Priest Accuses Scottish Catholic Church of Cover-up in Latest Sex Scandal

By Jean Paul Zapata
Gay Star News
July 28, 2013

http://www.gaystarnews.com/article/priest-accuses-scottish-catholic-church-cover-latest-sex-scandal280713

Another priest has revealed details of sexual misconduct in the Catholic Church, claiming he’s being punished for coming forward.

A priest who is being called Father Michael, as he wishes to remain anonymous, claims he is being kicked out of the church for reporting Father Paul Moore to the police in 1997 for sexual assault.

The church has no comment ‘due to the complex legal situation, criminal, civil and canonical’.

‘I woke to find Moore fondling me under the bedclothes,’ said Father Michael.

‘I placed a chair behind the door and would sometimes hear it rattling,’ he added.

Father Michael said he sought help on two separate occasions from Cardinal Kieth O’Brien, Britain’s former most senior Roman Catholic cleric who resigned in March over sexual misconduct.

In 1996 and in 2013 when Father Michael went to O’Brien, the former cardinal expressed ‘shock’ but did not offer any help.

Father Michael also went to O’Brien’s temporary replacement, Archbishop Philip Tartaglia who reportedly wrote ‘I think it is better for me to return these documents to you’ when Father Michael appealed for his help in 2013.

According to British newspaper The Guardian, the church has told Father Michael that he will be removed unless he resigns.

Father Michael has received a letter in which Bishop John Cunningham of Galloway informs him he must retire because of ‘your ill-health, both physical and psychological, as you yourself have detailed to me in your letters and in those sent by your medical doctors and psychotherapist.

Father Michael, who is recovering from cancer, claims Bishop Cunningham denied requests to lessen his workload while in recovery.

Though Moore reportedley confessed to inappropriate behavior, Father Michael feels he's being treated unfairly because the church is still protecting Moore while asking Father Michael to resign.

Father Michael said: ‘What I have had to face is something very evil. Had I known what I would experience when I was lying on the floor at ordination, I would have stood up and walked out. I focused my life on priesthood, thinking it was about goodness, kindness and everything I wanted to aspire to. I discovered it was nothing like that.’

‘It's a tragic story,’ he added.

‘It's about cover-up, deceit and lies.’

The church is a big mafia, and they trash you. They will do everything to destroy me.’