E-mail sent to Bishop Brain - 25 April 2010

18 Dean Head
Littleborough
OL15 9LZ

25 April 2010

Dear Bishop Brain,

Salford Diocesan priests convicted of criminal offences against children and sentenced to serve term of imprisonment of 12 months or more.

I refer to

1) the Statement by the Catholic Bishops of England and Wales (22 April 2010) distributed at Mass, in my parish, this morning (25 April 2010)

and

2) my several letters to you, since 1 October 2008, regarding both Thomas Doherty, former parish priest of St Joseph's, Todmorden, sentenced to 6 years imprisonment in 1998 for five offences of indecency against a boy under 16 and William Green, former parish priest of the Holy Family Roman Catholic Church, Wigan, sentenced to 6 years imprisonment in 2008 for twenty-seven criminal offences against children (copies of these unanswered letters are available at http://caads.blogspot.com/ ).

I note that the Statement by the Catholic Bishops of England and Wales (22 April 2010) recognises "the failings of some bishops and religious leaders in handling these matters" and asserts that "The procedures now in place in our countries highlight what should have been done straightaway in the past" (I assume that this is a reference to the procedures which followed the commitment by the Catholic Bishops of England and Wales, in 2001, to implement the recommendations of Lord Nolan's report, A programme for action. Final report of the independent review on child protection in the Catholic Church in England and Wales). I also note that the statement asserts that the Bishops "are determined to maintain openness and transparency".

In light of this, I trust that you will now be willing to answer the questions which I have been asking you, for more than 12 months;

• Will you be initiating the process of laicisation in the case of Father Green?
• What is Father Doherty’s current Canonical status?
• Whether and how the policies which you have publicly announced that you will follow in relation to the protection and
  safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults have been and are, in fact, being followed in the Diocese of Salford?
• Whether you have acted on your commitment, made in November 2001, to fully implement the recommendations of Lord
  Nolan’s 2001 report, A programme for action. Final report of the independent review on child protection in the Catholic Church
  in England and Wales?
• Whether you have acted and/or will act in accordance with Recommendation 78 of A programme for action, in relation to
  Father Thomas Doherty and Father William Green?
• Whether any of the financial contributions which I have made to the Diocese of Salford have been and / or are being used
  directly or indirectly to support Father Thomas Doherty?

Yours sincerely,

Philip Gilligan