Cork Trainee Priests to Stay with Maynooth

Evening Echo
August 4, 2016

http://www.eveningecho.ie/cork-news/cork-trainee-priests-stay-maynooth/2504797/

The Bishop of Cork and Ross confirmed that three current trainees and a number of men starting out on their journey of vocation will be studying for the priesthood in Maynooth rather than anywhere else. It comes following the revelation of Archbishop of Dublin, Dr Diarmuid Martin, that he did not believe that the National Seminary in Co Kildare was the right environment for trainee priests in his diocese. He has said that those trainees will continue their vocation journey in Rome instead.

It follows allegations that a “gay subculture” was operating in Maynooth when trainee priests were supposed to be following a vow of celibacy. Anonymous letters are believed to have been sent alleging that trainees have been using a gay dating app to organise meetings.

There have been further accusations that so-called whistleblowers have been dismissed from the seminary because they spoke up.

Archbishop Martin said that he found anonymous letters “poisonous” following his vow to provide an independent person for whistleblowers to approach. Instead of that person being approached, he said, more anonymous allegations were made through letters. It is understood that allegations may have been made wrongly identifying young men as being part of the “gay subculture”, causing distress.

Archbishop Martin said: “I offered, initially, to provide a person – totally independent person – and that they could go and in all confidence provide the evidence that they had – this is for whistleblowers. And the answer to that was simply more anonymous letters. That’s not a healthy culture.”

The President of St Patrick’s College in Maynooth, Monsignor Hugh Connolly, said that there was no investigation or complaints made about any inappropriate sexual behaviour at present. He added that anonymous allegations made him “very unhappy” and that it was difficult to substantiate or investigate if done anonymously.

Bishop Buckley did not comment specifically on the allegations, only confirming that the students and new trainees would be returning to Maynooth.

Primate of All Ireland, Eamon Martin, defended the institute, saying it had provided spiritual, human, pastoral and academic formation to him personally when studying.

The Association of Catholic Priests (ACP) said it regretted that the seminary at Maynooth College has become “a focus of unfair and unwarranted attention”, highlighted by the decision of Archbishop Diarmuid Martin of Dublin to move Dublin diocesan students to the Irish College in Rome.

It added in a statement: “It is the prerogative of bishops to decide where students for the priesthood receive their formation but it is also the responsibility of seminary authorities to make sensible judgements on what candidates for priesthood are deemed suitable and to be allowed to make such decisions in good faith. It goes without saying that Irish priests should within reason be educated in Ireland.”