A Donegal priest has quit his parish after what he referred to as “bullying” in the form of verbal and physical abuse from his parishioners.
Father Bill McGeady (74), of Glencolmcille, County Donegal, wrote a letter to his parishioners announcing his decision.
He said, “When I came in September 2010, I was happy to be here. Have been a priest for a while, but I soon found out that a very small number of people wanted to tell me how I should run my parish.
"When I refused to listen to them, I was verbally and physically abused in the sacristy, church and in the street.
"Letters of complaint were sent to the bishop from those few."
He continued, "Sadly, they did not write to tell him of the abuse they gave me.
"The complaining has continued and sadly it has affected my mental and physical health.
"Apart from what I have written above, I tell you truthfully I have very much enjoyed my time here."
The priest thanked church leaders, clerks, choir and the congregation. He also noted that the attendance at Mass had increased.
He wrote, “The parish is not all about one priest or person in charge.
"It is about all in the parish doing their bit to serve God and each other.
"I will miss all the good, decent people of Glen, especially the housebound and sick."
He concluded, "Please God, I will return one day."
Parish priest Father Francis McAteer refused to comment last night, according to the Irish Independent.
A close friend said, “No one expected him to stand down.
"He is very popular here and it came as a bit of a shock."
16 Comments
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.pilib04 | Feb 06, 2013, 09:52 AM EST
Mea Culpa. I did not read for content. Glencolmcille is the last place I would send an "old cumudgion" as mairint described him. The priest said "run my parish" and "refused to listen to them." Knowing Glencolmcille like the back of my hand, I can understand why there would be an uproar and why the bishop would reassign said priest. The letters of protest were most likely in Irish Gaelic. Glencolmcille is a very sacred religious and cultural community and those who reside there are going to defend it.
pilib04 | Feb 06, 2013, 09:44 AM EST
"My Parish?" That sure says everything about this man!
falconflash | Feb 06, 2013, 09:22 AM EST
Celticqueen is just mad that the Church does not approve abortion...she figures pro-life = bullying....
PhlutiePhan | Feb 05, 2013, 08:29 PM EST
Teilhard de Chardin has preached for some time according to Malachi Martin that the laity are the Church. The priesthood is being phased out in the name of world socialism.
Collette2 | Feb 05, 2013, 08:23 PM EST
He was lucky he didn't get stones on the roof, and you want to talk about evil? God forbid, where have you been hiding.
mairint | Feb 05, 2013, 03:54 PM EST
Shame on that group of people in Glencolmcille. Even if Fr. McGeady is an old cumudgion no one has the right to be rude or cruel or disrespectful. A priest is ordained and as an Apostle of Christ can celebrate the unequaled miracle in the world at the Consecration of the Holy Eucharist at Mass. Without a priest people are deprived of the gift of Mass and Holy Communion. There are many places across the vast U.S. and other countries where the people are starved of the Eucharist because they have no priest. When I read the poisonous, hateful comments against Christ's Church that appear on I.C. (often from the same malcontents) I see pure evil. So many have given their souls over to the Boss of Evil and aim at depriving themselves of eternal life in Heaven with Christ when their short life on earth is over. When England tried to stamp out the Faith in Ireland and England there were strong decent people who protected their priests even at risk to their own lives. But, they were not selfish in those times, they were strong.
Commonsence | Feb 05, 2013, 01:22 PM EST
The story is incomplete, did Irish Central edit it for l ength? Did a reporter ask anyone in the a question? Did not the parishoners who "abused" the priest have an identity? What happened to the old reporters method of Who, what, where, when and why go..bad reporting or editing! Incomplete at best. Sensationalism.
anglo-norman | Feb 05, 2013, 01:00 PM EST
The tribal Irish mentality
lokionline | Feb 05, 2013, 12:55 PM EST
The ultra-religious right have always attempted to co-opt the agenda in both church and state throughout history. We saw a good example of this during the most recent presidential election. The majority are getting weary of the bloody minded approach the religious right apply to everything. I feel sympathy for any good man who tries to serve his community only to be undermined by zealots. This is similar to what is happening to moderate Republicans, who are trying to do what they feel is best for the whole country but are being undermined in their gerrymandered districts by the tea party. I believe the vast majority is getting weary of this behavior whether it happens in a church community or in local politics.
Joe Glackin | Feb 05, 2013, 10:51 AM EST
CelticQueenUSA. What has this got to do with the Catholic church abuses etc. Its a personal situation regarding a Priest and Parishioners. Nobody knows the details and anyone using any ripple, to create emotive reactions, unrelated to this situation and more-so, little information. A little knowledge is a very dangerous thing.
nicgearailt | Feb 05, 2013, 10:28 AM EST
What on earth is going on over there Civility must have disappeared..they have far too much time on their hands,,people ..wake up ,before this is a total loss..the folks leaving Ireland will not want to come back..if and when there is ever a viable country again...
CelticQueenUSA | Feb 05, 2013, 10:13 AM EST
And who has been a bigger bully than the Catholic Church in Ireland. EXAMPLES: child abuse cover-ups and expecting the people to just go on BLIND FAITH and then there are the MAGDALINES need I say MORE> The Irish people have been pressed into submission and I think that are NOT the bullies if you think about it.
michaelidaho | Feb 05, 2013, 10:12 AM EST
A very sad story and depressing indictment of the state of Ireland these days. Despite your feelings for the RCC, to act this way toward an elderly person is both reprehensible and ignorant. Whatever happened to respecting your elders.
CelticQueenUSA | Feb 05, 2013, 10:07 AM EST
Second paragraph: "a very small number of people wanted to tell me how I should run my parish". That one excerpt tells me that this priest came there and turned a deaf ear to the "very small number". Maybe he has an ego bigger than the Glen. The whole point of this is it was not HIS PARISH. It is supposed to be "OUR" parish!! I doubt the bullying portion of this story.
falconflash | Feb 05, 2013, 09:47 AM EST
Should have insulate himself with the good parishoners -- ingore the complainers as much as possible.
Schlomo | Feb 05, 2013, 08:33 AM EST
I've been trying to get the message that "bullying" both verbal & physical were part and parcel of the Irish culture. That's how an infantile person fights back when he or she doesn't have the intellegence or timidity to accept the views of others or negotiate on a socially & civilly acceptable level. Now this priest's situation will maybe open some Irish-American's eyes to the fact that brutal bullying is indeed not limited to the civilian population. It pervades Irish culture and is acceptable from the highest political positions right down to the dole receivers with little or no education.