SCOTLAND
Herald Scotland
Sheriff urged to allow priest to stay in parish house
A SHERIFF has been urged to allow a priest at the centre of a row with the Catholic Church to stay in his parish house.
Father Matthew Despard, 50, is involved in a long-running dispute over a book he wrote alleging a gay mafia was operating at the top of the Church.
Fr Despard was ordered to leave his home at St John Ogilvie in High Blantyre, Lanarkshire, but refused, disobeying the wishes of the Bishop of Motherwell, Joseph Toal.
Bishop Toal told Fr Despard to leave the house in November 2013 but the Church later launched a legal action at Hamilton Sheriff Court to evict him.
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