Former Donegal parish priest to go on trial on 116 sex offence charges

A priest has been returned for trial to Derry Crown Court on charges relating to 116 alleged sex offences.

Edward Gallagher (59), whose address was given as c/o Maghaberry Prison, appeared at a Preliminary Enquiry at Derry Magistrate's Court on Thursday morning.

Gallagher, who was parish priest in Moville from 2022 until 2024, faces a total of 116 charges and the charges are alleged to have occurred on dates between June 22, 2023 and April 18, 2025.

The charges include, among others, sexual communication with children and attempted sexual communication with children.

He is further charged with possessing indecent images of children and also with inciting children under 16 to engage in sexual activity.

Speaking during the hearing at Derry Magistrate’s Court on Thursday, Defence solicitor Derwin Harvey told the court he had gone through the charges with Gallagher.

The solicitor told the court that there was no need for all 116 to be read out in court.

It was accepted during the hearing that there was a case to answer, and there were no contrary submissions.

Gallagher said he did not want to call any witnesses and did not wish to make any statement at this stage.

He was returned for trial to Derry Crown Court on a date to be fixed, and remains in custody.

Edward Gallagher was ordained in St. Brigid's Church in Carnhill on June 12, 1994.

He officiated as a priest at the Holy Family in Ballymagroarty, Cappagh, Tyrone, (2004), Limavady (2004-2013) and St Columba’s Long Tower (2013-2015). He had previously spent five years in Belize and was Parish Priest at Greencastle, Tyrone (2015-2022), Moville (2022-2024), before moving to to be curate of Camus and Clonleigh and Leckpatrick in the Strabane-Lifford district.

Irish Government urged to buy former Bessborough mother and baby home lands

Sinn Féin party leader Mary Lou McDonald has urged the Taoiseach Micheál Martin to provide the resources needed to buy the Bessborough site.

Earlier this year Estuary View Enterprises was granted planning permission by Cork City Council to build 140 apartments on the grounds of Bessborough.

Bessborough Mother and Baby Home Support Group and Labour Party councillor Peter Horgan subsequently lodged appeals to An Coimisiún Pleanála.

On July 9 the commission upheld permission for the building of 106 apartments on the site.

This caused dismay among survivors of the home who are vehemently opposed to the development.

The Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes estimated that 923 babies died at the home between the 1920s and 1990s.

“They want the government to purchase the site, ensure a proper investigation of the land, and preserve Bessborough as a place of national conscience,” she added.

The president of Sinn Féin said the burial place of more than eight hundred children who died at Bessborough remains unknown. “The land holds the truth. It is sacred soil - the final resting place of many infants. The Taoiseach must do the right thing. Take the lead, take control, and ensure that the State gets the purchase of the site done urgently.”

Foley wants all options explored over future of Bessborough site

Minister for Children Norma Foley has said she wants to see all options explored in relation to the future of the Bessborough site in Cork.

Earlier this month, An Coimisiún Pleanála upheld planning permission for the development of 106 apartments at the former mother-and-baby home site.

Plans to develop the site have faced years of opposition from campaigners and survivors.

The Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes estimated that 900 babies died at the site.

Speaking on Today With Philip Boucher-Hayes, Minister Foley said she could not intervene in a planning situation that is entirely independent of the Government.

However, she said Taoiseach Micheál Martin had taken a "pro-active step" by asking for the local authority to "engage with the developer and that all options should be explored".

"I'd like to see what all those options might be going forward, I think we need to come to an accommodation that will satisfy and put to rest I think the fears and the hurt of those who lived in Bessborough, those who experienced Bessborough, their families," she said.

She added: "The planning process had to be allowed to continue independently without any Government intervention, that has happened and it is now concluded.

"And now because it is concluded, the Taoiseach himself has personally intervened and the Taoiseach has said there should now be engagement between the local authority and the developer and let's explore all options."

Names to be published as part of Christian Brothers abuse case, orders High Court

The High Court has granted permission for the publication in a national newspaper of the names of more than 300 former Christian Brothers who are now co-defendants accused of a breach of duty in a civil abuse claim.

The court heard that none of those to be named are accused of abuse, but their names are to be published in the hope that they will come forward.

The Civil case was before Ms Justice Mary Rose Gearty on Wednesday, brought by a plaintiff who was abused by Christian Brother Liam Coughlan (90) while the victim attended school in Co Kilkenny in the 1970s.

In 2023, Coughlan, of Pine Grove, Tramore, Co Waterford, received two jail terms, of three years and two months and four-and-a-half years, for 49 counts of indecent assault.

The High Court has previously criticised the now-head of the Christian Brothers, David Gibson, for an “obstructive” approach towards civil lawsuits alleging abuse.

As an unincorporated association, the Christian Brothers cannot be sued if it does not provide a 'nominee'. 

Brother Gibson has refused to act as a nominee for the congregation, leaving litigants needing to bring legal action against individual members or former members of the order.

The case has been taken by the male survivor of abuse, who cannot be named, against Coughlan as the first named defendant and against Brother Gibson, who is the second named defendant.

Ms Justice Gearty on Wednesday granted permission for the plaintiff's lawyers to publish in the Irish Independent the names of 341 individuals, who are now co-defendants in the case but who are not accused of any assaults. 

The motion was brought on behalf of the plaintiff by Andrew Nugent BL, instructed by Philip Treacy, of Coleman Legal.

The 341 former brothers are accused of a breach of duty towards the plaintiff during their time at the congregation.

The court has been told that Brother Gibson had provided names and contact information for current brothers, but no addresses were available for those who had left the order. He did provide their names.

Having granted permission for the publication, Ms Justice Gearty adjourned the matter to November.

Bishop of Limerick pays tribute to retiring priests who ‘touched countless lives’

 

BISHOP of Limerick Brendan Leahy paid tribute to a number of beloved local parish priests who are retiring after many decades of tending to their flocks.

He also expressed gratitude to those taking up new pastoral appointments in parishes across the county, many of whom will take up their new posts on September 5.

Announcing a number of clergy changes across the Diocese, Bishop Leahy said that, ”aside from retirements, changes are necessary to renew the Church’s mission”, “reminding us that our faith is ultimately rooted not in any individual priest, but in Christ himself”.

Bishop Leahy paid tribute, in particular, to retiring priests Canon John O’Shea, of the Mungret/Raheen/Crecora, Patrickswell/Ballybrown, and St Paul’s, Kildimo-Pallaskenry and Kilcornan parishes; Fr John Keating, of Dromcollogher/Broadford, Kileedy/Ashford and Feenagh/Kilmeedy; and Fr Michael Hanley, of Bruff/Meanus/Grange, Banogue, Dromin/Athlacca, Croom, Fedamore, and Manister.

He expresssed his “heartfelt gratitude” for their “generous and fruitful priestly ministry over many years”.

“They have touched countless lives through their pastoral care, their celebration of the sacraments, their companionship with people in moments of joy and sorrow, and their faithful witness to the Gospel.

“I thank them sincerely and wish them every blessing in retirement and I am grateful they will still be able to assist pastorally.”

Bishop Leahy also thanked the priests who will be taking up new appointments “who are moving parish for their generous ministry in the communities where they have been serving. Their willingness to embrace new appointments reflects the spirit of service that lies at the heart of priestly life.”

Reflecting on the nature of priestly life, Bishop Leahy referred to a recent letter from Pope Leo in which the Holy Father wrote: “A fidelity that generates the future is what priests are called to today.”

Bishop Leahy acknowledged that changes of clergy can be emotional occasions for parish communities, saying that “people are often very sad to bid farewell to a priest they have come to know and love. That sadness is itself a powerful sign of the bond that develops between priests and the people they serve. Those relationships are among the great blessings of parish life.”

He said the Diocese also continues to be greatly enriched by the contribution of international priests, who now comprise approximately 30 per cent of priests under the age of 75 serving in the Diocese of Limerick.

“Our international priests make an invaluable contribution to the life of the Diocese. They bring new vitality, different gifts, and experiences, and remind us that the Church is truly universal. Their presence enriches our parishes and broadens our appreciation of the worldwide family of the Church. We are deeply grateful for their ministry,” he said.

Bishop Leahy added that the latest appointments reflect the Diocese’s continuing commitment to ensuring pastoral care for communities across Limerick while responding to changing pastoral needs.

“The willingness of priests to move where they are needed enables us to continue serving our parish communities and proclaiming the Gospel throughout the Diocese. I ask parishioners to keep all our priests, particularly those beginning new ministries and those entering retirement, in their prayers.”

Pope Leo appoints Bishop Ger Nash as Bishop of Ossory

Pope Leo XIV has appointed Bishop Ger Nash as Bishop of Ossory while he continues to serve as Bishop of Ferns, bringing the two dioceses together under the pastoral leadership of one bishop in a move known as persona episcopi.

The appointment follows Bishop Nash’s six-month period as Apostolic Administrator of Ossory after Bishop Niall Coll was appointed Bishop of Raphoe last November.  The arrangement allows both dioceses to maintain their own identity while sharing the ministry and leadership of the same bishop.

Welcoming the announcement, Bishop Nash said he was “deeply honoured to have been asked by Pope Leo to become Bishop of Ossory in addition to my existing pastoral role in the Diocese of Ferns.”

He described the appointment as “simply the continuation of a journey”, saying discussions that began during his time as Apostolic Administrator had explored “the possibilities for what brings most hope for the future of the Church, in both Dioceses.”

Bishop Nash said the united leadership of Ossory and Ferns provides “an opportunity for us to do great things together” as both dioceses work “to create a community where our relationship with God will deepen and provide fertile soil for the preaching of the Gospel.”

Acknowledging the challenges involved in leading two dioceses, he said the arrangement reflects “the experience of many priests in modern Ireland as they take on responsibility for more than one parish.”  He added that “the ultimate test for all change within the Church is whether it builds up the Kingdom of God.”

The bishop also highlighted the increasing role of lay people in the life of the Church, saying the current period of change provides “the opportunity…for real roles of responsibility and authority to be offered to lay people to build up the local Christian Community.”  He said collaboration between the dioceses could also support vocations, noting that “some very good prospects for the Diocesan priesthood are emerging” and that “there are certainly green shoots visible.”

Archbishop Dermot Farrell, who served as Bishop of Ossory from 2018 to 2021, welcomed the appointment and said it comes at a time of significant change for Irish society and the Church.

He said the Church must find new ways to bring the Gospel to people today, describing the challenge as learning again “how to put flesh on the closeness and consolation of God among our friends and neighbours, and with our own children and grandchildren.”

Archbishop Farrell said Pope Leo XIV’s decision to appoint Bishop Nash would allow both dioceses to respond to these challenges while preserving their individual identities.

Bishop Niall Coll also congratulated Bishop Nash, saying his time as Apostolic Administrator had given him “a deep appreciation of the diocese, its people and its pastoral needs.”

He said Bishop Nash brings “a wealth of wisdom and pastoral experience” and praised his commitment to renewal, participation and vibrant parish communities.

Bishop Coll prayed that Bishop Nash’s ministry would help build “a Church founded on God’s love, a sign of unity, a missionary Church that opens its arms to the world.”

Clergy Appointments 2026 - Armagh

CLERGY APPOINTMENTS FOR THE ARCHDIOCESE OF ARMAGH

EFFECTIVE 5 SEPTEMBER 2026

Archbishop Eamon Martin announces the following clergy appointments for the Archdiocese of Armagh, effective 5 September 2026.

Archbishop Eamon thanks the priests and deacons of the Archdiocese for their continued ministry and service, and wishes well those who are taking up these new appointments.  

He also thanks the people of the Archdiocese of Armagh for their ongoing prayers and support of their clergy.  He encourages them to welcome their new priests in the coming weeks.

V Rev Canon Peter Murphy, PP, Ardee & Collon, to be PE, AP, Ardee & Collon.

V Rev Paul Byrne, PP, Termonfechin, to be PP, St Patrick’s, Dundalk, and Administrator, Holy Family, Dundalk, and Holy Redeemer, Dundalk.

V Rev John McKeever, having successfully completed doctoral studies in Rome, to be Executive Secretary of the Irish Episcopal Conference and Priest in Residence in Crossmaglen (Upper Creggan).

V Rev Mark O’Hagan, PP, St Patrick’s, Dundalk, and Administrator, Holy Family, Dundalk and Holy Redeemer, Dundalk, to be PP, Ardee & Collon.

Rev Akan Ekpe, MSP, CC, Togher and Monasterboice, on loan from the Missionary Society of St Paul, Nigeria, to be PP, Termonfechin.

Rev Gabriel Neal, newly-ordained, to be CC, St Patrick’s Cathedral Parish, Armagh.

Rev Jacek Tuszkiewicz, newly-ordained, to be CC, Cloghogue (Upper Killeavy).

Rev Paul O’Reilly, newly-ordained, to be Assistant Priest in the Redemptoris Mater Seminary and Chaplain to the Neocatechumenal Way community in the Archdiocese of Armagh.

In addition Archbishop Eamon notes appointments made earlier this year:

Rev Alexander William, on loan from the Diocese of Maiduguri, Nigeria, to be CC, St Patrick’s Cathedral Parish, Armagh (effective from 13 February 2026).

Rev Rijin Puthukkattil Elias, on loan from the Diocese of Bathery, India, to be CC, Magherafelt and Newbridge (effective from 24 March 2026).

Statement by Bishop Niall Coll on the appointment of Bishop Nash as Bishop of Ossory

I warmly congratulate Bishop Ger Nash on his appointment as Bishop of Ossory while continuing his ministry as Bishop of Ferns.

During the past six months, following my transfer to Raphoe, Bishop Ger has served with dedication as Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Ossory. In that time, he has gained a deep appreciation of the diocese, its people and its pastoral needs. This experience will serve him well as he now assumes the office of diocesan bishop.

Bishop Ger brings a wealth of wisdom and pastoral experience, shaped by many years of faithful priestly ministry in his native Diocese of Killaloe and, since his appointment as Bishop of Ferns in 2021, by his episcopal leadership there.  

His deep commitment to the Church’s synodal journey of renewal, his encouragement of the faithful to embrace more fully the dignity and mission of their baptism and his vision of vibrant parishes and pastoral areas where all can participate in the Church’s mission will be a great blessing to the people, Religious and clergy of Ossory.

As Bishop Ger begins this new chapter of his episcopal ministry, I pray that the Holy Spirit, who continually guides, strengthens and renews the Church, will inspire him with wisdom and courage, sustain him in joyful service of the Gospel and abundantly bless his ministry among the people entrusted to his pastoral care. 

In the words of Pope Leo XIV, may his ministry help to build “a Church founded on God’s love, a sign of unity, a missionary Church that opens its arms to the world.”  

May the people of Ossory, under his pastoral leadership, continue to grow together in faith, hope and love as missionary disciples of Christ.

Statement by Archbishop Dermot Farrell on the appointment of Bishop Ger Nash as Bishop of Ossory

I warmly welcome the announcement today of Pope Leo’s decision to appoint Bishop Ger Nash as Bishop of Ossory, in addition to his current responsibilities as Bishop of Ferns.

Following the appointment of Bishop Niall Coll to the Diocese of Raphoe last November, the Bishop of Ferns, was entrusted with the pastoral care of the Diocese of Ossory.

Like many countries, not only in Europe, but throughout the world, Ireland has been changing in many ways, and rapidly, and at depth. All change brings challenge in its wake: the challenge of wealth and of new technologies, of new relations with states, and the arrival of people from across the globe who see their future in this land, and many of whom want to make Ireland their home.

Change is also to be seen and felt in our Church, not just at the level of religious practice, but, more profoundly, in the level of engagement with the life of faith, especially in how our faith and our hope are lived out in our day-to-day lives. It is there, at the level of the heart, in how we pray, in how we seek God’s will and entrust ourselves to God’s mercy that a distancing from what God is doing in Christ (see Eph 2:14–16, Rom 5:1) is most keenly perceived.

In such a context, Christ’s call to his earliest disciples—to fish for people (see Matt 4:19; Mark 1:17 and Luke 5:10) needs to be answered in ways that will permit Christ’s good news reach the ears and the hearts of the people around us, our neighbours and friends. An Irish Church that was accustomed to seeing mission as directed to peoples far away must learn anew how to put flesh on the closeness and consolation of God among our friends and neighbours, and with our own children and grandchildren.  It is a steep learning curve!

In consultation with the Apostolic Nuncio, who had met members of faithful and of the clergy and the Vatican’s Dicastery for Bishops, the Holy Father has determined that appointing Bishop Nash as Bishop of Ossory, and uniting the dioceses of Ossory and Ferns in the person and ministry of the new Bishop, is a good way for both dioceses to embrace the challenge of bringing the Good News of Christ to new generations of Irish people.

This development allows both dioceses to preserve their individual identities while having the same Bishop.  It also allows for consultative bodies, such as the Ossory Council of Priests, to be established and vacant offices – such as that of Vicar General – to be filled.

In 2018 I was appointed Bishop of Ossory by Pope Francis and ministered there for three years.  My years in Ossory were a time of joy and a great blessing in my life. I congratulate Bishop Ger on his appointment today, and I pray that God will bless all his endeavours as he attends to the leadership and pastoral care of the priests and faithful in the Diocese of Ossory.

May Saint Kieran, Saint Canice and Saint Aidan bless Bishop Nash in his ministry.

Statement by Bishop Fintan Monahan on the appointment of Bishop Ger Nash as Bishop of Ossory

On behalf of the people of the Diocese of Killaloe, I extend warm congratulations to Bishop Ger Nash on his appointment as Bishop of Ossory as complementing his work as Bishop of Ferns.  

Bishop Ger has a wonderful capacity for getting to know people and has a great understanding the importance of friendship. He is a man of great faith, prayerfulness and spirituality. He brings great pastoral zeal and sensitivity along with a grounded business sense and synodal approach to his important role.  

Bishop Ger also has a great love and appreciation of the sporting tradition of the area no doubt this will be a great link for him in getting to know so many in the diocese.  

On this feast of Saints Martha, Mary and Lazarus, may their prayers along with those of Saints Canice, Aidan, Flannan and Senan, be with Bishop Ger in his new and challenging dual role.

Enoch Burke wins High Court permission to challenge failed employment appeal

ENOCH BURKE HAS been granted permission by the High Court to challenge a decision refusing to reinstate his employment at Wilson’s Hospital School. 

Mr Burke is alleging bias and breach of fair procedure in the challenge.

At the High Court today, Mr Burke was granted permission to bring judicial review proceedings against three members of the Disciplinary Appeal Panel (DAP), the Minister for Education and the Board of Management of Wilson’s Hospital School.

The three respondent members of the DAP are listed as chair Claire Callanan, John Irwin and Seamus Lahart.

The Co Westmeath school suspended – and later dismissed – Mr Burke over his conduct towards the then-principal Niamh McShane at a school religious event in June 2022.

The school alleged that at the event, Burke said that his then-principal should withdraw a request for teachers to address a transitioning student by their preferred pronouns.

Burke is alleged to have approached the then-principal of the school, and to have questioned her loudly, prompting other people to stand between the two of them.

Mr Burke, an evangelical Christian, has maintained that the direction went against his religious beliefs.

Thereafter, the school successfully sought court orders banning him from the premises, which he continuously breached.

Mr Burke has spent over 700 days in prison in separate spells, arising from his contempt of the court order barring him from presenting at the school.

He has also amassed outstanding fines of over €208,000 imposed by the courts.

He was formally dismissed from his position for alleged gross misconduct after an appeal last May found his challenge to his dismissal had failed.

Mr Burke is challenging that decision and the procedure underpinning the appeal.

Mr Burke, in an ex parte application to the court today – where only one side is represented – seeks an order quashing both the opinion and decision of the DAP of May 2026 over his “purported dismissal” from his teaching post at the school.

He further states that Ms Callanan, the DAP chair, should have recused herself from the DAP because she and her husband, Lyndon McCann SC hold positions within the Church of Ireland.

He states that Wilson’s is a Church of Ireland School with archbishops and bishops of that denomination as trustees, guardians and patrons.

In the submissions to the court, it is stated that Mr McCann “holds senior and influential offices at the apex of the Church of Ireland” and has a “close relationship” with trustees and guardians of the school and others connected to the school.

The submissions continue: “Ms Callanan’s position within the Church of Ireland and her relationship of marriage to Mr McCann means that a reasonable apprehension of bias arises in respect of her chairing the applicant’s DAP appeal.”

He adds that an impartial observer would have a reasonable apprehension that Ms Callanan could not approach the appeal from a neutral and unbiased standpoint.

Mr Burke further submits that as a lay litigant, he should not have been subject to an appeal hearing whereby the State put him at an “unfair disadvantage” by allowing a solicitor and a barrister to oppose and cross-examine him at his internal appeal hearing.

Mr Justice Cian Ferriter granted permission to Mr Burke to pursue his judicial review and adjourned the matter to October.

Statement from Bishop of Portsmouth on Society of St Pius X

Bishop Philip Egan, Bishop of Portsmouth has issued the following statement about 'The Society of St. Pius X' (SSPX).

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

It is with sorrow and a heavy heart that I write to you today. On 1st July, against the express directive of the Holy Father, and so without a papal mandate, four priests of the Society of St Pius X, the SSPX, were ordained bishops at Écône in Switzerland. By this defiant act, the two consecrating bishops and the four new bishops incurred excommunication latae sententia e , the most serious penalty of all.

The SSPX and its members reject teachings of the Second Vatican Council and many of the developments since. With this ordination, they have formally broken away from the Church. Please pray for them and for all involved. In response, the Vatican has declared the ordinations a 'schismatic act'.

Sadly, this means that all the bishops and priests who belong to the SSPX and the laypeople who exclusively attend their services are now excommunicated. The Masses they offer are illicit. Attendance at them does not fulfil the Sunday obligation. The sacraments they celebrate - of marriage and confession - are invalid.

As a Bishop, I cannot help but feel the pain of this, not least because the SSPX has centres within the Diocese of Portsmouth, including a well-known school. I must now urge all Catholics not to take part in their activities and boldly to reaffirm their unity with the Pope and with the bishops in communion with him.

At the same time, I appeal to the priests and laity of the SSPX, urging them to full communion with the Catholic Church. There is a canonical process for this: please ask Bishop's Office. Many Catholics, especially among the young, feel drawn towards the pre-conciliar liturgy and its spirituality. In future, rather than attend illicit celebrations, I invite them to participate in the Vetus Ordo Masses already offered in the Diocese in Bournemouth, Southampton, Portsmouth and Reading.

In conclusion, please pray for unity in the Church, for the Holy Father, and for the members of the SSPX that they may repent and return to full communion.

In Corde Iesu,

+Philip

Bishop of Portsmouth

Memorial of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, 16th July 2026

Catholic Priest Pleads Guilty to Murder of Ugandan Government Official, Handed 21 Year Jail Term

A Catholic Priest previously suspended in Uganda has been sentenced to 21 years in prison after pleading guilty to the murder of a Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) official, bringing to a close a criminal case that has drawn widespread attention in the East African nation.

Justice Flavia Nabakooza of the High Court in Entebbe handed down the sentence on Thursday, July 23, after Fr. Dominic Alinga admitted to the murder of URA officer John Bosco Ngorok and the attempted murder of boda boda rider Moses Abigaba.

The court sentenced Fr. Alinga to 21 years' imprisonment for murder and 10 years' imprisonment for attempted murder. The sentences are to run concurrently. The court also ordered that compensation be paid to Abigaba, who survived the attack.

According to Uganda's Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), Fr. Alinga admitted responsibility for both offences during court proceedings.

“The conviction demonstrates that criminal responsibility applies equally to all persons regardless of their social or religious status,” the ODPP said following the judgment.

Fr. Alinga is a priest of the Catholic Diocese of Moroto in Uganda's Karamoja region. He was ordained to the priesthood on 28 July 2020, and served at Iriiri Catholic Parish in Napak District before his suspension from Priestly ministry.

The Priest had been suspended effective 17 July 2024 by the Local Ordinary of Moroto, Bishop Damiano Guzzetti, who prohibited him from celebrating Holy Mass, administering the Sacraments, and exercising priestly ministry anywhere in the Diocese of Moroto or elsewhere in the Catholic Church.

While confirming the authenticity of the suspension decree, Bishop Guzzetti reportedly declined to disclose the reasons for the disciplinary measure, saying the matter was not public.

Instead, the Italian-born member of the Comboni Missionaries of the Heart of Jesus (MCCJ) urged the faithful to pray for the Priest “so that he may deeply receive the grace of conversion and amendment of life.”

The suspension reportedly came about two weeks before the killing of Ngorok.

According to prosecutors, Fr. Alinga believed the URA officer had shared information that contributed to his suspension from priestly ministry.

Court records indicate that on 2 August 2024, Fr. Alinga arranged to meet Ngorok in Entebbe. While travelling together, he allegedly attacked the tax official with a knife, inflicting multiple stab wounds.

As Ngorok attempted to escape and seek help, boda boda rider Moses Abigaba came to his assistance. Prosecutors said Fr. Alinga then drove his vehicle into both men before fleeing the scene.

Ngorok later succumbed to his injuries, while Abigaba survived.

Investigators said Fr. Alinga fled to eastern Uganda following the incident, where he reportedly sought out another Catholic Priest and confessed to the killing before surrendering himself to police.

He was subsequently arrested and charged with murder and attempted murder. He remained on remand as investigations and court proceedings continued until he entered guilty pleas before the High Court in Entebbe.

Under the Church's Code of Canon Law, the suspension imposed on Fr. Alinga prohibited him from exercising priestly ministry but did not remove him from the clerical state.

As of the time of his sentencing, there has been no public announcement that Fr. Alinga has been dismissed from the clerical state, a canonical penalty commonly referred to as laicization. Such a penalty requires a separate canonical process and, in many cases, the approval of the Holy See.

The Diocese of Moroto has not publicly commented on the High Court's judgment.

Victims of abuser priest 'deserve more justice'

A victim of an ex-priest given a two-year community sentence for sexual assaults on two other boys in the late 1970s and early 1980s has said his victims "deserve more justice".

Edward Phillips-Smith, 76, has now admitted to abusing a total of four boys while employed in Lichfield Diocese at St Peter's Collegiate School in Wolverhampton.

Wolverhampton Crown Court heard the former school chaplain had terminal cancer and had been given a life expectancy of less than two years.

Will, not his real name, was one of two St Peter's schoolboys whose abuse led to Phillips-Smith being jailed for 32 months in January 2024 and said: "I continue to do a life sentence for what he's done to me."

Warning: Some readers may find details of this case distressing.

The sentencing on Monday related to assaults that took place in the offender's school accommodation and at his Staffordshire home.

The victims came forward to report their abuse to police after media coverage of the 2024 trial, the court heard.

Will was also sexually assaulted when he stayed overnight at the chaplain's house.

He said he was frustrated to read Phillips-Smith had expressed "remorse and his sincere apology" for what he had done in court, since the offender had claimed during his own case it had been "an isolated offence".

"He's lied all the way through," he said. "He said it was an isolated incident with me, it wasn't.

"To say he's remorseful, it's just absolute rubbish... he's only remorseful because he got found out."

He described the community sentence as "lip service".

"They're giving him the benefit of the doubt because of his illness. People deserve more justice than that."

Phillips-Smith was released on licence in May last year, and now lives in Essex.

He was banned by the Church of England for life in January.

A tall man, described in court as a "cool and trendy" RE teacher, the former priest ran after-school clubs and used his stature to intimidate.

He invited one boy back to his school accommodation to play with a Scalextric set before abusing him.

He also took charge of youngsters on school trips and church camping excursions and abused several schoolboys during "activity holidays" at his own home in Brewood, Staffordshire.

One victim reported being offered a free trip on a barge if he agreed to share the chaplain's cabin, which he declined.

'No sympathy'

Will reported his abuse to police in 2023 after being unable to escape his dark thoughts about what had happened.

He said reading about other victims "hit home quite hard".

"I live it every day, I still do," he said. "I'm half the person I could have been because of what he's done."

He said: "People shouldn't have any sympathy because he's got cancer - I don't really care.

"I described it as a cancer within me growing, when I first spoke to police.

"I had to come forward to police to try and stop it taking over my life.

"I don't have any sympathy for him, because he doesn't deserve it."

Will said telling others helped him cope.

"I hope that people who did the same get some relief, because it's a hell of a secret to keep."

He added he had offered to make contact with other victims through police, to make them realise "they're not alone".

'Deeply sorrowful'

The Times reported in July 1987 Phillips-Smith was moving from St Peter's Collegiate School to be vicar at St Peter's church in Broadwater, Stevenage.

After that, he worked for a spell at Edgarley Hall School in Somerset, which is now Millfield Preparatory School.

In 2008, the Lichfield Diocese received a report of an allegation made against Phillips-Smith relating to his time in Wolverhampton.

The Oxford Diocese, where Phillips-Smith worked between 1993 and 2008 at Papplewick School, investigated alongside police, but no further action was taken.

Oxford Diocese previously told the BBC it became aware of him during a past cases review, which took place in all Church of England dioceses between 2019 and 2022 following concerns about sexual offences against children.

The information gathered in Oxford was shared with Lichfield Diocese and Staffordshire Police.

In a statement on Monday, Lichfield Diocese said it had co-operated with police on recent investigations and it was pleased he had been brought to justice.

"It is deeply sorrowful and shameful that a priest who is in a position of trust should have committed such offences... the harm he caused to pupils was reprehensible," a spokesman said.

Papplewick School updated its website with a statement from governing board chairman Andrew Try, who said his thoughts were with victims of the "appalling crimes".

A review of Phillips-Smith's time at the school was completed following his first conviction, Try wrote, and the results shared with police.

The review confirmed that, "while concerns about his behaviour were raised during his employment, no evidence met the threshold for criminal investigation".

"We are acutely aware that this fact does not rule out the possibility that harm may have occurred at Papplewick and this is a matter of deep regret," he said.

"We are profoundly sorry that anyone may have been affected by Mr Phillips‑Smith's behaviour during his time at the school."

Thames Valley Police has confirmed to the BBC that it received a report from a former pupil of inappropriate behaviour but the threshold for investigation had not been met.

Only one priest for three parishes in Borris-in-Ossory

THE WEEKEND of 1 and 2 August will see one priest on duty for three parishes in Borris-in-Ossory.

Fr John Robinson P.P. will say Mass in all three main churches: in Camross on Saturday evening at 7:30pm, in Castletown on Sunday morning at 9:30am, and on Sunday morning in Borris-in-Ossory at 11am. There will be no Mass in the other churches.

Fr Robinson will cover for Fr Brian Griffin, who is typically in charge of Castletown and Camross, as he is on holiday. Fr Robinson says he and Fr Griffin takes turns covering for each other when one of them goes away.

This arrangement has been in place for years, says Fr Robinson, who adds that the lack of available priests reflects “the way life is gone”.

In 2025, only 13 men started studying to becomes priests at the national seminary in Maynooth, signalling a dramatic decline in interest in the vocation.

The 11am Mass in St Canice’s Church, Borris-in-Ossory, is available to view by webcam on the following YouTube page.

Friday 1 August is the First Friday. There will be Morning Mass in St. Canice’s Church, Borris in Ossory at 9.30am.

The St Vincent de Paul Collection will be taken up on Sunday, 2 August.

DOJ files to revoke citizenship of Capuchin priest convicted of abusing minors

The U.S. Department of Justice has filed to revoke the citizenship of a Capuchin priest from Mexico who was convicted of sexually abusing minors while working in a parish in Washington, D.C.

If the federal government’s case against 53-year-old Fr. Urbano Vazquez Ortega succeeds, he will likely be deported. He is currently serving a 15-year sentence for sexual abuse of minors.

A Capuchin priest working in the Archdiocese of Washington, D.C., Vazquez Ortega was found guilty in 2019 of sexually abusing a 13-year-old girl and a 9-year-old girl at the Shrine of the Sacred Heart, where he served as assistant pastor. The abuse took place in 2015 and 2016.

In 2021, while serving his sentence in the child sex abuse case, Vazquez Ortega was found guilty in a separate case of sexually abusing an adult.

That abuse, which took place in 2017, involved the inappropriate touching of a woman during confession.

Vazquez Ortega was given the maximum 180-day sentence for the misdemeanor charge, to be served consecutive to the 15-year sentence he was already serving.

The priest’s faculties were removed by the Archdiocese of Washington in 2018.

Last week, the Department of Justice announced that it had filed for the denaturalization of a number of individuals, including Vazquez Ortega.

Paul Hunker, an immigration attorney in Texas and partner at De Mott, Curtright & Armendáriz, LLP, told The Pillar that denaturalization cases must be heard before a federal judge.

“The government has to prove by clear evidence that he was not eligible for naturalization or he committed fraud in his application for naturalization,” Hunker said.

“When someone’s naturalized, they’re a citizen, and so the government needs really strong evidence to take that away.”

The Department of Justice maintains that Vazquez Ortega and the other individuals facing denaturalization cases “procured citizenship through willful misrepresentations and concealment of their crimes.”

During the naturalization process, applicants are asked if they have ever “committed, assisted in committing, or attempted to commit a crime or offense” for which they have not been arrested.

Hunker that it may sound strange to ask people this question.

But he said, if an individual is later found to have lied in response to that question, their citizenship can be revoked.

Vazquez Ortega became a naturalized citizen in 2017 – after the abuse of minors took place. While the details of his particular case are not public, it is likely that he failed to disclose these crimes when he applied for naturalization.

“If the court finds that he committed fraud in his naturalization application, they take away the citizenship. He reverts back to the status he had before that, which would be a lawful permanent resident,” Hunker explained.

“And then the government would have to institute removal proceedings to remove him from the country.”

Typically, he noted, people finish their criminal sentence and are deported after that.

The decision to see Ortega denaturalized raises questions about whether other priests convicted of crimes could lose their legal status, or their citizenship, in the United States.

According to research from the Catholic University of America, 24% of priests serving in the United States are foreign born.

An analysis of clerical fraud cases from 1963 to 2020, coauthored by Robert Warren, an assistant professor of accounting at Radford University and expert in ecclesiastical fraud, found that about 1 in 5 fraudulent priests are immigrants.

In 2020, a Polish priest in South Dakota was sentenced to 7 years and 9 months in prison on more than 60 counts of wire fraud, money laundering, and other related charges.

Last year, a priest from India pleaded guilty to stealing money from his Catholic parish in Iowa and placing it in a scam investment without consulting or informing the parish finance council.

In 2025, a Polish Capuchin friar in New York pleaded guilty to wire fraud, after federal prosecutors said the priest bilked Catholics by pretending to run fake medical clinics in Beirut, Lebanon, pretending to be a doctor, and falsely claiming direct lineage to two European royal families.

At his sentencing, the friar’s defense attorney told the court that he would “likely face deportation.”

However, not every crime committed by a foreign priest or religious will necessarily result in denaturalization.

Simply committing a crime does not cause a person to lose their naturalized citizenship. But certain crimes committed before and during the naturalization process can make an individual ineligible for naturalization, Hunker explained. And lying about previous crimes committed during the application process can result in citizenship later being revoked.

Given the strict criteria for an individual to lose his or her citizenship, Hunker told The Pillar that he does not expect to see the denaturalization of priests and religious become a widespread phenomenon.

“I expect to see very few priests and religious [facing denaturalization],” he said.

Hunker said in the clients he represents, he is far more likely to see cases of priests and religious running into problems with paperwork or deadlines in obtaining or extending their legal status.

He added that while cases of priests committing crimes may make headlines, it would be a mistake to think of foreign priests serving in the United States as more likely than others to commit crimes.

“They’re actually critically important for our country,” he said.

“When you have tens of thousands of priests and religious, it stands to reason that some of them are going to do bad things. It’s the nature of reality. Unfortunately, people sin and err, and being a priest or religious doesn’t protect you from that,” Hunker said.

In his view, though, there are also many “good, holy, hardworking, priests and religious trying to serve their communities.”

“At my firm, we represent a fair number of priests and religious. And we’re happy to do that because we’re helping the orders and helping priests be able to minister.”

Prayer app leak is latest in series of Vatican website vulnerabilities

A popular prayer app connected to the Vatican, “Click to Pray,” has been leaving user information exposed for months, the most recent in a years-long string of vulnerabilities and hacks for Vatican-related websites.

The app, which is available on both iOS and Android, suffers from an insecure direct object reference (IDOR) vulnerability, cybersecurity news site Dark Reading reported Friday.

As a result, names and email addresses for more than 700,000 users are easily available to any web user, the site said.

The app, which is used by hundreds of thousands of people around the world, is run by the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network, which is a pontifical society entrusted to the Society of Jesus, tasked with “supporting the Holy Father’s evangelizing mission through prayer for a mission of compassion for the world.” It offers daily prayer prompts and opportunities to share prayer intentions with other users.

The site reported that the vulnerability was first noted in January by a hacker who goes by “BobDaHacker” on his blog. BobDaHacker and Dark Reading both reported reaching out to officials at the app and the group that runs it, but said they received no response.

The Vatican’s own website has been targeted repeatedly by hackers in recent years, sometimes connected to political issues.

The group Anonymous took the Vatican website offline briefly in 2012 and 2015, criticizing the Catholic Church’s doctrine and what it called “absurd and anachronistic concepts.”

Another suspected hacking incident took the site down in 2022, after Pope Francis criticized Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. It was unclear who was responsible for the incident.

In 2020, a report by threat intelligence firm Recorded Future argued that China had been working to hack into Vatican systems ahead of the renewal of the Vatican-China deal on bishop appointments.

Andrew Jenkinson​, group CEO of Cybersec Innovation Partners, said he repeatedly contacted the Vatican in 2020 to highlight inadequacies in the Vatican’s cybersecurity system and to offer to help fix the weaknesses

In 2023, confidential records from the Vatican’s synod on synodality were posted to an unsecured cloud server.

The Vatican’s website crashed again in 2024, with experts saying the incident bore the hallmarks of a cyberattack.

‘Irish parishes have intense hidden vitality’ — Nuncio’s parting verdict on the Irish Church

The outgoing Apostolic Nuncio to Ireland has said he has witnessed “an intense, hidden vitality” in Irish parishes and dioceses especially in the West and the North of Ireland and has “no doubt” it will bear visible fruit in the synodal process and in a resurgence of vocations to the ministerial and religious life.

As he prepares to leave the Diplomatic Service, Archbishop Luis Mariano Montemayor said his strongest first impression of Ireland had been “the rapid change in Irish society, very different from the one I had known in Dublin 38 years earlier, and particularly with regard to the role of the Catholic Church in public life”.

But he said that contrary to what one might therefore expect, what he witnessed on the ground especially in visiting communities in the West and North of Ireland, was “the generous commitment of so many lay faithful, men and women, to sustaining the life and ministry of the Church in the parishes and dioceses”.  He added: “I can say that I have perceived an intense, hidden vitality which, I have no doubt, will bear visible fruit in the synodal process we are experiencing and in the resurgence of vocations to the ministerial and religious life.”

Ireland was Archbishop Montemayor’s first European posting in a diplomatic career spanning 35 years and, he said, practically every continent. He served in Ethiopia and Thailand, in the Democratic Republic of Congo — where he was “gently asked to retire ‘for my own safety’” — and in Colombia, where Pope Francis entrusted him with supporting the peace process with the National Liberation Army.

A vocation formed at the Faculty of Law in the University of Buenos Aires during “a very violent period in Argentine society”, he said his call was to the ministerial priesthood; the diplomatic service “was not in my plans”, but a proposal from his Archbishop. “God is full of surprises indeed!” he said.

After almost 42 years of priesthood he added he is “much more aware of the spiritual fragility of the human person and, at the same time, of God’s infinite mercy” — a reason, he said, why he intends to spend his retirement helping in parish ministry in his own city for as long as he can.

A possible remodeling of the Vatican Curia places Parolin and Erik Varden at the center of speculation

Speculation about an upcoming overhaul of the Roman Curia is once again intensifying in Vatican circles. 

Although the Holy See has not confirmed any changes and, for the time being, everything remains in the realm of rumors, versions about possible moves in some of the main dicasteries—and even about a potential replacement of Cardinal Pietro Parolin at the head of the Secretariat of State—are circulating with increasing insistence in Rome.

According to Tribune Chrétienne, these conversations also point to the possible arrival at the Curia of new figures who have gained relevance in the government of Leo XIV. Among the names that have been strongly circulating in recent weeks is that of Norwegian Bishop Erik Varden.

Parolin, at the center of the betting

The main focus of speculation is Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State since 2013 and principal collaborator of the last two pontiffs. A potential replacement would represent the most far-reaching change in the Church’s central government since the beginning of Leo XIV’s pontificate.

According to reports published by the French outlet, the Pope is said to be considering the possibility of assembling a team fully aligned with the priorities of his pontificate, a common evolution in the early years of a new papal administration.

A possible replacement of Parolin should not necessarily be interpreted as a personal judgment on his tenure. 

The Italian cardinal remains one of the most respected figures in Vatican diplomacy, although his long mandate has been linked to issues such as the agreement between the Holy See and China on the appointment of bishops or the well-known financial case involving the London building.

Erik Varden, a name gaining weight

Among the possible appointments, the name most frequently mentioned in Vatican circles is that of Monsignor Erik Varden, Bishop of Trondheim, the Catholic territorial prelature located in central Norway.

Former Trappist abbot of the English abbey of Mount St Bernard, a convert from Lutheranism and a recognized author on spirituality, Varden has gained notable international prominence in recent years. This is compounded by the trust Leo XIV placed in him by entrusting him with preaching the Lenten spiritual exercises for the Pope, the cardinals, and the heads of the Curia’s dicasteries—a mission traditionally regarded in Rome as a sign of special esteem from the Pontiff.

According to the same reports, his name is repeatedly mentioned in connection with the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, although there is no official confirmation regarding a specific possible assignment.

Awaiting official decisions

Beyond the names, these speculations suggest that Leo XIV may continue to shape his own governing team. 

However, at present there is no official announcement from the Holy See. 

As is customary in the Vatican, rumors circulating in curial circles only gain value when confirmed through the daily bulletin of the Holy See Press Office.

Pope Leo XIV renews the Apostolic Signatura

The Pope appoints seven new members to the Supreme Tribunal, including two Spanish canonists from Opus Dei and a markedly technical profile. 

The incorporation of the Archbishop of San Francisco, barely three weeks after his statements on the traditional Mass and the FSSPX, is the most eloquent detail of the batch. For his part, Cardinal Müller’s five-year term concludes.

The Holy See Press Office announced this Saturday, July 25, the appointment of seven new members of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura, the Church’s highest judicial body, presided over by Cardinal Dominique Mamberti. 

Leo XIV has designated the archbishops and bishops Salvatore Joseph Cordileone (San Francisco), Krzysztof Nitkiewicz (Sandomierz, Poland), Juan Ignacio Arrieta Ochoa de Chinchetru (secretary of the Dicastery for Legislative Texts until last June) and Edward M. Lohse (Kalamazoo, United States), along with the priests Eduardo Baura de la Peña (Pontifical University of the Holy Cross), Gianpaolo Montini and the Jesuit Ulrich Rhode (both from the Gregorian).

The renewal comes as the five-year term of the members appointed by Francis in June 2021 expires: Cardinals Müller, Tobin, Grech and Harvey thus conclude their mandate on the tribunal, in an ordinary transition that gives way to a new generation of canonists.

Cordileone, a canonist returning home

The appointment of the Archbishop of San Francisco is, by far, the one with the greatest ecclesial significance. Cordileone is no newcomer to the Palazzo della Cancelleria: a canonist by training, he worked as an official of the Apostolic Signatura itself in the 1990s, before his episcopate, so he knows from within the machinery of the tribunal to which he now returns as a judge.

But it is the context that turns the appointment into a gesture. Cordileone is one of the few diocesan ordinaries in the world who regularly celebrates the traditional Roman rite. On July 2, he conferred the subdiaconate and diaconate on fourteen seminarians of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest in Gricigliano, in ceremonies that were completed the following day by Cardinal Burke—former prefect of the same Signatura—with the ordination of four new priests.

Just days later, the archbishop publicly reacted to the episcopal consecrations of the Society of Saint Pius X in Écône, stating that they reflect “a growing lack of trust that has been building for a long time,” calling for “sincere and honest” dialogue between Rome and the Fraternity and requesting that access to the traditional Mass be facilitated “so that our faithful do not feel obliged to seek spiritual nourishment outside the family in communion with Rome.”

That Leo XIV incorporates him into the Church’s supreme tribunal three weeks after those statements admits few ambiguous readings: far from placing him outside the perimeter of pontifical trust, that discourse has not been an obstacle to entrusting him with a function of legal guarantee at the heart of the Curia. At the most delicate moment in the relationship between Rome and the traditional world since 1988, the Pope seats on the Signatura an archbishop who celebrates the ancient rite, ordains for an ex Ecclesia Dei institute and calls for a review of the liturgical status quo.

What the Signatura is and what Cordileone will be able to vote on

The Apostolic Signatura operates in three areas, in accordance with its Lex Propria. As the supreme judicial tribunal, it judges complaints of nullity against judgments of the Roman Rota and conflicts of jurisdiction between tribunals. As a contentious-administrative tribunal—its most sensitive function—it resolves appeals against singular administrative acts of the dicasteries of the Curia for violation of law in the procedure or in the decision: through this channel pass parish suppressions, expulsions from religious institutes, penal decrees against clerics and, potentially, dicasterial decrees affecting communities linked to the traditional liturgy. It also exercises oversight over the proper administration of justice in all the Church’s tribunals.

The members do not reside in Rome nor govern the dicastery—that corresponds to the cardinal prefect—but they judge in colleges of five that definitively decide contentious appeals and in the plenary that resolves conflicts between dicasteries. That is: Cordileone will vote, case by case, on the legality of acts of the Roman Curia, including those of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith and the Dicastery for Divine Worship when they arrive by way of appeal. A control of legality, not of merit, and from which acts approved by the Pope in specific form are excluded; but a guarantee mechanism of no small importance in the canonical order.

A batch of jurists, not ideologues

The rest of the appointments confirms the imprint: technical rather than political. Juan Ignacio Arrieta, a priest of Opus Dei and doctor from Navarra, has been for nearly twenty years secretary of Legislative Texts and the main architect of the 2021 reform of canonical penal law; his move to the Signatura is almost a natural career move. Eduardo Baura, also of Opus Dei and professor at the Holy Cross, is one of the great specialists in canonical administrative law—precisely the subject matter of the tribunal’s second section—and once signed very critical analyses of the legislative technique of Traditionis custodes.

Gianpaolo Montini, professor at the Gregorian and for years promoter of justice of the Signatura itself, is probably the greatest living expert on the tribunal’s contentious-administrative process. Completing the list are the German Jesuit Ulrich Rhode, professor at the Gregorian; the Polish bishop Krzysztof Nitkiewicz, a canonist and former undersecretary of the then Congregation for the Oriental Churches; and Edward Lohse, bishop of Kalamazoo and apostolic administrator of Steubenville, doctor from the Gregorian with years of service in the Congregation for the Clergy.

There is not a single name on the list identifiable with the progressive wing of the College. Two priests of Opus Dei, a traditional archbishop, three canonists of the classical school and a bishop in the line of the Polish episcopate: the photograph is that of a tribunal reinforced with jurists of profession and classical sensibility.

The replacement of Müller, an ordinary change

Among those concluding their service on the tribunal is Cardinal Gerhard Ludwig Müller, prefect emeritus of the Doctrine of the Faith and member since 2021. His departure should not be read in a political key: the mandates of that batch expired by law this year and the German cardinal, who has passed the age of 78, leaves the tribunal together with Cardinals Tobin, Grech and Harvey, of sensibilities quite distinct from one another. It is an ordinary generational transition, which in no way affects the doctrinal weight of Müller, whose voice—as he demonstrated a month ago at the extraordinary consistory—remains one of the most listened to in the College of Cardinals.

With Mamberti at the head and this new composition, the Signatura is configured for a pontificate in which canonical contentious-administrative matters—from appeals by traditional communities to penal proceedings against clerics—promise to be anything but irrelevant.