Pat Buckley (priest)

{{Short description|Irish independent Catholic bishop (1952–2024)}}

{{Infobox officeholder

|name = Pat Buckley

|office = Member of Larne Borough Council

|constituency = Larne Town

|term_start = 17 May 1989

|term_end = 19 May 1993

|predecessor = Leonard Sluman

|successor = Lindsay Mason

|birth_date = {{birth date|df=y|1952|05|02}}

|birth_place = Tullamore, County Offaly, Ireland

|death_date = {{death date and age|df=y|2024|05|17|1952|05|02}}

|death_place =

|party = Independent

}}

Pat Buckley (2 May 1952 – 17 May 2024) was an Irish independent Catholic bishop and former Catholic priest who was excommunicated from the Church.{{cite web |url=https://bishoppatbuckley.org/ |title=Biography |author= |date= |website=bishoppatbuckley.org |publisher= |access-date=5 September 2020 |quote= |archive-date=8 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201208140452/https://www.bishoppatbuckley.org/ |url-status=live }} As a Catholic priest, he ministered to Provisional Irish Republican Army prisoners during the 1981 Irish hunger strike, including their leader, Bobby Sands.

His ordination to the episcopate by Bishop Michael Cox resulted in his being excommunicated from the Catholic Church. He subsequently officiated at the marriages of divorcees who wished to remarry but were prevented from doing so under Catholic canon law. In 2013, he received a suspended sentence under Northern Irish law for officiating at sham marriages being used to circumvent immigration policies. Buckley also served as a local councillor on Larne Borough Council.

Early life

Buckley was born on 2 May 1952 in Tullamore, County Offaly, Ireland.{{cite web |url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/wedding-bells-for-gay-bishop-pat-buckley-28521776.html |title=Wedding bells for gay bishop Pat Buckley |author= |date=30 January 2010 |website=Belfast Telegraph |publisher= |access-date=5 September 2020 |quote= |archive-date=14 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210214004918/https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/wedding-bells-for-gay-bishop-pat-buckley-28521776.html |url-status=live }} He was the eldest of 17 children, six of whom died in infancy.{{cite web |url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/imported/secrets-amp-lies-pat-buckley-28235194.html |title=Secrets & lies: Pat Buckley |first1=Gail |last1=Walker |date=4 July 2008 |website=Belfast Telegraph |publisher= |access-date=5 September 2020 |quote= |archive-date=18 May 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240518151716/https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/secrets-and-lies-pat-buckley/28235194.html |url-status=live }} His father was a trade union official who later became a barrister and his socialist views influenced his son Pat. Buckley said that he decided that he wanted to become a priest at the age of three.

Priesthood

Buckley studied for the priesthood in Clonliffe College, Dublin, and then in St. John's College, Waterford, and was ordained there in 1976.{{cite web |url=https://www.thefreelibrary.com/Convicted+cleric+has+walked+long+and+lonely+road.-a0352697225 |title=Convicted cleric has walked long and lonely road |author= |date=13 December 2013 |website=thefreelibrary.com |publisher= |access-date=5 September 2020 |quote= |archive-date=18 May 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240518151717/https://www.thefreelibrary.com/Convicted+cleric+has+walked+long+and+lonely+road.-a0352697225 |url-status=live }} He later gained a master's degree in politics and social anthropology from Queen's University Belfast.

His first posting was in St Peter's in the Lower Falls area of West Belfast.{{cite web |url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/pat-buckley-if-the-moon-had-churches-bishop-cahal-daly-would-have-sent-me-there-it-didnt-so-larne-it-was-34945758.html |title=Pat Buckley: If the Moon had churches, Bishop Cahal Daly would have sent me there... it didn't, so Larne it was |author-link=Suzanne Breen|first1=Suzanne |last1=Breen |date=8 August 2016 |website=Belfast Telegraph |publisher= |access-date=5 September 2020 |quote= |archive-date=8 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201108100052/https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/pat-buckley-if-the-moon-had-churches-bishop-cahal-daly-would-have-sent-me-there-it-didnt-so-larne-it-was-34945758.html |url-status=live }} Buckley claimed that clashes with his fellow clergy were due to his belief that the quality of the priests' accommodation was much higher than properties in the poverty-stricken area in which it was located.

During the 1981 Irish hunger strike, Buckley celebrated Mass in the Maze prison. During this time he met and spoke with Bobby Sands, the leader of the IRA prisoners participating in the hunger strike, predicting that Sands' dedication to his beliefs would lead to the hunger striker's death, which occurred on 5 May 1981.{{cite web |url=https://www.cbc.ca/archives/the-last-months-of-bobby-sands-life-as-seen-from-afar-and-up-close-1.5107999 |title=The last months of Bobby Sands' life, as seen from afar and up close |author= |date=5 May 2019 |website=www.cbc.ca |publisher=CBC Television |access-date=5 September 2020 |quote= |archive-date=24 March 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200324005700/https://www.cbc.ca/archives/the-last-months-of-bobby-sands-life-as-seen-from-afar-and-up-close-1.5107999 |url-status=live }}

Following disagreements with Cardinal Cahal Daly, Buckley was assigned to Kilkeel parish in 1983.{{cite web |url=http://www.irishnews.com/news/2013/12/13/news/ireland-s-turbulent-priest-78395/ |title=Ireland's turbulent priest |author=Claire Simpson |date=13 December 2013 |website=The Irish News |publisher= |access-date=5 September 2020 |quote= |archive-date=25 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230825200637/https://www.irishnews.com/news/2013/12/13/news/ireland-s-turbulent-priest-78395/ |url-status=live }} Buckley claimed that Cardinal Daly later offered to move him to an Australian parish before deciding to assign him to Larne, a mainly Protestant town, in 1984. Daly then suspended Buckley from the priesthood in 1986.

Buckley continued to attract attention and clashed with Daly in public. When told his service in the diocese was no longer needed, Buckley refused to move out of the parochial home. In 2011 he brought a legal case against the Diocese of Down and Connor claiming Squatters' Rights. In January 2012, an agreement was reached between the parties which allowed Buckley to remain in the property.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-16812578 |title=Pat Buckley 'squatters rights' case settled |author= |date=31 January 2012 |website=BBC News |publisher= |access-date=5 September 2020 |quote= |archive-date=13 October 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231013032657/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-16812578 |url-status=live }}

Independent ministry and excommunication

Buckley soon began to organise bi-weekly Masses, and he officiated at the marriages of divorcees who wished to remarry, as well as baptising babies from inter-faith marriages and blessing same-sex couples. In August 2016, Buckley claimed to have married over 3,000 couples. On 19 May 1998 he was ordained a bishop by Michael Cox.{{cite news|last=O'Sullivan|first=Roddy|date=15 June 1998|title=Excommunication follows after priest is made a bishop|location=Dublin|newspaper=The Irish Times|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/excommunication-follows-after-priest-is-made-a-bishop-1.163077|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160328050415/https://www.irishtimes.com/news/excommunication-follows-after-priest-is-made-a-bishop-1.163077|archive-date=28 March 2016|access-date=29 March 2016}}

In June 1998, Jim Cantwell, director of the Irish Catholic Press and Information Office, said that Cox's consecration of Buckley was valid, but illicit. In response, both Cox and Buckley were excommunicated by the Catholic Church.

Local councillor

Buckley was elected to Larne Borough Council in the 1989 Northern Ireland local elections, but lost his seat at the following elections in 1993.

Sham marriage conviction

In December 2013, Buckley pleaded guilty and was convicted for officiating at 14 sham marriages.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-25349186 |title=Pat Buckley admits sham marriage charges |author= |date=12 December 2013 |website=BBC News |publisher= |access-date=5 September 2020 |quote= |archive-date=13 October 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231013032656/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-25349186 |url-status=live }} His defence was that his actions had been motivated by "strong compassion" for the illegal immigrants' situations.

The judge noted that Buckley had "had a genuine affinity with these illegal immigrants", but had received financial reward and "lost face and standing in the community" as a result of his actions.{{cite news|author=|date=19 December 2013|title=Independent bishop escapes prison on sham marriages conviction|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/religion-and-beliefs/independent-bishop-escapes-prison-on-sham-marriages-conviction-1.1633235|access-date=5 September 2020|newspaper=The Irish Times|publisher=|quote=|archive-date=13 October 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231013032656/https://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/religion-and-beliefs/independent-bishop-escapes-prison-on-sham-marriages-conviction-1.1633235|url-status=live}}{{Cite news|date=19 December 2013|title=Pat Buckley sham marriage suspended jail sentence|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-25451954|access-date=20 September 2020|archive-date=4 February 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230204223920/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-25451954|url-status=live}} Buckley received a three-and-a-half-year sentence, which was suspended for three years, because he was being treated for HIV.

Personal life

In October 1999, Buckley announced that he was gay. In February 2010, he married his boyfriend of three years, 32-year-old Eduardo Yanga from the Philippines, in a ceremony in Larne.{{cite web |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/outspoken-bishop-tells-of-lsquodeep-loversquo-for-boyfriend-1885595.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220525/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/outspoken-bishop-tells-of-lsquodeep-loversquo-for-boyfriend-1885595.html |archive-date=25 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Outspoken bishop tells of deep love for boyfriend |first1=Rachel |last1=Quigley|date= 1 February 2010 |website=The Independent |publisher= |access-date=5 September 2020 |quote=}}

Buckley died from a short illness on 17 May 2024, at the age of 72.{{cite news |title=Pat Buckley: Controversial independent Catholic bishop dies |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-69024709 |access-date=17 May 2024 |publisher=BBC News |date=17 May 2024 |archive-date=17 May 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240517182133/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-69024709 |url-status=live }}{{cite news |last1=McGonagle |first1=Suzanne |title=Outspoken former Catholic priest Pat Buckley has died aged 72 |url=https://www.irishnews.com/news/northern-ireland/outspoken-former-catholic-priest-pat-buckley-has-died-aged-72-GV32R72KZBHWJAJ455OOKEKQEA/ |access-date=17 May 2024 |publisher=The Irish News |date=17 May 2024 |archive-date=17 May 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240517174934/https://www.irishnews.com/news/northern-ireland/outspoken-former-catholic-priest-pat-buckley-has-died-aged-72-GV32R72KZBHWJAJ455OOKEKQEA/ |url-status=live }}

His official status in the Catholic Church at the time of his death was described as being that of a suspended priest.