Former Students Back Exiled Priest, by Neil Macfarlane, Northern Echo, February 20, 2009

Former Students Back Exiled Priest

By Neil Macfarlane
Northern Echo
February 20, 2009

http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/4141196.Former_students_back_exiled_priest/

FORMER students of a priest who has been banned from attending his church for more than four years have started a petition to get him reinstated.

EXILED: Father Michael Higginbottom

Father Michael Higginbottom was suspended by the Catholic church without explanation in December 2004 and has been barred from his parish in Darlington ever since.

No official reason has been given for the action, but it is thought that the priest was taken out of duty due to reports of an unspecified incident alleged to have taken place during his time as a lecturer at Upholland College, near Wigan, in the Seventies or Eighties.

Now, two of his former pupils at the monastic training centre have started a campaign to show support for the priest.

James Foley studied there between 1976 and 1981 and said he has fond memories of his time in Fr Higginbottom's class.

He works as the director of a telecommunications company in London, and decided to set up an online petition calling for the priest's reinstatement, after following the case in The Northern Echo.

"I have been following the story for some time, and I thought this would be a way to remind the Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle that Father Higginbottom has the support of people who knew him from his time at Upholland,"

he said.

"Once we reach a certain level of support, we will take the petition to the Bishop. This has been going on for too long."

Parishioners at St Augustine's Church, Darlington, have repeatedly called for the priest to be returned to the pulpit, and for an explanation for his suspension.

During his years in exile, he is believed to have lived at the Minsteracres monastic retreat, near Consett, County Durham, and with family in Newcastle, although he is still officially listed as St Augustine's priest.

Mr Foley, 44, was a pupil of the priest's between the ages of 11 and 16. He said he had "no idea" what the allegations could be about, but hoped other ex-pupils would sign the petition.

"Father Higginbottom was an all-round good guy,very spiritual and very supportive of his students,"

he said.

"It was a big surprise when I heard allegations had been made against him. I have no idea what happened.

"I look back very fondly to the teaching and support that he gave us at a critical time in our lives.

"There were maybe 40 priests on the teaching staff and he was considered to be one of the best, and the fairest. You could talk to him about anything.

He was very popular."

Former pupils of Fr Higginbottom's can sign the petition at ipetitions.com/ petition/frmichaelh No one from the church was available for comment last night.

Mr Foley added: "I don't want to know about the allegations – it's not my business. My main raison d'etre is to give a good character reference to someone who committed his time to us, and who I believe was a thoroughly good, professional, caring and understanding man.