ST. CANICE'S CBS, DUBLIN
Pat attended St Canice's CBS, North Circular Road, Dublin from 1964 - 1970.
Pat is pictured in picture opposite - 2nd row from back, third from right (with specs).
David Doyle, 2nd row from front, first on left, was in Clonliffe Seminary with Pat and is now an independent catholic priest in the US.
Pat would love to hear from the rest of his 30 classmates in the picture with stories of how their lives have gone.
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Pat attended St Canice's CBS, North Circular Road, Dublin from 1964 - 1970.
Pat is pictured in picture opposite - 2nd row from back, third from right (with specs).
David Doyle, 2nd row from front, first on left, was in Clonliffe Seminary with Pat and is now an independent catholic priest in the US.
Pat would love to hear from the rest of his 30 classmates in the picture with stories of how their lives have gone.
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HOLY CROSS COLLEGE, CLONLIFFE, DUBLIN
Pat was a seminarian in Clonliffe from 1970 - 1973. He is pictured (left) with his 17 classmates. Pat is front row 2nd from right. Others are:
Front row from left: Father Alex Conlon PP, Ballybrack; Father John Ennis CC, Donnycarney; Father Paddy Monaghan CC, Dunlaoghaire; Father Paul Tyrrell (Crumlin);
Second row from left: Father Gerard Deegan Adm, Beaumount; Father Peter O'Reilly, Lucan; ?????; Father Paddy Kavanagh;
Third row from left: David Doyle, USA; ?????; Father Paul Churchill, Marriage Tribunal Dublin; Father Barry Murphy (on leave); ??????;
Back row from left: Father Michael Murphy PP, Kilcullen; Father Kevin Doran PP, International Eucharistic Committee, Vincent Kenny (left) and Des Murtagh (left and now in adult education)
Pat was a seminarian in Clonliffe from 1970 - 1973. He is pictured (left) with his 17 classmates. Pat is front row 2nd from right. Others are:
Front row from left: Father Alex Conlon PP, Ballybrack; Father John Ennis CC, Donnycarney; Father Paddy Monaghan CC, Dunlaoghaire; Father Paul Tyrrell (Crumlin);
Second row from left: Father Gerard Deegan Adm, Beaumount; Father Peter O'Reilly, Lucan; ?????; Father Paddy Kavanagh;
Third row from left: David Doyle, USA; ?????; Father Paul Churchill, Marriage Tribunal Dublin; Father Barry Murphy (on leave); ??????;
Back row from left: Father Michael Murphy PP, Kilcullen; Father Kevin Doran PP, International Eucharistic Committee, Vincent Kenny (left) and Des Murtagh (left and now in adult education)
BIOGRAPHY
PATS ORDINATION - JUNE 1976
Bishop Pat Buckley was born on May 2nd 1952 at Tullamore, Co. Offaly. Ireland. Son of Jim Buckley (trade unionist, personnel manager and barrister) and Josephine Geoghegan and the oldest of 17 children. Pat wanted to be priest from the age of 4 and attended St Canice's PS, Dublin and The College of Commerce, Rathmines, Dublin. In 1970 he entered seminary at Clonliffe College Dublin and completed his priestly studies at St John's Seminary, Waterford. Ireland. He was ordained a priest by Bishop Michael Russell of Waterford & Lismore Diocese on Penetcost Sunday, June 6th 1976. He served in 4 parishes in South Wales - Llanrumney, Bridgend, Briton Ferry and Whitchurch in Cardiff City. In 1978 after experiencing emotional and verbal abuse in Welsh presbyteries at the hands of dictatorial parish priests Pat returned to Ireland and was appointed as curate of Saint Peter's Cathedral, Belfast - in the midst of Belfast's Falls Road and Divis Flats. He worked there for 5 years becoming especially involved in campaigning for decent houses for his parishioners; youth work and an outreach ministry to juvenile car thieves - so called "joyriders".
At this time Pat was outspoken in the media condemning both State violence and injustice and the activities of the paramilitaries. Furthermore he was publicly critical of the failure of the Roman Catholic Church to give decent moral and social leadership - a failure that led to a vacuum that was filled by the paramilitaries.
Pat was deeply involved with prison ministry and ministered to the now famous "Hunger Strikers" as they died at Long Kesh Prison on the outskirts of Belfast.
His prominence in on the ground pastoral work and his media contributions brought the anger down upon him of Bishop (later cardinal) Cahal Daly. Daly, as punishment, moved Pat quickly in succession to Kilkeel in Co. Down and then to Larne in Co. Antrim. Finally on the 11th October 1985 Daly "sacked" Pat as a priest of Down & Connor Diocese and offered him parishes in California and Australia with a £10,000 relocation grant :-)
Bishop Pat refused to be exiled and silenced and set up an independent ministry from his church house in Larne from where has ministered to the present day. Daly's successor, Bishop Patrick Walsh, threatened to "suspend" and "excommunicate" Pat and on the eve of that axe falling Pat was consecrated an independent Catholic bishop. The Roman Catholic Church press office described Pat's consecreation at "valid but unlawful" as he did not have a mandate from the pope. Pat reassured the irate Roman prelates that he took his faculties from a Higher Source than them. Needless to say that they were not amused at his stance but secretly they began sending people to him who they could not help themselves. However that did not stop them offering Pat A £250,000 bribe if he went away and was silent for 5 years - after which they would give him an "important position". Of course they were not prepared to commit this offer to paper - not that Pat had any intention of taking their money.
Bishop Pat continues his very busy ministry from Larne - a ministry that has over the years become international. Pat has celebrated 2244 marriages since 1986 and ministers to ordinary couples, divorcees, mixed religion couples, inter-racial couples etc. He also ministers to people who struggle with sexuality issues and provides a listening ear to all who call. He is inspired by the words of the beloved Pope John XX111 who said: "AT MY WINDOW A LITTLE LIGHT WILL ALWAYS KEEP BURNING. ALL MAY COME IN - THE ARMS OF A FRIEND ARE WAITING".
Currently (2012) Pat, who cannot afford lawyers, is representing himself at the Belfast High Court where he is claiming adverse possession of his home in Larne where he has lived for 27 years.
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At this time Pat was outspoken in the media condemning both State violence and injustice and the activities of the paramilitaries. Furthermore he was publicly critical of the failure of the Roman Catholic Church to give decent moral and social leadership - a failure that led to a vacuum that was filled by the paramilitaries.
Pat was deeply involved with prison ministry and ministered to the now famous "Hunger Strikers" as they died at Long Kesh Prison on the outskirts of Belfast.
His prominence in on the ground pastoral work and his media contributions brought the anger down upon him of Bishop (later cardinal) Cahal Daly. Daly, as punishment, moved Pat quickly in succession to Kilkeel in Co. Down and then to Larne in Co. Antrim. Finally on the 11th October 1985 Daly "sacked" Pat as a priest of Down & Connor Diocese and offered him parishes in California and Australia with a £10,000 relocation grant :-)
Bishop Pat refused to be exiled and silenced and set up an independent ministry from his church house in Larne from where has ministered to the present day. Daly's successor, Bishop Patrick Walsh, threatened to "suspend" and "excommunicate" Pat and on the eve of that axe falling Pat was consecrated an independent Catholic bishop. The Roman Catholic Church press office described Pat's consecreation at "valid but unlawful" as he did not have a mandate from the pope. Pat reassured the irate Roman prelates that he took his faculties from a Higher Source than them. Needless to say that they were not amused at his stance but secretly they began sending people to him who they could not help themselves. However that did not stop them offering Pat A £250,000 bribe if he went away and was silent for 5 years - after which they would give him an "important position". Of course they were not prepared to commit this offer to paper - not that Pat had any intention of taking their money.
Bishop Pat continues his very busy ministry from Larne - a ministry that has over the years become international. Pat has celebrated 2244 marriages since 1986 and ministers to ordinary couples, divorcees, mixed religion couples, inter-racial couples etc. He also ministers to people who struggle with sexuality issues and provides a listening ear to all who call. He is inspired by the words of the beloved Pope John XX111 who said: "AT MY WINDOW A LITTLE LIGHT WILL ALWAYS KEEP BURNING. ALL MAY COME IN - THE ARMS OF A FRIEND ARE WAITING".
Currently (2012) Pat, who cannot afford lawyers, is representing himself at the Belfast High Court where he is claiming adverse possession of his home in Larne where he has lived for 27 years.
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BISHOP PAT'S BRIEF MEETING WITH POPE PAUL V1
In 1971, at the age of 19, and at the end of Bishop Pat's first year in seminary, he went with his grandmother Catherine on a pilgrimage to Rome.
During that pilgrimage Pat attended the very crowded public audience with Pope Paul VI with tens of thousands of others. When the pope was being carried out of the audience hall Bishop Pat was at the end of an aisle and held up his hand holding his breviary. As the pope passed he held out his hands and held Pat's hands and breviary and said one word: COURAGIO - courage.
Pat was obviously deeply moved and in later years he reflected that the pope's words were prophetic. It takes courage to be an outsider.
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BISHOP PAT'S PRIESTLY ORDINATION
BISHOP MICHAEL RUSSELL
Bishop Pat was ordained a priest on Pentecost Sunday, June 6th 1976 by Most Reverend Michael Riussell (pictured right) who was the Roman Catholic Bishop of Waterford and Lismore, Ireland.
Pat celebrated his First Mass at Our Mother of Divine Grace Church, Ballygall, Dublin on Monday June 7th 1976.
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PAT'S ORDINATION CLASS - WATERFORD 1976
Front row from left: Joe McCarthy (left priesthood); Monsignor John Shine (College President); Bishop Michael Russell (deceased); Oliver Curran (working as priest in USA)
Back row from left: Joe Seery (deceased 2010); John (left priesthood); John Flynn (left priesthood); Bishop Pat - still in priesthood and dangerously well :-)
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BISHOP PAT'S EPISCOPAL CONSECRATION
ARCHBISHOP NGO DINH THUC
He was consecrated bishop on May 19th 1998 at The Oratory Larne, County Antrim and like 91% of the world's Roman Catholic bishops, including Pope Benedict, his episcopal lineage includes Cardinal Scipione Rebiba (1504 - 1577) who was the Patriarch of Constantinople. His most direct Roman Catholic episcopal connection is His Grace Archbishop Pierre Martin Ngo dinh Thuc (1897 - 1984) Titular Archbishop of Bulla Regia
BISHOP WILLIE WALSH
BISHOP WILLIE WALSH CONFIRMS BISHOP PAT'S EPISCOPAL VALIDITY
Bishop Willie Walsh, Bishop emeritus of Kilaloe has confirmed in writing that Bishop Pat's episcopal consecration is valid. Writing from Bishop's House, Westbourne, Ennis. Co. Clare Bishop Walsh states: "My understanding is that Patrick Cox (the bishop who consecrated Bishop Pat) was consecrated by a Catholic Bishop. His consecration as bishop would be deemed valid".
This canonical judgement has been confirmed by the internationally acclaimed canon lawyer Father Tom Doyle, pictured below
Bishop Willie Walsh, Bishop emeritus of Kilaloe has confirmed in writing that Bishop Pat's episcopal consecration is valid. Writing from Bishop's House, Westbourne, Ennis. Co. Clare Bishop Walsh states: "My understanding is that Patrick Cox (the bishop who consecrated Bishop Pat) was consecrated by a Catholic Bishop. His consecration as bishop would be deemed valid".
This canonical judgement has been confirmed by the internationally acclaimed canon lawyer Father Tom Doyle, pictured below
CANON LAWYER - FATHER TOM DOYLE
SUNDAY TRIBUNE HEADLINE
The Catholic Press Office in Dublin confirmed to the "Sunday Tribune"in May of 1998 that Bishop Pat's consecration was valid even though contrary to Canon Law