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Disgraced Priest Joseph Creegan Marries Lover in Secret Ceremony By Norman Silvester Sunday Mail September 21, 2008 http://www.sundaymail.co.uk/news/scottish-news/2008/09/21/disgraced-priest-joseph-creegan- marries-lover-in-secret-ceremony-78057-20746582/ ROMEO priest Joseph Creegan married his divorcee lover in a secret ceremony yesterday. The 66-year-old Monsignor spent thousands on a reception to celebrate tying the knot with Anne Marie Ogden, 48. The Sunday Mail revealed in January the pair were spending nights together in her home. At the time, Creegan, 66, claimed they were just friends who became close when he gave her marriage counselling. But a week after our expose, he was sacked over an 18-year affair with another woman. Creegan and Ogden enjoyed the wedding and lavish reception at plush Craigsanquhar House Hotel in Cupar, Fife. The hotel has a £3500 package with food by AA rosette-winning chef Billy Thomson. An insider said: "A former priest getting married is unusual enough but it was only January that he was insisting they were just pals." Anne Marie arrived in a white taxi with relatives. Creegan wore tartan trousers with a dark dress jacket, silver tie and sprig of heather. The couple are expected to live at Ogden's £335,000 home in Balmerino, Fife, for which they have a joint mortgage. Creegan was sacked after his long-term lover told his boss, Bishop Vincent Logan, about their affair. He also lost his grace-and favour river-front apartment worth £200,000 in Dundee. After leaving the priesthood he found a job in an Inland Revenue call centre earning £15,000 a year. Creegan shocked the Church by seeking lost wages through an employment tribunal. He lodged an unfair dismissal claim and had threatened to reveal scandals involving homosexuality and booze. He dropped the case last month amid rumours of a pay-off. Ogden and ex-husband Graham met Creegan at his St Peter and St Paul's Parish Church in Dundee, where he was meant to save their 23-year marriage. The couple had counselling between March and September 2006. Graham - a leading mouth cancer specialist - trusted Creegan with intimate information. But in an email to a friend after his marriage split, he said: "He hovered like a dark cloud over us. Looking back I wonder about his motives even then." When we quizzed Creegan about his nights at Ogden's home, he said: "This is a three-bedroom house, I have my own room and sometimes I stay over. There is no sexual relationship, we are very good friends. "It was Graham who came to me first and asked me to help them. I only became friends with Anne after the break-up. To suggest anything else is wrong." Bishop Logan - who is in charge of the Dunkeld Diocese - has apologised to Scottish Catholics for the hurt caused by his former monsignor. JANUARY 'We are very good friends. I only counselled Anne after the break-up. I don't have to defend this' SEPTEMBER 'I do' SUNDAY EMAIL n.silvester@sundaymail.co.uk |
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