William Green the former parish priest of Holy Family Roman Catholic Church, Wigan was arrested on 27 December 2007. In August 2008 he was convicted at Manchester Crown Court of 26 offences of indecent assault.
On 1 October 2008, he was sentenced to six years imprisonment (Case No: T20080502).
In 2008, the Manchester Evening News reported, “Father William Green 67, had pleaded guilty to 27 assaults on six - boys aged between 11 and 15 at St Bede's School in Alexandra Park while head of religious education, and a deputy prefect there, and assault on an eight year old at a different school at which he had previously taught.
Passing
sentence, Judge Clement Goldstone told Green "You systematically and
sexually abused these boys, who were vulnerable and impressionable, and they
were groomed by you for the purposes of your own sexual gratification." You
abused them in school, on school trips and on church-related activities, and
you procured the trust and respect of families of several of your victims. You
breached their trust and friendship remorsefully and repeatedly.” (see http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/news/s/1069987_pervert_priest_jailed)
Subsequently, in September 2010 “church chiefs vowed that (Green) would never minister to the public again” and a spokesperson for the Diocese of Salford said “William Green is in the process of being laicised.” A former parishioner said “It is an absolute disgrace that this man should still be part of the Roman Catholic clergy.” (see http://www.wigantoday.net/news/sex_beast_still_a_priest_1_1545444 )
Then in December 2010, a spokesperson for the Diocese said that the laicisation was on-going and was out of their hands. (see http://www.wigantoday.net/news/paedo_priest_anger_1_2866892)
However, nothing has been said since December 2010 about
Green’s laicisation. Therefore on 2 May 2012, I wrote to the Diocese of Salford
Safeguarding Commission and asked,
·
Has Green yet been dismissed from the clerical
state under Canon 290?
·
Has Green yet lost his right to be a potential
beneficiary of a potential beneficiary of a bishop’s obligations under Canon
384 “to ensure that” he is “provided with adequate means of livelihood and
social welfare, in accordance with the law”?
Yesterday (9 May 2012), I received a reply from Michael Devlin, the Chair of the Diocese of Salford Safeguarding Commission. He wrote,
“You will be aware it
is not our policy to comment on individual cases, and we shall not be
responding to your correspondence accordingly, nor will Ms Lundergan when she
is in post.
I have responded today (10 May 2012) saying,
“Dear Mr Devlin,
Thank you for you e-mail of 9 May 2012.
I note your refusal to tell me whether Father William Green, the former parish
priest of Holy Family, Wigan has been laicised, as would be expected given
recommendation 78 of the Nolan Committee's report and the fact that Father
Green was convicted in August 2008 of 26 offences of indecent assault
against children and sentenced in October 2008 to 6 years imprisonment.
In light of your refusal to tell me whether Green has been laicised, I would
ask you, as Chair of the Diocese of Salford Safeguarding Commission, to
please respond to the following queries,
1. Could you please tell me where I can access a copy of the Diocese of
Salford Safeguarding Commission's policy regarding commenting on cases
of diocesan priests who have been convicted of offences against children?
2. Could you please explain to me how your refusal to give information
about whether Father William Green has been laicised is consistent with
the previous willingness of the Diocese to tell the press, in September 2010,
that "William Green is in the process of being laicised"
(see http://www.wigantoday.net/news/local-news/sex-beast-still-a-priest-1-1545444 )
and, in December 2010, to tell them that "the laicisation was on-going and
was out of their hands. Green was asked by the Diocese of Salford in January
2009 to apply for laicisation, which he did. The application went to the Bishop,
who then sent it to Rome to be considered by the Congregation for the Defence
of the Faith (CDF)" (http://www.wigantoday.net/news/paedo_priest_anger_1_2866892 ).
3. Could you please, also, explain to me how your refusal to give information
about whether Father William Green has been laicised is consistent with your
willingness during the meeting which you had with Mike Harding and Paul
Malpas on 10 September 2010 (see http://www.mediafire.com/?se3udyzz3jql7gr
for an audio recording) to volunteer several pieces of detailed information
about Green's case apparently entirely at your own volition?
4. Could you please tell me when Ms Lundergan is taking up her role as
the new safeguarding coordinator?
I look forward to your reply.
Yours sincerely,
Philip Gilligan”
