Father Matthew Despard: Anger As Priest Is Left out of an Official Directory Listing for John Ogilvie Church

By Leona Greenan
Daily Record
January 24, 2015

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/father-matthew-despard-anger-priest-5023542

Father Despard

A suspended Blantyre priest has been left out of an official directory listing for his parish – sparking anger among his supporters.

Father Matthew Despard hasn’t been named in John Ogilvie Church’s entry in this year’s Western Catholic Calendar, yet his stand-in Father William Nolan has been named as the administrator.

The priest was suspended back in 2013 after publication of his book called Crisis in the Priesthood, which accused the Catholic Church in Scotland of covering up sexual bullying.

Father Despard’s supporters, many of whom meet following Saturday vigil mass on Saturday evenings to pray for his reinstatement and for “a speedy outcome” for the priest, were disappointed to learn he was not named in the calendar.

Parishioner Ann Reid said: “I’m not happy. In my book Father Despard is still the parish priest. To leave him out speaks volumes.”

Another of the father’s supporters, Helen Ann Hawkins, said: “Although Father Despard was suspended in November 2013 his name was still listed in last year’s calendar, stating his position as suspended and Fr Wm Nolan as administrator to St John Ogilvie.

“We concerned parishioners of the Motherwell Diocese would like clarification from Bishop Toal as to why Father Despard’s name has been omitted from this year’s calendar.”

A Motherwell Diocese spokesman said: “The directory lists parishes and the clergy responsible for running them, together with contact details.

“If an administrator is running a parish, for whatever reason, he’d be listed as the contact.”

Meanwhile, another court case against Father Despard was once again postponed this week.

It is understood the Catholic Church are seeking a sequestration order to recover ?19,000 in court costs from the priest that they claim is still outstanding from a previous case.

It will now take place on March 2, following a case due to call on Tuesday, February 10, in which Father Despard will fight an eviction notice served on him, as ordered by the Bishop Joseph Toal, to leave the parish house.

The Diocesan spokesman said: “Last year, the Sheriff at Hamilton granted a perpetual interdict against Fr Despard in respect of his obstruction of the church’s administrator.

“The court awarded expenses against him and he was invited to make proposals to settle those expenses but has failed to do so. Steps are now being taken to enforce and recover those expenses.”