Derry Journal (N. Ireland)
Published on Tuesday 3 January 2012 11:07
Former Derry-based priest who paid out on a sex abuse claim is living and teaching in France, where he has been banned from active ministry, it has emerged.
Fr Andrew McCloskey paid out £19,000 in 2005 to a man who claimed he had been sexually assaulted by him as an 18 year-old in the parochial house of St Mary’s Church in Creggan in 1992.
It was revealed that Fr McCloskey was appointed to a Church counselling service for victims of sexual abuse by then Bishop of Derry, Seamus Hegarty, after the allegations surfaced.
On leaving leaving Dungiven in early 2005, Fr McCloskey said he had an alcohol problem but hadn’t taken a drink since 1992.
He also served in Creggan and Drumsurn.
Media reports in recent days said Fr McCloskey is teaching adults English in Nice.
Church authorities said McCloskey has “no permission to exercise ministry, which includes the celebration of public Mass.”
In a statement, the Derry Diocese said the church and civil authorities in France are aware of the allegations made against Fr McCloskey.
“Fr McCloskey has been on leave of absence since March 2005 and is not in sacred ministry. Some years ago, the Diocese of Derry contacted the diocesan authorities in Nice, where Fr McCloskey resides, making them aware of Fr McCloskey’s residence in the diocese, the fact that he is out of ministry and of the circumstances of his leave of absence.”
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Payout deal priest not allowed to say Mass
The Belfast Telegraph
Thursday, 29 December 2011
A priest from Northern Ireland involved in a controversial out of court settlement after allegations of a sex assault has been banned from saying Mass where he now lives in France, it has been learned.
Father Andrew McCloskey paid out £19,000 in 2005 to a man who claimed he had been sexually assaulted by him when he was 18.
A second teenager also made allegations against the priest, though never took legal action.
And there was uproar in the cross-border Diocese of Derry when then-Bishop Seamus Hegarty admitted that the priest was later given a job within the church counselling sex abuse victims.
Fr McCloskey stood down from his role with the Hope Alive group and from his position as curate in Dungiven, Co Londonderry, when news of the out-of-court deal emerged in January 2005.
But there was anger among priests in the diocese – which covers parts of Derry, Donegal, Tyrone and Antrim – when they discovered Fr McCloskey was living in the south of France.
He has been working as a teacher of English at adult classes in Nice but is banned from active ministry.
A Derry Diocese spokesman insisted church and civil authorities in France were aware of the allegations against Fr McCloskey.
The spokesman said: “Some years ago, the Diocese of Derry contacted the diocesan authorities in Nice, where Fr McCloskey resides, making them aware of Fr McCloskey’s residence in the diocese, the fact that he is out of ministry and of the circumstances of his leave of absence.
“The diocesan authorities in Nice are aware that he has no permission to exercise ministry, which includes the celebration of public Mass. The civil authorities in Northern Ireland are aware of Fr McCloskey and have, within their responsibility, the provision for international liaison where residence is outside the UK.”
The priest told parishioners in January 2005 that he was taking a leave of absence saying he had “made a mistake for which I have paid very dearly”.
i got to know father mc closkey quite well. as a young priest when he came to strabane in 1980 he performed our wedding mass. and in 1983 when our first child was born severly disabled he went beyond his duty. i dont know what we would have done without him. we found him to be a good priest and a great friend. god bless him. john french.
You obviously didn’t know all there was to know about Father McCloskey. That is not uncommon. The fact is that Father McCloskey has been stripped of his faculties and is unable to say Mass, hear confessions ans so on. Rest assured that the diocese would not take those steps without good cause.
Isn’t that the saddest thing about child molesters–they can often be so charming to those they do not intend to victimize, giving a glimpse of the person they could have been if they were not drawn to the perverted manipulation of little children. And yet, because they use their kindnesses to prove how “good” they are, even their altruistic acts become a smokescreen for their depravity.
It would seem that Fr McCloskey has paid a huge price for his actions. It is clear that he now wishes to move on with his life and I believe should be allowed to do so.
MH,
It appears, according to the news articles, although dated, that Fr McCloskey has moved on quite “Nice-ly”…Are you at all curious as to how his reported two victims have fared, how they “moved on”with their lives?…
Maybe you can shed some light on that? …
Personally, I think the scales are rigged and “Father” has found more support and has had more “opportunities” because of his club membership!
That is the usual scenario and “his”church must be right behind him, right?
Nice, France!…Very “exclusive” you know! French Riviera…on the Mediterranean, playground of the rich and famous…! Must be terribly painful for him!…and he “wishes to move on”!
The sympathy gauge doesn’t register for some reason.
jg
What fate would JG reserve for Fr McCloskey? He/she is clearly upset that reports have said that Fr McCloskey is working in Nice and the laboured ‘nicely’ pun indicates some dissatisfaction with this. This man’s career is in ruins and he seeks to support himself in another capacity. I have sympathy with this. n relation to another of JG’s points I must say that on the contrary, I have every sympathy with his two victims. Sadly I have no idea how their lives have developed since then and I suspect JG hasn’t either. I hope that their lives have moved on from this awful trauma.
MH,
The only thing I am upset with is your attempt to portray McCloskey as a victim in your first post. You only took the higher ground and found/feigned sympathy because you were challenged!
“This man’s career is in ruins and he seeks to support himself in another capacity.”
A lot of real victims and families have had no careers, or many times no families, no direction, if they weren’t just abandoned by your “peers” and lived a homeless life… Do you wish to offer your “sympathy” to those who took their own lives because of this “clergy” filth”, this treason?
I have a very good idea how his two victims “moved on” even if I wouldn’t know them personally…
What I would reserve for McCloskey? Stop complaining! Be thankful you can have a glimpse at a bit of “suffering” in Nice! Make this “misery” of yours an offering to your Christian values, to Christ, as you were called to do the first time you accepted to be called “Father”.
Take the sugar coated medecin and shut up about it! Do nothing but “Good” with every breath…until you breathe no more!
As for my “labored pun”(you couldn’t resist a little vengeful jab! 🙂 ) I am proud and lucky I was not educated in a seminary… I just Lived! Loved! and accepted my “suffering”…as God’s gift.
Stop looking for excuses.
jg