009

Madam, – Fr Ted Flanagan from Lincolnshire in England mentions his role as a “solemniser of marriage” in his criticism of Cardinal Brady for “homophobic utterances” (September 7th).

Lest any of your readers should be confused about the status or impartiality of Fr Flanagan, the HSE lists him, not as a Catholic priest, but as one of only two members of the “Oratory Society” of Pat Buckley, who has proclaimed his own homosexuality on his website.

– Is mise,

KIERON WOOD,
Grange Wood,
Dublin 16.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/letters/2009/0910/1224254200074.html

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Same-sex Civil Unions
The Irish Times , September 7, 2009

Madam, – Paul Kenny’s article (Opinion, September 1st) was both informative and timely.
As a solemniser of marriage, I am often invited to Ireland and it is a privilege and a joy to celebrate nuptial Mass the length and breadth of the land. I also get a good insight to what the people want. What they don’t want is homophobic utterances put out in their name, as was the case last weekend when Cardinal Seán Brady indulged in the outburst against civil partnerships. This was about as sensitive as the Pope’s decision to travel to Aids-infected Africa and preach against the use of condoms. –

Yours, etc.

Fr TED FLANAGAN, 
Appleby, 
Scunthorpe, 
North Lincolnshire, 
England. 

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/letters/2009/0907/1224253996683.html