Unanswered e-mail to Bishop Terence Brain of Salford 17 February 2010

18 Dean Head,
Littleborough
OL15 9LZ

17 February 2010

Dear Bishop Brain,

Re. William Green - parish priest, until 27 December 2007, of the Holy Family Roman Catholic Church, Wigan - convicted at Manchester
Crown Court in August 2008 of 27 criminal offences against children and sentenced on 1 October 2008 to serve a term of imprisonment of
6 years. 
(See http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/s/1069987_pervert_priest_jailed for details.) 

Further to my unanswered letters to you of 1 October 2008 and 1 January 2009 regarding laicisation of Green, I recall that I was advised by Isabel de Bertodano, Home News Editor of The Tablet that she had spoken to Fr Barry O’Sullivan, the Diocesan Safeguarding Coordinator about this and other matters, on 6 January 2009.

At that time, she reported, amongst other things, that Fr O’Sullivan had told her that

“Green has been asked by the vicar general to apply for laicisation and has agreed to do so.”

I, therefore, assume that Green has since been, or is in process of being, laicised. (This is obviously what would be expected following recommendation 78 of the Nolan report (available via links at http://www.dioceseofsalford.org.uk/safeguarding/index.html or directly at http://www.bishop-accountability.org/resources/resource-files/reports/NolanReport.pdf )). However, as we enter Lent 2010, I am not aware of any public statement by you or your representative that would give confidence to parishioners and others in the Diocese of Salford that this has happened or is happening.

Meanwhile, in view of my understanding (from correspondence with Mr Michael Devlin, Chair of the Diocesan Safeguarding Commission) that Thomas Doherty, also a former parish priest in the Diocese of Salford and also sentenced to 6 years imprisonment for offences against a child (see http://caads.blogspot.com/ for transcripts of contemporary newspaper reports) has not been laicised, I would be grateful if you or your representative could please

· Confirm whether or not Green has yet been laicised

and/or,

· Advise when the process indicated by Fr O’Sullivan in January 2009 is likely to be completed.

Thank you.

Yours sincerely,

Philip Gilligan