SCOTLAND
Herald Scotland
Saturday 1 November 2014
THE parish of a controversial Catholic priest is expected to close under a major church re-organisation.
Father Matthew Despard was suspended last year after publishing allegations of homosexual bullying within the Church in the wake of the Cardinal O’Brien sex scandal.
His parish, St John Ogilvie, in Blantyre, is now one of about 40 parishes in Lanarkshire facing merger or being shut due to both dwindling numbers of priests and falling congregations.
A report by the Bishop of Motherwell Joseph Toal states the parish is likely to merge with St Joseph’s, Blantyre, which has a much larger Catholic population within its vicinity.
It comes amid further evidence of divisions within the parish, with supporters of Fr Despard claiming they were told by his stand-in, Fr Willie Nolan, effectively the general manager of the Diocese, that they had “no permission” to pray for the priest.
The Herald also understands Fr Despard is facing further legal action relating to his accommodation, which is due to come before the Sheriff Court in the coming weeks.
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