Time to renew correspondence with the clergy;
this time to a lesser minion. On a previous occasion I found it necessary to
correspond with our previous Parish Priest, Fr. Padraig MacGowan as follows;
Dear Father
Padraig,
I
refer you to content of Parish Newsletter copied hereunder.
Parish Newsletter
November 17th 2013.
“In response to those who may not know how the
proceeds of the offertory collection are spent I wish to state that these funds
are used to meet the running costs of the parish e.g. insurance, general
maintenance, heating oil, altar supplies. “Parish accounts are audited annually by an accountant employed by the
diocese, and an annual parish financial statement is available to parishioners
on request”.
Could I please be supplied with copies of the
parish financial statements for the years 2009-2010-2011-2012 and 2013”.
P.J.Walsh.
This epistle was sent to Fr. Padraig in October
2014. Fr Mac Gowan replied on Dec 5th 2014 confirming that the time
frame was too close to Christmas, nonetheless agreed to my perusing the Parish
Financial Statements for the years requested after Christmas.
This was of course after being mandated by
Bishop Francis to do so in writing. The Bishop wrote to me confirming this
position before Father Padraig called the meeting of the Parish Finance
Committee which until that night did not exist.
Mr Albert Fallon was appointed Supreme Wizard of
the finance committee for the purpose of this meeting and started off by asking
why we wanted this meeting in the first place. Father Padraig stated that he
was responding to our request for a meeting and didn’t know why the meeting was
called by us. Pure lies! I was able to show to his two recently enlisted
members of the ecclesiastical elect a letter from Fr. Padraig confirming that
in fact he called the meeting on the directive of the two men who accompanied
him even though they knew nothing about it.
Poor man; not even an accomplished liar.
This is the letter to the new Parish Priest whom
I have met on a couple of occasions and seems like a regular sort of fellow
devoid of pomp or self-importance.
6 Sli Na Móna
5 January 2016.
Dear Father Murray,
In a Parish Newsletter of 17 November 2013 it
was stated;
“In response to those who may not know how the
proceeds of the offertory collection are spent I wish to state that these funds
are used to meet the running costs of the parish e.g. insurance, general
maintenance, heating oil, altar supplies. Parish accounts are audited annually by an accountant employed by the
diocese, and an annual parish financial statement is available to parishioners
on request”.
In response to this noble and genuine gesture of
decreeing the finances of the parish to be transparent and in order, I
requested from your predecessor Fr. MacGowan copies of the Parish Financial
Statements from 2009 to 2013 inclusive. Despite offering the service himself,
Father Padraig completely ignored my legitimate request. After a number of
requests had failed I was left with no alternative but to refer the matter to
Bishop Francis which I duly did.
Following the Bishop’s intervention Father
Padraig wrote to me on December 5, 2014 confirming that he would indeed make
the afore-mentioned accounts available to me for inspection at the parochial
house.
Whenever I attempted to fulfil this engagement
it was found to be ‘inconvenient’. Father MacGowan was further advised to
introduce the Parish Finance Committee to members of the SafePark committee.
This was an organisation which was set up to explore the possibilities of
securing safe long-term car and bus parking to accommodate the requirements of
Ballymahon’s 1100 schoolgoers. The meeting took place with newly recruited
members of the finance committee and was nothing short of a farce.
Following the sudden demise of the late Father Padraig,
it appears that custody of the details of parish finances was entrusted to Mr
Albert Fallon. For twelve months now, despite several verbal and written
requests, Mr Fallon has failed, refused and neglected to carry out the specific
wish of the former Parish Priest and indeed the Bishop himself.
If the accounts are as they should be what’s his
reluctance? If there is a question mark over the said accounts is it Mr
Fallon’s function to take responsibility over a function that is essentially
within the remit of Canon Law? Is he empowered to act contra the stated
position of the parish as enunciated by Fr. Padraig in the newsletter as
previously mentioned?
I am requesting once again copies of the
financial statements of the Ballymahon, Shrule Parish. I would be reluctant to
revert to Bishop Francis on this matter again, but I will do whatever is
necessary to achieve my entitlement as a local parishioner.
In conclusion, Fr. Liam, may I apologise if the
tone of this correspondence seems somewhat aggressive. I ought to have
considered that you might not be au fait with the background detail of any of
this. This is not meant as any reflection on yourself who are already held in
the highest esteem locally. If you wish to discuss the matter before any
further investigation I am always available to you.
Kindest Regards and best wishes in the New Year.
P.J.Walsh.
On the entire range of issues with the late
Parish Priest of Ballymahon the one item that no parishioner or other layman
could question was the issue of parish finances. This was understandable since
in 2006 he had sold part of the National School grounds to a local professional
for a fee undisclosed and against the wishes of the Parish Council.
What happened the proceeds has never been divulged. The net result was that the
Parish Council and the Parish Finance Committee were dissolved and stayed that
way for almost a decade.
There was also the matter of the said PP leasing
out school lands to a local farmer while the priest sat on the Board of
Management of the school. Was this ethical and legal. I checked the
Constitution of the Boards of Management of National Schools and lo and behold!
BOARDS OF MANAGEMENT OF
NATIONAL SCHOOLS
CONSTITUTION OF BOARDS
AND RULES OF PROCEDURE 2011.
4 (b) Except in special
circumstances with the approval in writing of the Minister, or in the case of
teacher members of the Board so far as their remuneration as teachers is
concerned, no member of the Board shall take or hold any beneficial interest in
any property held or used for the purposes of the school or receive any
remuneration for his/her services as a member of the Board. Father Padraig didn’t understand the law!
Lest it be construed that I had some sort of
vendetta against the late pastor I continued my quest to examine the parish
finances as this was my primary interest and not any individual. To this end I
wrote to the afore mentioned Mr Fallon as follows;
Ballymahon
Co. Longford
Mr
Albert Fallon
Shrule
Parish Finance Committee
Ballymahon.
Copy
to Mr Brendan Murtagh; Parish Finance Committee.
Dear
Mr Fallon,
It is now two months since the sad demise of
Father Padraig MacGowan former PP of Shrule Parish. I believe that this
represents a sufficient time lap of respect and now is the opportune time to
resume unfinished business.
I first wrote to Fr. Padraig on October 2nd
2014 requesting copies of the parish financial statements for the years 2009 to
2013 inclusive. Father Padraig responded in the positive on foot of a decision
by yourself and other members of the Parish Finance Committee. (Correspondence
enclosed). Since the Committee endorsed my request and same was confirmed by
Bishop Francis (correspondence enclosed) I am once again requesting copies or
sight of the Parish Accounts for the years 2009 to 2013 inclusive. You will
note that after many attempts to elicit the aforementioned accounts I again had
to correspond to Fr. Padraig on Feb 6th 2015. (Correspondence
included) To date I have not received these accounts.
As the public face of the Parish Accounts
Committee I expect yourself and Mr Brendan Murtagh to make the necessary
arrangements to provide these accounts which I am entitled to as a parishioner
of Shrule Parish.
I
look forward to your expedient response.
Kindest
Regards,
P.J.Walsh.
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