SCOTLAND
Herald Scotland
Sunday 17 November 2013
A PARISH priest has been suspended from his Scottish post for writing a controversial memoir that claimed there is a culture of homosexual bullying in the Catholic Church.
Parishioners at St John Ogilvie’s Church in High Blantyre, Lanarkshire, reacted with fury and disbelief when they were told just before Mass last night that Father Matthew Despard had been removed from his ministry.
They were greeted by a weeping Father Despard outside the church shortly before the 4.30pm Mass began, and were ushered inside to hear a statement from Bishop Joseph Toal, Acting Bishop of the Diocese of Motherwell.
Angry scenes broke out among the congregation when Bishop Toal informed them “a penal judicial process” had been instituted against Father Despard as a result of the publication of his book Crisis In The Priesthood, with parishioners demanding answers over the priest’s suspension.
Father Despard, 48, embarked on a collision course with Church authorities when he published his book on Amazon in the wake of the resignation of Cardinal Keith O’Brien, who admitted to gay relationships and sexual activity spanning decades.
However, it was later reported the priest would escape sanction after Joseph Devine, the previous Bishop of Motherwell, issued a notice stating that no action would be taken against him.
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