Go Rather To The Lost Sheep

While the Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle moves forward under our new Bishop, Stephen Wright, here is your weekly reminder that this could not have been an executive summary of this. That would have been impossible, since they bear no resemblance to each other. It is all here, including on the ludicrous definition of "grooming" that was used to hound Canon McCoy to his death, and including on the nonsense about Timothy Gardner. Something has changed since 3rd May. What is it? And where is the original report?

I do not resile from this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this or this. Rather, I reiterate every word of each and all of them. There was no cathedral sex party. The move from the old Bishop's House to the new one made a profit. There was no allegation of sexual assault against Bishop Robert Byrne CO, who should sue every media outlet that had suggested one.

I may not, but I may, accept the present report when Bishop Byrne had done so, and to the extent that he had done so. His Lordship has yet to do so to any extent. At least while that remains the case, then I reject the whole thing out of hand, and so should you. The sum total of the charge sheet against Bishop Byrne is that he did not automatically do as he was told by the hired help. But Pat Buckley does not like Bishop Wright, so Bishop Wright must be all right.

The parish sheet is again begging for anyone to apply to become Senior Administrator of the Diocesan Safeguarding Office. The application process closes on 26th June. But even if you did have the kind of prurient interest that expressed itself as the desire to spend all day reading detailed accounts of child sexual abuse, then you could still do without making an enemy of everyone in the world who could in any way be identified with "the conservative wing" of the Catholic Church. So carry on throwing whatever you like at me, because you have now made me the very, very, very least of your worries.