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	"Abuse" Pay-out Priest in Mass Ban UTV December 29, 2011 http://www.u.tv/News/Abuse-pay-out-priest-in-Mass-ban/86c103c5-7a71-47da-9dfa-08e9c9908a5e Newsback to News Thursday, 29 December 2011 'Abuse' pay-out priest in Mass ban Text Size: A A | POST A COMMENT | PRINT | SHARE A Catholic priest, who once made a secret pay-out to an alleged sex abuse victim, has been banned from saying Mass. A Catholic priest, who once made a secret pay-out to an alleged sex abuse victim, has been banned from saying Mass. AdTech Ad Father Andrew McCloskey, from Derry, now lives in the South of France but he's barred from ministering as a priest. The alleged abuse incident dates back almost 20 years, but it comes just weeks after the Catholic Church disclosed how it had dealt with allegations of clerical sex abuse. In 1992, an 18-year-old man was seeking counselling after he said he had been abused. He met with Fr Andrew McCloskey, who was at that time a priest in the Derry Diocese and based in Saint Mary's parish church in the Creggan estate. The man claimed that Fr McCloskey made serious sexual advances to him. The alleged incident was said to have happened in the priest's house at the rear of the church. Fr McCloskey subsequently made an out-of-court settlement totalling ?19,000 to the teenager. There was, however, no admission of liability. Shortly afterwards, the priest was transferred to a rural parish. However, in 2005, the story became public and Fr McCloskey - who by then was based in Dungiven - admitted he was the priest at the centre of the story. He told mass-goers in the Co Derry town that he had an alcohol problem, and that he'd made a serious mistake for which he'd paid dearly. A second teenager also made allegations against Fr McCloskey, but he didn't take legal action against the priest. The Bishop of Derry at the time, Seamus Hegarty, subsequently faced criticism when it he disclosed that - despite the allegations against him - Fr McCloskey was later appointed as a counsellor for sex abuse victims. It has now emerged that he is living in Nice in the South of France. He teaches English in adult education classes. But Catholic Church authorities say Fr McCloskey has "no permission to exercise ministry, which includes the celebration of public Mass". In effect, he is banned from performing the duties of a priest.
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