Sir, – I must agree with Msgr Tom Stack (July 27th) when he writes that the terms “rebel priests” and “maverick clerics” are imposed by the media to describe priests who stand out from others or who are deemed by the media to be “non-establishment”.
If I had a euro for every time that these terms have been used about me by the media in the past 30 years I would now be retired and living a millionaire lifestyle in some sunny clime. In justice I must say The Irish Times has been an honourable exception to this practice.
I have reported the abuse to the UK Press Complaints Commission and to Ofcom and as a result many media outlets, including the BBC, have now agreed to use the adjective “independent”of me instead of “rebel” or “maverick”. I had suggested to the BBC that they might refer to me as “dissident” but it was afraid this might induce its audience to confuse me with some Republican groups! Why does the media not use uncomplimentary terms about establishment types? Why do we never read of the “the bullying bishop”; “the arrogant judge” or “the fat cat medic”. It seems to me certain branches of the media reserve insulting and judgmental adjectives for the person swimming against the tide. It also seems to me that we “maverick” and “rebel”priests will have to wait until we are deceased in order to lose our media adjectives. – Yours, etc,
Bishop PAT BUCKLEY,
The Oratory,
Larne,
Co Antrim.