Larne Gazette - News - Larne’s Maverick Cleric set to tie the knot

News

Larne’s Maverick Cleric set to tie the knot

Wednesday, 3 February 2010

LARNE Bishop Pat Buckley has said he hopes that his own civil partnership, will help encourage other members of the gay community to 'look beyond fear and persecution'.
The Bishop, who has worked with a lot of the gay community in Northern Ireland, said: "They do live in fear I suppose of offending or upsetting the likes of Iris Robinson. I hope that this encourages other members of the clergy to overthrow authority and follow their hearts as he has done. I find it laughable that certain politicians accuse the gay community of destroying marriage when the gay community seem to be getting civil partnership more than anyone else", he said.
“However, I would like to point out that so far, I have received messages of good will and congratulations, there has been no negativity or ill-will come our way.
“People have known about this for some time because of the friendly response to the news, I think it's a sign that people are starting to grow up - we have to learn how to live with each other no matter what race, religion or sexual persuasion people are of. I hope that this is a sign that things are changing.
The Bishop, who celebrates 26 years of residence in Larne this year, has been with his Filipino partner for three years. He told the Gazette that they decided to make the commitment in April of last year. He also stressed that he would be carrying on with his Ministry.
Explaining how he met his partner, the Bishop said: "Eduardo has a sister who lives in Larne, and had been visiting Northern Ireland with his mother. He had been staying here for six months before his visa expired and he had to return home. We have been together three years, and decided to make this commitment last year, but with the amount of paper work Eduardo has had to return, these things have taken time".
Eduardo, himself a practising Roman Catholic works as a chef at sea then applied to the Border Agency for what is known as a 'fiancee visa' - an application which can take months to be processed.
Bishop Buckley told us: "The ceremony will be held in the Larne Registry Office, before we come back to the Oratory for a religious ceremony. We'll also be celebrating with friends and family over dinner and one of the events we will be hosting is the 'Una Noche De Filipians (Night of the Philipines)".
The chapel, where the bishop celebrates Mass twice a week, has also been used as a wedding venue for the past 22 years.
“We will also have family travelling to be with us,
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obviously there will be more of my family here because they are only travelling from the south of Ireland, but Eduardo will have some of his family members too".
Mr Buckley, who counsels the gay and lesbian community and holds church services and seminars for them said he fully intents to carry on with his Ministry. Since 1986 he has conducted an independent ministry from The Oratory in Larne, a house which belonged to the Catholic Diocese of Down and Connor and which the then Fr Buckley refused to leave following his suspension from the priesthood by the then bishop, Cahal Daly.
He told the Gazette that he was fully aware of the anger his decision was likely to cause the Catholic Church, but he insisted: "I like my Catholic and Christian faith, it's the institution and the ignorance of some people I am against.
“Two of God's Commandments say that we must love one another and our neighbour - I do not see anything wrong with loving another human being".
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Bishop Buckley - who confirmed his sexuality in 1999 had a word of advise for former cllr Iris Robinson, who was claimed that homsexuality was an 'abomination'.
“People in glass houses shouldn't throw stones", he said. Of course, as a Christian I have compassion for what Mrs Robinson is going through at the moment. However, she did break one of the Commandments when she committed adultery.
“What she said back then (about homosexuality) only serves the purpose to remind people that those in glass houses shouldn't throw stones", he added.