PRESS RELEASE
THE REFORMED CATHOLIC CHURCH
FOR IMMEDIATE USE.
21ST NOVEMBER 2010.
I issue this press release in this form as a reply to a Sean Keohane AKA Joseph Ryan who has written to a variety of people and organisations with insinuations and questions about this church.
The release is going to Mr. Joe Little, Religious Affairs Correspondent of RTE, Mr. John Cooney who fulfils the same role for the Irish Independent and Mr. Patsy McGarry who has the same role for the Irish Times and has written in other newspapers. A copy will also be sent to The Irish Catholic. A copy has been sent also to the News Agency - Irish Press Releases.
WORLD AIDS DAY MASS.
The Mass – our Third Annual Mass for World AIDS Day will not now be celebrated at the Unitarian Church, but at a private venue. The mass has been an opportunity for all those whose lives have been affected by AIDS to come together on World AIDS Day and remember those in their lives who have died with AIDS, those they love who still live with AIDS, and those they care for in various ways. I have moved the Mass simply because it has always had a semi-private nature and I do not wish to expose people attending to the gaze of journalists at such a time in their thoughts and lives. Nor do I wish to expose the Community at the Unitarian Church who have been so kind in hosting us. Lastly, but by no means least, I also don't wish to celebrate a Mass in such a way as might bring disrespect to the Eucharist were it to be disturbed.
WHAT DOES YOUR ORGANISATION KNOW OF SEAN KEOHANE?
I've certainly never heard of him. He doesn't identify where he is studying or what media he is working for. That is why I have sent this release to the reputable and well known journalists listed above for their immediate use.
WHAT DOES YOUR ORGANISATION KNOW OF NIALL SHERIDAN?
Probably not a lot. I was ordained in the Roman Catholic Church originally in 1992, ordained priest of this church in the USA in 2007 and asked to become it's bishop in Europe in 2008. I am married to Colette and I have two adult children, both of whom love me and I them! You may take it as read that I take the utmost exception to the allegations made against me which are totally and completely untrue. I have never been arrested for anything let alone prosecuted or tried for anything in any jurisdiction in the world. To this day, as when my son and daughter were children, like Archbishop Diarmuid Martin has said, I would kill anyone who would harm them and take the consequences.
ARE YOU/YOUR ORGANISATION AWARE OF NIALL SHERIDAN'S INVOLVEMENT IN ATTEMPTING TO MOVE A CONVICTED PAEDOPHILE [SEAN MICHAEL LYONS] FROM USA TO IRELAND LAST YEAR BEFORE IT BECAME COMMON KNOWLEDGE?
Well, neither am I! When this allegation surfaced last year, I reported the allegation to An Garda Siochana and asked them to investigate. They responded to me later and told me that the allegation was without substance, which I already knew. I detest paedophilia and those who practise it. I'm a parent and a Christian and I am deeply offended by the act and it's perpetrators!
IS [I PRESUME HE MEANS ARE – BAD GRAMMER FOR A JOURNALIST? - ] YOU / YOUR ORGANISATION AWARE THAT NIALL SHERIDAN [IS A ] MEMBER OF A CHURCH WHICH HAD AS IT'S HEAD SOMEONE WHO IS A CONVICTED FRAUDSTER NAMELY GEORGE PHILLIP ZIMMERMAN AND ALSO ANOTHER EMBEZZLER, NAMELY BARNEY CANADA?
I first became aware of this information late last year. Phillip Zimmerman is no longer the Head of The Reformed Catholic Church. That role is fulfilled by Archbishop William Quinlan in the USA. Phillip is in Communion with us as is anyone who follows Christ and wishes to take communion with us. I became aware of Barney Canada, a laicised former priest last year. He apparently was embezzling in a PONZI scheme in the USA. I am a member of a church founded by someone who committed treason and who received a death sentence at the hands of local religious leaders – one Jesus Christ! Many people are members of a church headed by a former member of Hitler Youth – Pope Benedict. Roman Catholics in Ireland belong to a church where the head - Cardinal Sean Brady - has admitted facilitating the continuing abuse of children by the worst paedophile in the history of the state through doing nothing and swearing the attacked children to silence. If anyone knows of a Church that has no sinners in it would they please let me know? No one condones the sins!
WHAT [DO? I ASSUME!] YOU/YOUR ORGANISATION KNOW ABOUT THE REFORMED CATHOLIC CHURCH?
I don't know your answer to this one, but I included the url to our website with the original mailing for anyone wishing to know more about us. It is www.reformedcatholicchurch.org.
CONSIDERING ALL THIS INFORMATION, CAN YOU CLARIFY FOR ME WHAT THE POSITION IS OF YOUR ORGANISATION IN RELATION TO
First this makes the assumption that the 'information' is true – after all it's on the web, it must be true?!
a) permitting someone who attempted to transfer a convicted pedophile contrary to law from one jurisdiction to another?
I simply re-iterate the checkable fact for any reputable journalist, the Gardai investigated and found no substance to the allegations, as it is simply untrue!
b) attending a service presided over by same said person as a member of a church which offers oversight to convicted pedophiles and convicted embezzlers?
Have I missed something here? Pope Benedict and Cardinal Brady don't seem to have any problems in drawing in the crowds to Masses!
c) child protection and welfare considering the information provided?
In Europe now in this church, it is required for anyone to be ordained or incardinated [formally accepted if clergy already] that they produce an original police certificate from their national police force showing if they have any convictions. They are told that this will be verified through their respective Embassies. There is an annual requirement for a fresh certificate to be produced and checked. This supervisor of this process is a social worker – a lady - who is a member of the church. The simple policy if an allegation is made against anyone in the church is that the relevant national police force will be informed immediately upon receipt of the allegation and the person making the allegation fully supported in making such a prosecution. Following the involvement of the police and in liaison with them to ensure we don't damage the chances of them prosecuting their investigation, we will then suspend the individual if a clergy member. If found culpable in a court of law, they will be laicised.
O.K. BUT SURELY THERE MUST BE SOME SKELETONS IN THE CUPBOARD?
I don't know about skeletons, but we discovered in the church internationally, following checks and receipt of information, and not, thank God, as a result of an attack on a child, that we had two paedophiles in total to date in our clergy ranks in 11 years. These were clergy who had joined us from other churches, and in fact, one was Irish. Both of them were laicised and expelled from the church. So our checks must, contrary to what someone on the web would have us believe, be pretty reasonable in order to ferret them out from the cover of respectability they sought within our clergy ranks.
WHAT ABOUT RCC IRELAND THEN – WHY THESE ATTACKS?
Well, I suppose if we have any problem in Ireland, that might be Joseph Ryan. You can find information about him at http://irelandsreformedcatholicchurch.blogspot.com/ He, in fact, set up the first two Masses on World AIDS Day for the church. We, the church, and I, naturally I suppose, have come in for flak on his blogspot, Clerical Whispers, as has Bishop Willie Walshe, who ceased Joe's studying for the Roman Catholic Priesthood in Killaloe, also the Order of Marian Apostles who, it is my understanding, dispensed with his membership, Fr. Hal Somerville OMA, Fr. Larry White of the Dublin RC Diocese. I understand also in the past the attacks may have included Archbishop Michael Cox, Archbishop Michael Desmond Hynes, Archbishop Martin Pius Kelly and Bishop Pat Buckley, to name but a few. I feel therefore in good company at least! I would not normally make such open comments about an individual, but I had two Facebook pages he ran using our church's name, being used to denigrate us, closed down by Facebook this week, in addition to attacks since the beginning of the month on Clerical Whispers as well as false untraceable emails concerning the church. Joe clearly has some enemies in cyberspace also, with a blog 'The Truth about Clerical Whispers' which is about 95% truth and 5% mental reservation. He is highly computer literate and that's why I wonder if he is the author of so much vile information on the web attacking the church? After all, I know because he told me, he certainly is the author of such information on Clerical Whispers.
For Further Information Please contact me;
Niall Sheridan
Presiding Archbishop for Europe
The Reformed Catholic Church.
www.reformedcatholicchurch.org
THE REFORMED CATHOLIC CHURCH
FOR IMMEDIATE USE.
21ST NOVEMBER 2010.
I issue this press release in this form as a reply to a Sean Keohane AKA Joseph Ryan who has written to a variety of people and organisations with insinuations and questions about this church.
The release is going to Mr. Joe Little, Religious Affairs Correspondent of RTE, Mr. John Cooney who fulfils the same role for the Irish Independent and Mr. Patsy McGarry who has the same role for the Irish Times and has written in other newspapers. A copy will also be sent to The Irish Catholic. A copy has been sent also to the News Agency - Irish Press Releases.
WORLD AIDS DAY MASS.
The Mass – our Third Annual Mass for World AIDS Day will not now be celebrated at the Unitarian Church, but at a private venue. The mass has been an opportunity for all those whose lives have been affected by AIDS to come together on World AIDS Day and remember those in their lives who have died with AIDS, those they love who still live with AIDS, and those they care for in various ways. I have moved the Mass simply because it has always had a semi-private nature and I do not wish to expose people attending to the gaze of journalists at such a time in their thoughts and lives. Nor do I wish to expose the Community at the Unitarian Church who have been so kind in hosting us. Lastly, but by no means least, I also don't wish to celebrate a Mass in such a way as might bring disrespect to the Eucharist were it to be disturbed.
WHAT DOES YOUR ORGANISATION KNOW OF SEAN KEOHANE?
I've certainly never heard of him. He doesn't identify where he is studying or what media he is working for. That is why I have sent this release to the reputable and well known journalists listed above for their immediate use.
WHAT DOES YOUR ORGANISATION KNOW OF NIALL SHERIDAN?
Probably not a lot. I was ordained in the Roman Catholic Church originally in 1992, ordained priest of this church in the USA in 2007 and asked to become it's bishop in Europe in 2008. I am married to Colette and I have two adult children, both of whom love me and I them! You may take it as read that I take the utmost exception to the allegations made against me which are totally and completely untrue. I have never been arrested for anything let alone prosecuted or tried for anything in any jurisdiction in the world. To this day, as when my son and daughter were children, like Archbishop Diarmuid Martin has said, I would kill anyone who would harm them and take the consequences.
ARE YOU/YOUR ORGANISATION AWARE OF NIALL SHERIDAN'S INVOLVEMENT IN ATTEMPTING TO MOVE A CONVICTED PAEDOPHILE [SEAN MICHAEL LYONS] FROM USA TO IRELAND LAST YEAR BEFORE IT BECAME COMMON KNOWLEDGE?
Well, neither am I! When this allegation surfaced last year, I reported the allegation to An Garda Siochana and asked them to investigate. They responded to me later and told me that the allegation was without substance, which I already knew. I detest paedophilia and those who practise it. I'm a parent and a Christian and I am deeply offended by the act and it's perpetrators!
IS [I PRESUME HE MEANS ARE – BAD GRAMMER FOR A JOURNALIST? - ] YOU / YOUR ORGANISATION AWARE THAT NIALL SHERIDAN [IS A ] MEMBER OF A CHURCH WHICH HAD AS IT'S HEAD SOMEONE WHO IS A CONVICTED FRAUDSTER NAMELY GEORGE PHILLIP ZIMMERMAN AND ALSO ANOTHER EMBEZZLER, NAMELY BARNEY CANADA?
I first became aware of this information late last year. Phillip Zimmerman is no longer the Head of The Reformed Catholic Church. That role is fulfilled by Archbishop William Quinlan in the USA. Phillip is in Communion with us as is anyone who follows Christ and wishes to take communion with us. I became aware of Barney Canada, a laicised former priest last year. He apparently was embezzling in a PONZI scheme in the USA. I am a member of a church founded by someone who committed treason and who received a death sentence at the hands of local religious leaders – one Jesus Christ! Many people are members of a church headed by a former member of Hitler Youth – Pope Benedict. Roman Catholics in Ireland belong to a church where the head - Cardinal Sean Brady - has admitted facilitating the continuing abuse of children by the worst paedophile in the history of the state through doing nothing and swearing the attacked children to silence. If anyone knows of a Church that has no sinners in it would they please let me know? No one condones the sins!
WHAT [DO? I ASSUME!] YOU/YOUR ORGANISATION KNOW ABOUT THE REFORMED CATHOLIC CHURCH?
I don't know your answer to this one, but I included the url to our website with the original mailing for anyone wishing to know more about us. It is www.reformedcatholicchurch.org.
CONSIDERING ALL THIS INFORMATION, CAN YOU CLARIFY FOR ME WHAT THE POSITION IS OF YOUR ORGANISATION IN RELATION TO
First this makes the assumption that the 'information' is true – after all it's on the web, it must be true?!
a) permitting someone who attempted to transfer a convicted pedophile contrary to law from one jurisdiction to another?
I simply re-iterate the checkable fact for any reputable journalist, the Gardai investigated and found no substance to the allegations, as it is simply untrue!
b) attending a service presided over by same said person as a member of a church which offers oversight to convicted pedophiles and convicted embezzlers?
Have I missed something here? Pope Benedict and Cardinal Brady don't seem to have any problems in drawing in the crowds to Masses!
c) child protection and welfare considering the information provided?
In Europe now in this church, it is required for anyone to be ordained or incardinated [formally accepted if clergy already] that they produce an original police certificate from their national police force showing if they have any convictions. They are told that this will be verified through their respective Embassies. There is an annual requirement for a fresh certificate to be produced and checked. This supervisor of this process is a social worker – a lady - who is a member of the church. The simple policy if an allegation is made against anyone in the church is that the relevant national police force will be informed immediately upon receipt of the allegation and the person making the allegation fully supported in making such a prosecution. Following the involvement of the police and in liaison with them to ensure we don't damage the chances of them prosecuting their investigation, we will then suspend the individual if a clergy member. If found culpable in a court of law, they will be laicised.
O.K. BUT SURELY THERE MUST BE SOME SKELETONS IN THE CUPBOARD?
I don't know about skeletons, but we discovered in the church internationally, following checks and receipt of information, and not, thank God, as a result of an attack on a child, that we had two paedophiles in total to date in our clergy ranks in 11 years. These were clergy who had joined us from other churches, and in fact, one was Irish. Both of them were laicised and expelled from the church. So our checks must, contrary to what someone on the web would have us believe, be pretty reasonable in order to ferret them out from the cover of respectability they sought within our clergy ranks.
WHAT ABOUT RCC IRELAND THEN – WHY THESE ATTACKS?
Well, I suppose if we have any problem in Ireland, that might be Joseph Ryan. You can find information about him at http://irelandsreformedcatholicchurch.blogspot.com/ He, in fact, set up the first two Masses on World AIDS Day for the church. We, the church, and I, naturally I suppose, have come in for flak on his blogspot, Clerical Whispers, as has Bishop Willie Walshe, who ceased Joe's studying for the Roman Catholic Priesthood in Killaloe, also the Order of Marian Apostles who, it is my understanding, dispensed with his membership, Fr. Hal Somerville OMA, Fr. Larry White of the Dublin RC Diocese. I understand also in the past the attacks may have included Archbishop Michael Cox, Archbishop Michael Desmond Hynes, Archbishop Martin Pius Kelly and Bishop Pat Buckley, to name but a few. I feel therefore in good company at least! I would not normally make such open comments about an individual, but I had two Facebook pages he ran using our church's name, being used to denigrate us, closed down by Facebook this week, in addition to attacks since the beginning of the month on Clerical Whispers as well as false untraceable emails concerning the church. Joe clearly has some enemies in cyberspace also, with a blog 'The Truth about Clerical Whispers' which is about 95% truth and 5% mental reservation. He is highly computer literate and that's why I wonder if he is the author of so much vile information on the web attacking the church? After all, I know because he told me, he certainly is the author of such information on Clerical Whispers.
For Further Information Please contact me;
Niall Sheridan
Presiding Archbishop for Europe
The Reformed Catholic Church.
www.reformedcatholicchurch.org
Our Dear Bloggies,
