Coventry Priest Who Had Affair with Mum Makes New Celibacy Vow, by Edward Chadwick, Sunday Mercury, February 13, 2011

Coventry Priest Who Had Affair with Mum Makes New Celibacy Vow

By Edward Chadwick
Sunday Mercury
February 13, 2011

http://www.sundaymercury.net/news/midlands-news/2011/02/13/coventry-priest-who-had-affair-with-mum-makes-new-celibacy-vow-66331-28161639/

A DISGRACED priest who had a fling with a mum-of-four was given a second chance by the Catholic church after promising to return to celibacy, it was revealed last night.

Patrick Udoma had an eight-month relationship with Emma Templeton while working at St Rose of Lima Catholic Church in Weoley Castle, Birmingham.

The affair only came to light when the female chaplain made a bogus rape claim against the 45 year-old clergyman.

She received a suspended sentence at Birmingham Crown Court last week after a police investigation found that she had lied.

The Nigerian priest suffered the humiliation of being arrested during a funeral and spent 23 hours in a prison cell before eventually being cleared.

The Archdiocese of Birmingham suspended Fr Udoma after the rape claim was made, but he was allowed to return to Coventry parish after making a new vow of celibacy.

Peter Jennings, spokesman for the Archdiocese, said: "Fr Patrick Udoma was removed from public ministry in April 2010 pending police investigations.

"He remained out of public ministry for a period of three months. During this time the Archdiocese of Birmingham both required and assisted him to reflect on his personal behaviour.

"The Archdiocese of Birmingham returned Fr Patrick Udoma to public ministry in Coventry once it was satisfied that he would not be subject to any criminal proceedings.

"This decision was also taken on the basis of Fr Udoma's own assurances that he would be faithful to his promise of celibacy."

The Archbishop of Birmingham, Bernard Longley, has also sent a pastoral message to the parishes where Fr Udoma served, Mr Jennings added.

Templeton, 44, of Northfield, pleaded guilty to doing acts intending to pervert the course of justice at Birmingham Crown Court on Thursday.

She was sentenced to 10 months imprisonment, suspended for a year.

The court heard that she had made allegations against Fr Udoma last spring.

But when police examined phones belonging to the pair, it was found that they contained hundreds of texts revealing Templeton's "love and respect" for the priest.

Fr Udoma admitted he had engaged in consensual sex with the mum on two occasions but said their relationship was over by the time she had contacted police.

When approached by our reporter about the affair, he said: "I don't want to talk about any of this, please contact the Birmingham office. I am a victim in all of this."