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Looks like the Irish Times is getting it's gossip from will and testament!!!!!

Anyone know how to acccess the whole Irish Times article? Did the times give the scoop to W+T!?

I don't know Donal McKeown but I see sme comments on here referring to him as "Da Whizz". Is that his nickmame?

Im amazed that Donal McKeown's wikipedia profile lists lots of criticisms of him while Patrick Walsh's profile there is almost free of any criticism. WHat's with that?

Just checked Walsh's profile on wikipedia. Yeah, that's a strange one. He's the most criticised bishop in Ireland. Maybe he knows someone at wikipedia and they're keeping criticism of him off the site!
There's a reference to Fr McCafferty's courageous stand against Walsh but that's about it.

The so-called "criticisms" of Dr McKeown are a joke!

The REAL criticisms that can be levelled against Walsh are much more substantial.

Ask any former student of St Malachy's College, Belfast, during his Reign of Terror there, in the 1970's.

The place was a Hell Hole - don't get me started....!!

There are many hundreds of men (ex-Malachians) - all over Belfast and way beyond - who could update Paddy Sniff's Wikipedia Profile accordingly.

I've just returned home from Manchester this morning. While there I heard of the storm that had broken over Down and Connor. I wasn't surprised that it broke, those storm clouds were gathering before Bishop McKeown was ordained as an Auxiliary Bishop to Bishop Walsh (they gathered somewhere over North Down I believe!!). On returning home and logging on I was surprised by the venom being poured out. I have major reservations about some of Bishop Walsh's decisions over the years, and even larger reservations about some of those around him, but to savage the man like this is repulsive! That goes for post 53 as well. "Shouting" 'Phyllis' on the Internet isn't big and it isn't clever! It does no justice to the Wing, the Diocese and certainly not to Bishop McKeown! It was only worthy of those who are holding him up to public ridicule. On that subject, the new tripe on wikipedia is a childish exercise in point scoring, completely vacuous. Grow up!! Surely, with even just enough wit not to eat oneself, it can be recognized that the contribution goes a long way to proving that which it denies. The underhanded, unjust and morally bereft character assassination being carried out on Bishop McKeown is beyond words! Donal McKeown is a decent, compassionate and, in stark contrast to some of his critics, deeply humble man. I read with due derision the comments on his respect for the Holy Mass. You would be hard pushed to find anyone as devoted and respectful. Travelling home this morning I remembered a story I had once heard about the Cure D'Ars. Envious of his life and the gifts God had given him, his brother priests began to collect a petition to their Bishop condemning him. They sent it one to another until one bright spark sent it to St. John by accident. The deeply holy and humble man promptly signed it and despatched it to his Bishop. Of course history and the Church recall the name of Jean-Baptiste-Marie Vianney, but it’s harder to find the other names. There might be a lesson in there somewhere!?!

Anyway, in the end the Holy Spirit will decide!

I've just returned home from Manchester this morning. While there I heard of the storm that had broken over Down and Connor. I wasn't surprised that it broke, those storm clouds were gathering before Bishop McKeown was ordained as an Auxiliary Bishop to Bishop Walsh (they gathered somewhere over North Down I believe!!). On returning home and logging on I was surprised by the venom being poured out. I have major reservations about some of Bishop Walsh's decisions over the years, and even larger reservations about some of those around him, but to savage the man like this is repulsive! That goes for post 53 as well. "Shouting" 'Phyllis' on the Internet isn't big and it isn't clever! It does no justice to the Wing, the Diocese and certainly not to Bishop McKeown! It was only worthy of those who are holding him up to public ridicule. On that subject, the new tripe on wikipedia is a childish exercise in point scoring, completely vacuous. Grow up!! Surely, with even just enough wit not to eat oneself, it can be recognized that the contribution goes a long way to proving that which it denies. The underhanded, unjust and morally bereft character assassination being carried out on Bishop McKeown is beyond words! Donal McKeown is a decent, compassionate and, in stark contrast to some of his critics, deeply humble man. I read with due derision the comments on his respect for the Holy Mass. You would be hard pushed to find anyone as devoted and respectful. Travelling home this morning I remembered a story I had once heard about the Cure D'Ars. Envious of his life and the gifts God had given him, his brother priests began to collect a petition to their Bishop condemning him. They sent it one to another until one bright spark sent it to St. John by accident. The deeply holy and humble man promptly signed it and despatched it to his Bishop. Of course history and the Church recall the name of Jean-Baptiste-Marie Vianney, but it’s harder to find the other names. There might be a lesson in there somewhere!?!

Anyway, in the end the Holy Spirit will decide!

Oh, dry your eyes, "Salford Tourist"! Get off your high horse. "Storm" over Down and Connor? - more like a STORM IN A TEA CUP - right Mrs Doyle???

Agree with your sentiments about Bishop Donal though - and good story about Cure d'Ars.

Patrick Walsh is a sick joke. He is not a good bishop and he was not a good priest.

God will judge him - and may he do so with MERCY - an attribute that Walsh showed little of - during his "career". This is not "venom" - but reality, truth.

Likewise, Fr. R.H. Jackson - who are you trying to fool? Stop trying to act all reasonable now - you've well and truly shown your hand - your hatred of Bishop McKeown.

Your attempted "rowing back" will only lead to the life-boats having to be sent out.

The Holy Spirit will decide indeed! Now go and make the tea PHYLISS!!

;-)

Sillyford Satirist, firstly, where in any of my postings (apart from my most recent one) have I made any reference to Dr McKeown?

Secondly, this is a forum for reasonable, well-argued debate. Your bizarre comments and innuendos are sadly out of place.

Thirdly, you tell us that 'Patrick Walsh is a sick joke. He is not a good bishop and he was not a good priest.

God will judge him - and may he do so with MERCY - an attribute that Walsh showed little of - during his "career". This is not "venom" - but reality, truth.'

Upon what are you basing this?

I'm basing what i have said on EXPERIENCE Robert H Jackson!!!! I went to St Mal's 1971-1978. I EXPERIENCED the FEAR and TERROR of that damned place!!!

When my kids were being confirmed, i made sure Walsh wasn't doing the Mass. It turned each time - thank God - to be bishops Daly or Farqwar.

I wouldn't have allowed Paddy Sniff to confirm my kids. I am a practicing Catholic today in spite of the best efforts of him and his fellow brutes.

Forgot to sign my "name" to last posting!

I'm not sure about what people have said about Patrick Walsh. He was old fashioned in his educational style but then everyone of his generation was too. I got a lot of smacks with the cane in my protestant school and it was legal in those days (the 70s) for teachers to do that. The law didn't change until the 80s, after my time. I don't blame the teachers, it was the world back then. Let's move on from this debate and ask why Donal would be a better candidate. As I say, I am not a Catholic, but Donal McKeown is the only Catholic bishop I have ever seen on TV or listened to on the radio who made sense to me. He's a decent man, obviously a strong Christian believer, and he can speak the language of the people. My catholic friends think the world of him, and they are hard to please! When I hear him on Sunday Sequence I can also sense that Crawley respects him, and that is NOT always the case with Crawley! No offence to william, enjoy hearing him fighting back his contempt when a religious nutter is in front of him. With Bishop McKeown that is not the case. Crawley's another one who's hard to please. So what can be done to let the authorities know that protestants also admire the bishop in waiting?

We're talking here about a lot more than a so-called "old-fashioned educational style", Paddystown.

It was the whole approach - you were treated like DIRT! You were made to feel WORTHLESS! This is the experience of many.

It was once said of Walsh - "the one thing you can say about Paddy Walsh is that he treats everyone the same - he treats everyone with equal and utter contempt.

Glad to hear that Protestants think so highly of Bishop Donal McKeown. He is a very good man.

Thanks for the constructive criticism. I will dry my eyes and keep it in mind. Ironic or what? LOL!

Who's Phyliss? A lot of this very cryptic - I'm lost.

I think according to Sillyford I am.

Fionn asks: "Who's Phyliss...?"

Ah, Fionn, well, Phyliss was a quare oul' bird in her day.

Lovely hair. Bouffant to perfection. Most discreet purple-rinse this side of the Lagan.

Sorry Salford Tourist for shouting "PHYLISS" all over the internet.

When I read all this stuff - I got quite phylled up - thinking back to those phyllicitous days of yore - in the good old Wing! LOL!

Never mind the tea - PHYLISS a glass of water! :-)

Pathetic ex-wing, truely pathetic!!

Quite right Salford Tourist - won't say another word.... I gather you remember Phyllis though?

I think I know who your refering to.

Ex Wing, there was something bugging me about your last two posts. You know who I am, don't you!

Yes. ;-)

See Irish News thinks Bishop McKeown and Bishop McAreavey are still the most likely. Good news all round. They both strike me as very good men.

It also struck me that both are probably the right age for a large Diocese like Down & Connor. But what will happen if they get the job? Is it time for some younger Bishops as assistants in Down & Connor or as a replacement in Dromore? Another blog on this one Will perhaps?

Priest friends tell me there is a Fr Connolly in Maynooth in his mid forties and a Fr Convey in Achonry in his early forties who was identified as a candidate recently by the Irish Times.

Mind you, with Pope Benedict celebrating his 80th birthday yesterday, there is no better advertisement for the benefits of wisdom and experience!

Sensible and charitable comments only on this one - PLEASE!

I think it should be pointed that the individual from Ballycastle who is the "prime suspect" when it come to being ex-wing is in fact not!!

I have been away with wife for nice sunshine Costa break. I see this nonsense is still rumbling on.

Now that it has degenerated into complete farce (with incomprehensible exchanges taking place between "Salford Tourist" and "ex-wing"), is it not time to draw a line under it all?

There is no "stop Donal" campaign. The new bishop will be appointed in due course and - hopefully - we will "all live happily ever after"! :-)

Here here, Sam. Let's hope the Nuncio gets his finger out and expedites this matter before any more invective spills over and does even more damage to the people and priests of Down & Connor.

Hard as it is to believe that it is true, I must say that I agree fully with Sam's post! There has been some merit to the elements of this blog that have permitted reasonable and empirically-based comment. However, the childish, girlish and knowing comments that are currently serving as a chat room between two commentators in particular would be worrying if they were not so very representative of some of those that once inhabited the Diocesan Seminary.

Well I sure am glad that you and I have found some common ground at last Robert H.J - yah boy yee! :-) And "here, here" to Yukaton too!

Excuse my ignorance about this but what type of people used to inhabit the diocesan seminary? Agree that the debate should be more ad rem than it has become though.

I have known Bishop Donal for many years now and can think of no one more suited to replace Bishop Walsh than the very man he has groomed to be his replacement and the man who has won the hearts of every young person he has ever been in contact with, he is a humble man who has an uncanny ability to reach out to the youth of the Diocease and inspire the older Diocesean faithful, so please lets stop attacking this great man and allow the Holy Spirit to choose the next Bishop of Down and Connor. God Bless him.