24 Comments

• citizen69 | Dec 03, 2011, 05:29 AM EST

  IrelandNorth: What totally spurious claims to say that the Belfast Telegraph just made up a story about this preist! Neither is it a staunch unionist organ. You obviously havent read the paper in a very longtime. They have regular columnists who are self-confessed political socialist & republicans. The paper covers the whole spectrum of opinions in Belfast & beyond.

• IrelandNorth | Dec 02, 2011, 08:18 AM EST

  If true, wholly inappropriate indeed. But then the Belfast Telegraph is a staunch unionist organ, and unlikely to be totally objective in the context. Any chance there might be just a little Orangeism at play here, to discredit those southern fenian papists idolators (sfpi's).

• hollabackgurl | Dec 01, 2011, 02:09 PM EST

  It's amazing what conservative men's clubs are willing to overlook if you say what they tell you to say.

• Bel/Ard | Dec 01, 2011, 01:23 PM EST

  And so it continues!! It was Pope Leo 10 (1513)who said, "It has served us well, this myth of Christ." I wonder how many others feel the same way. It seems to many priests, these vows are just formalities, and not something to be committed to.

• proudirishlass | Dec 01, 2011, 10:29 AM EST

  SirPeter, Priests take a vow of celibacy. This means NO hankypanky at all EVER. I do not agree with this vow as it goes against nature, but they take this vow when they join the priesthood. I am happy that society is keeping tabs on perverted people and that includes priests. This man is in a position of great power and sadly we know now this power can be abused to the determent of many young vulnerable people. Power abusing and perverted priests have managed to hide under the cloak of the church for too long. There are thousands of decent priests and nuns but that should not give the sick perverted ones a free reign. Do you ever wonder if they even believe in GOD. How come all those years of education in the field has not instilled a fear of GOD in them. I would love to know what is being taught and what goes on in those seminaries.

• barneyjo | Dec 01, 2011, 05:41 AM EST

  @SirPeter - And you would be ok with this if your new Parish Priest had been endicted for a similar offence? I have no reason to doubt that Father McGarvey would be a good priest, in many respects, but put yourself in the shoes of parents who have children in the local schools where the Parish Priest would have unfettered access. At very least, I know I would wish to have the opportunity to articulate my concerns about the character of a man who was appointed my Parish Priest. Regrettably, I take the view that this offence should exclude him from ministry in a Parish setting.

• stanJames | Dec 01, 2011, 02:18 AM EST

  He can watch me anytime he wants. You should have seen my army life. Privacy was absolute zero..............If you find him fooling around with children, then his boy parts should be sent to the pope as a warning.

• sirpeter | Nov 30, 2011, 10:04 PM EST

  Ye are all fools.Ye are been made fools of.Yeah when it comes to brainwashing.IC do the anti-Catholic crap very well.IC feeds the peasants and ye peck up the crap.All priests are bad in the IC articles.They would never remind ye sh*t heads of the Twelve Jesuit priests that have been formally recognized by Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Martyrs' and Heroes' Remembrance Authority in Jerusalem, for risking their lives to save Jews during the Holocaust of World War II or the 152 Jesuit priests who gave of their lives during the Holocaust.NO!! IC knows EXACTLY what ye relate too.Ye get titillation from the perverse.All you have to do is see what sells on the internet.Ye are owned by this media crap.Take supersurvivor77 she is full of hate.A man abused her.He happened to be a priest.She would burn all priests because of it.I can't feel her pain because she is drowning it out by inflicting pain on the innocent. What good deed have any of ye done for a stranger to-day.At least priests try.The many good ones.

• DanOLoingsigh | Nov 30, 2011, 07:20 PM EST

  Note this ‘alleged’ offence took place in the occupied counties…he was probably set up by MI5 SPOOKS in cahoots with loyalist death squads…I demand, on his behalf, an IMMEDIATE apology and payment of suitable damages – (in a brown envelope marked ‘for Dan’– hand in to BusAras left luggage)

• barneyjo | Nov 30, 2011, 05:53 PM EST

  Katiemac, Gearoid4 - Cant wait to hear your take on this one :)

• joemccullough | Nov 30, 2011, 03:17 PM EST

  What a great institution. Glad to see that they've got their priorities straight.

• JBRAFTREE | Nov 30, 2011, 02:57 PM EST

  Whatta Guy!!!!!

• Collette2 | Nov 30, 2011, 02:42 PM EST

  What's been said previously, is perfecty true. If the Commander in Chief of the mighiest power the world can get away with what he did, what's a mere priest got to worry about and that's not taking into account the claim for diplomatic immunity by the Holy See in abuse over there.

• oldboreen | Nov 30, 2011, 01:34 PM EST

  Of course it's true. And I entirely agree with 'canadianirish'. Enough is enough! Stay in the church but make it abundantly clear that we will no longer tolerate this laissez-faire attitude of so many bishops. We are Church too my Lords!!!

• merefalow | Nov 30, 2011, 01:12 PM EST

  these guys just dont get it do they,what a rotten corrupt organisation,2000 thousand years of corruption,inquisitions,witch burning,protestant burning,political murder,intrigue,and hypocrisy,and they wonder why people are turning away from the church in droves.i think even the faithfull irish are realising they have been conned.all these crazy religious people are the samr.barking..

• canadianirish | Nov 30, 2011, 01:02 PM EST

  If this story is indeed true, why don't the Irish people rise up in protest against the priest and bishop in question. They could start by refusing to attend the church where Patrick McGarvey currently resides. The congregation should rise up and walk out!! Don't let the Catholic Church get away with this abominable behaviour! FIGHT BACK!!!!

• Daytonavejim | Nov 30, 2011, 11:59 AM EST

  Isit true?

• jamieLM | Nov 30, 2011, 11:51 AM EST

  If it's true, it's disgusting.

• Searlit | Nov 30, 2011, 11:50 AM EST

  So now, instead of moving them around from parish to parish, they promote them after proven sexual misconduct?

• Murph46 | Nov 30, 2011, 10:23 AM EST

  Of course he was promoted ,how else to continue the string of pedophile priests.Let's see someone really defend this!

• Brolaur | Nov 30, 2011, 09:46 AM EST

  Is this story true? If it is then the Bishop's decision is beyond belief.

• CitizenWhy | Nov 30, 2011, 09:36 AM EST

  Maybe there are no public men's rooms in that town, so the people are safe?

• Springfield9 | Nov 30, 2011, 09:33 AM EST

  Sooner or later, someoneis going to repeat the words that got Beckett killed.

• colkelley | Nov 30, 2011, 09:33 AM EST

  The Church was probably very relieved that it had nothing to do with sexually molesting children. Times have changed...just like in the past simply having a woman not your wife sitting on your lap could ruin a run for the Presidency, after Bill Clinton ("The Liar-in-Chief) getting oral sex in the White House then committing perjury about it is somehow not "wrong" or "immoral." Thanks a bunch, "Slick Willy"