[UK] Priest in 'indecent images' row at primary school in Pomeroy

[LemonAndLime]

An investigation is under way after indecent images were “inadvertently” shown by a Catholic priest during a presentation at a primary school in County Tyrone.

Father Martin McVeigh projected the images onto a screen during a meeting for parents in Pomeroy in preparation for First Holy Communion. One child was also present. Parents said 16 indecent images of men were displayed. The priest said he had no knowledge of the offending imagery.

Cardinal Sean Brady said the PSNI had indicated that no crime had been committed. The incident occurred during a meeting at St Mary’s School in Pomeroy on 26 March. According to a statement from the parents, the images were projected onto the screen from a memory stick the parish priest had inserted into a computer before the presentation. The parents said Fr McVeigh quickly removed the memory stick.

forums.catholic-questions.org/newthread.php?do=newthread&f=45

 

[Skeptic92]

bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-17582542

Valid link to the story quoted

 

[Holly3278]

I am not going to make any judgments on this priest. I believe that it could easily have been a virus or malware that caused the images to show up. I do not believe that this priest would put such images on a presentation like that. If he did, he wouldn’t be very smart because he would know the consequences that doing such a thing would bring. And besides that, I don’t think the priest even looks at porn. I honestly think this is a malware issue.

 

[Dale_M]

Its a very unfortunate occurrence. Here is some additional information:

Police spoke with CNN on Monday, saying: “The incident has been reported to us, we have advised that no criminal offences have been disclosed at this time – and anything else is a matter for the CCMS (Council for Catholic Maintained Schools) or the diocese.”

However, parents say they were “horrified” by what they saw and want action to be taken.

Parishioners planned a protest outside the local church Sunday, but the demonstration was called off when it emerged that the priest involved in the communion presentation, the Rev. Martin McVeigh, would not be present at Mass.

cnn.com/2012/04/02/world/europe/ireland-priest-porn/

If I understand correctly, the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools oversees government funded Catholic schools. The 36 members of the CCMS belong to four different categories:

Department of Education Representatives - Membership is advertised through the press for these positions.

Trustee Representatives - Members are recommended by the Northern Bishops.

Parents Representatives - Members are drawn from local community on a voluntary basis.

Teachers Representatives - Members are drawn from teaching community on a voluntary basis.

onlineccms.com/about-us/

 

[Dale_M]

I am not going to make any judgments on this priest. I believe that it could easily have been a virus or malware that caused the images to show up. .

Fr. McVeigh said that other church officials have used the memory stick and he requested an investigation, which apparently is underway.
washingtonpost.com/world/europe/irelands-catholic-church-probing-why-priest-showed-parents-a-slideshow-of-gay-porn/2012/04/02/gIQAVG1SrS_story.html?tid=pm_world_pop

The parents, naturally, are angry and fearful for their children. I worry that the damage can’t be undone, regardless of the outcome of the investigation. Even if the problem was malware, some parents are likely not to believe it. And if another church official is responsible, that doesn’t help restore the trust which has been lost.

 

[pepipop]

No doubt, someone got hold of the stick and downloaded the material onto it - to cause trouble and to embarrass the priest.

Sounds like it was done maliciously or a prank, either by older kids or an adult with an issue against the church. The fact the images were screened at a public meeting with parents and children for a holy communion meeting would seem to indicate that it was fixed.

 

[LemonAndLime]

Sorry for the bad link.

I’m concerned about the Priest’s reaction. The article says that he didn’t apologise or say anything, but removed the USB and ran from the room. Sorry to be a cynic but that doesn’t seem like an entirely innocent reaction.

 

[pepipop]

Sorry for the bad link.

I’m concerned about the Priest’s reaction. The article says that he didn’t apologise or say anything, but removed the USB and ran from the room. Sorry to be a cynic but that doesn’t seem like an entirely innocent reaction.

But why should he apologise, particularly, if his presentation was sabotaged. He may have been extremely embarrassed and very uncomfortable and could not think on his feet quickly. He may also have seen it as an act of malice against the church, in relation to the child abuse scandals and was agitated and unable to deal with it. Who knows?

If I had to do a presentation to parents and children and similar slides had appeared, I would be mortified, particularly if they were in relation to a ‘dig’ against the institution I worked for. A professional speaker may have been able to say ‘something’, but again if the presenter did not place the slides in the memory stick, why would that person apologise it would have been extremely embarrassing and a quick exit possibly was his only option.

I do believe it was most likely a malicious act against the priesthood and the past scandals.

 

[LemonAndLime]

I do believe it was most likely a malicious act against the priesthood and the past scandals.

Based on what?

 

[pepipop]

Based on what?

Based on the situation. It was an event that would attract publicity as there were members of the public present and needless to say it has generated media interest.

I, genuinely, cannot see any ‘priest’ or lay person using a shared memory stick within the parish and ‘downloading’ gay porn onto the stick, it does not make sense. Even if it was a personal memory stick, it does not seem logical to ‘download’ the porn onto a stick, as the ‘person’ could have viewed it online at any location, hence why bother downloading it and having evidence at hand that could be easily viewed by anyone.

I’m just using logic - I may of course be totally wrong.

As Judge Judy would say “If dosen’t make sense then it’s usually not true.”

 

[Cormacnl]

Father McVeigh is taking sabbatical leave from the parish and expects to return soon.

Other computers he had access to were investigated and no porn was found.

The memory stick involved in the incident was not investigated as Father McVeigh destroyed it later in the evening after the meeting to make sure the images would never be shown again. Another laptop was stolen from the sacristy some time after the meeting and was therefore not available for examination.

Both Father McVeigh and the bishop say he was not responsible for the images. Fair enough.

Father McVeigh: “I deeply regret my failure to check, in advance, my presentation.”

I think it is always a good idea to check a presentation is ready to go before a meeting, but I don’t think a person should be faulted for not checking to make sure it was porn free.

The inconclusive case is closed, a storm in a teacup at the end of the day.

bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-17885912

 

[LemonAndLime]

Father McVeigh is taking sabbatical leave from the parish and expects to return soon.

Other computers he had access to were investigated and no porn was found.

The memory stick involved in the incident was not investigated as Father McVeigh destroyed it later in the evening after the meeting to make sure the images would never be shown again. Another laptop was stolen from the sacristy some time after the meeting and was therefore not available for examination.

Both Father McVeigh and the bishop say he was not responsible for the images. Fair enough.

Father McVeigh: “I deeply regret my failure to check, in advance, my presentation.”

I think it is always a good idea to check a presentation is ready to go before a meeting, but I don’t think a person should be faulted for not checking to make sure it was porn free.

The inconclusive case is closed, a storm in a teacup at the end of the day.

bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-17885912

Convineant that a laptop happened to go missing.

I’m sorry, but that seems like a happy coincidence.