SCOTLAND
BBC News
A priest who wrote a book alleging the Catholic Church in Scotland suffered from a “culture of homosexual bullying” has been suspended from his post.
Father Matthew Despard was removed from St John Ogilvie Church in Blantyre, part of the Archdiocese of Motherwell, by Bishop Joseph Toal on Saturday.
A case has been brought against him for breaking church or canon law.
Some parishioners voiced opposition to Father Despard’s removal and walked out during a service on Sunday.
In his book “Priesthood In Crisis”, Father Despard claimed that sexual misconduct was rife among the clergy and the church authorities did not take action when he alerted them to allegations.
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