Falsely Accused Priest Returns to Galway Parish, Irish Examiner, October 9, 2011

Falsely Accused Priest Returns to Galway Parish

Irish Examiner
October 9, 2011

http://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/falsely-accused-priest-returns-to-galway-parish-523695.html

A Galway priest who was wrongly accused by RTÉ's 'Prime Time' of fathering a child in Africa has returned to his parish today.

The 'Prime Time Investigates' programme, 'A Mission to Prey', which was broadcast in May, alleged that Father Kevin Reynolds had raped a girl and fathered her child while serving as a missionary in Kenya nearly 30 years ago.

Fr Kevin Reynolds denied the allegations made by 'Prime Time Investigates' but stepped aside from his ministry as parish priest in Ahascragh pending an investigation.

Lawyers for the cleric began High Court defamation proceedings and paternity tests later proved that Fr Reynolds was not the father of the child in question.

RTÉ made a full apology earlier this week and accepted that all of the allegations which it broadcast against the priest were baseless, without any foundation and untrue.

Fr Kevin Reynolds returned to St Cuan's Church Ahascragh, Co Galway for Mass this morning, where he was welcomed back by Chief Celebrant Bishop Christopher Jones, Bishop of Elphin.

Bishop Jones stated that occasions such as what happened to Fr Reynolds are a disservice to the validated experiences of so many and reiterated the commitment of the diocese to the safeguarding of children.