15 hours ago
Monday, 18 October 2010
Very Bad News
Bad News I regret to inform you that I am faced with an impossible situation. Mgr Loftus has refused to accept my apologies and threatens me with action in civil and church courts. As a result I am very worried and will speak to our Archbishop. However I will not be posting any further blogs and may well shut down completely pending resolution of this matter. Please pray for me. I have now decided that the blog will be shut down completely. No further comments will be allowed on this or any other post and the facility to make comments will be removed and deleted if they still take place. All old posts will be deleted as soon as I can do this. Sorry to end like this. I was going to shut down at Christmas but circumstances mean that I shut down earlier.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
18 comments:
Seems like an overreaction. Sorry to hear you are worried, Father.
Praying for you Father, but very surprised at such a siuation.
I read on Religion Law Blog re Singh v. Singh that such legal action was unlikely to be successful, as judges are not expert in religious doctrine. I hope and pray that the outlook is not as bleak as it seems.
You are in my prayers Father. God bless you.
A man who cannot accept an apology is pathetic and small minded.
It is certainly NOT yourself who looks the fool in this situation - whatever the truth of the matter.
God Bless you.
Dear Fr Clifton, prayers, of course, and very best wishes in this difficult time. I hope you will be able to keep us informed of your progress toward the resolution of this matter.
My advice is don't worry, Father. Let him waste his energies persuing you. He does not have a snowball's chance in Hell.
Father, If you need funds for your defence, please set up a way for us to contribute.
Dear Father, this reminds me of the Elizabeth Price debacle. I think you like living dangerously! Seriously, as I understand it, if you have apologised and removed any offensive remarks from your blog, it will be very difficult for anyone to make a libel charge stick and you can always say you were using satire. It beats me why he should bother to pursue this unless to scare you into silence. You have obviously rattled his cage.
I must say though that I am upset with you on two counts recently - viz. your rather heterodox views on IVF and your poor opinion of James II. If you haven't seen it, do read Anne Gardiner's article about him in last month's Christian Order.
Now don't worry. Leave Basil to God and sleep well. God bless.
Prayers coming
Dear Father, You say 'threatened': does the Laird of Helmsdale actually believe he can sucessfully pursue this matter through the courts? If he is so deluded then I will underwrite your defence, sure in the knowledge that if you give me 10 percent of your damages I am on to a sure winner! Also, get on to your bookmaker to confirm the odds.
1. It cannot be Christian - still less priestly - to refuse to accept apologies.
2. I cannot comment on Ecclesiastical Courts; but I am quite sure that there is no realistic chance of a defamation claim in the civil courts succeeding, for reasons I have previously discussed.
3. Bullying is lamentable; although bullies should of course be prayed for.
That said, you have my sympathy, and prayerful support, for what it may be worth.
Sorry to hear this, Father. Will pray for you.
I'm sorry to hear of this, Father, but I don't think you should be intimidated. I fear that Mgr. Loftus has a reputation as a bit of a bully. I understand that you are not the first person he has threatened to sue. Ignore him!
Praying, Father.
Should I say I am surprised that Mgr Loftus is continuing in this way? Nothing much that people of that sort do surprises me, alas. Be heartened - much informed comment over the past weeks inclines to the view that there is no case to answer. It is ludicrous that matters of Catholic belief can be decided in the civil courts.
And it appears astonishing that a priest should be bullying (for that is what it is) an elderly fellow priest in poor health. Do get some good advice.
Praying for you in this difficult time.
Please know Father that you are in my prayers. Mgr. Loftus occasionally does supply work in my parish and I know of no way to describe him and remain within the confines of Christian Charity. but arrogant bully comes to mind.
God bless and keep you Father
Very sorry to hear this, Father. It seems scandalous to me. Your blog has been so valuable. Am praying for you.
Can you send me your email Fr?
Post a Comment