I don't know how many of you are new to events at the Birmingham Oratory in the run up to the Papal visit but it's been a while and it might help if I run through it all again.

It was back in May 2010 that The Tablet first carried the news that three Oratorians had been told to “spend time in prayer for an indefinite period by Fr Felix Selden, an apostolic visitor to the Oratory Congregation”. If the Tablet had stopped there that might have been the end of it - such things are an internal matter and helps nobody to speculate on blogs.

Except in this case it wasn't an internal matter, it ceased to be an internal matter when the spokesman for the Birmingham Oratory picked up the phone to The Tablet and named names. However much he might bleat now about privacy, it was the Birmingham Oratory spokesman and not a blogger who made it a matter of pubic record that Fr Philip Cleevely, Fr Dermot Fenlon and Brother Lewis Berry had been “ordered to go on retreat” by Fr Felix Selden. This is the ecclesiastical equivalent of announcing that somebody has been permanently suspended from work - a very public stain on the reputation of these three men and one against which they were entirely unable to defend themselves.

As the weeks turned in to months some suggested that whatever the three had done to deserve their exile, it must have been pretty serious. Rumours of bullying and possible sexual misconduct began to surface. Friends of the three men were so distressed at the way in which their reputations were being “trashed” that they began to campaign publicly that the three were known to be good holy men a blog was started and an open letter was sent to Fr Felix Selden.

To suggest that these friends and wellwishers were guilty of gossip is outrageous. It was gossip and rumour that they were seeking to dispel.

It was about this time that BBC West Midlands became interested and Oratory spokesman Jack Valero was quick to play things down... “it's just a time away to cool down” he said “they can come back soon and we can continue as normal”. Only a few weeks later Jack had changed his tune telling Radio Ulster that the three “are going to come back at some point, we don't know, it's not going to be soon”. This is the sort of transparency most people would associate with a brick wall.

To their credit, the Oratory did defend the three men and Ruth Dudley Edwards reported that Jack Valero had “confirmed unequivocally that the Three are entirely guiltless of any wrong-doing whatsoever”. Of course, this only begs the question – if they have done nothing wrong, why are they away? Why can they not come back? This soon became the central mystery of the Birmingham Three. Three men, declared innocent by an official spokesman for the Birmingham Oratory yet exiled from their home for months and looking increasingly likely to miss the beatification of their founder. Why had they been sent away in the first place?

More questions began to be asked, like why is the press officer for Opus Dei speaking for the Birmingham Oratory? Things didn't get any less mysterious when it turned out that while Mr Valero is officially speaking for the Oratory he is actually being paid to do so by the Catholic Bishops Conference of England and Wales and reports to Archbishop Nichol's press secretary. Yet more questions were raised about the role of the mysterious Fr Gareth/Sebastian Jones...

Pressure was mounting, blog entries about The Birmingham Three were getting hits from Rome, I had been on the Radio and Ruth Dudley Edwards was writing in Standpoint magazine and had even got the story on TV. The same questions were repeatedly asked: If the three have done nothing wrong, why can't they come home?

Something had to be done and something was, I can't say exactly how much pressure Brother Lewis Berry was under when he agreed to spend next year at an Oratory in South Africa but it's very hard imagine he did so of his own free will. The youngest of the three had the most to lose and with his ordination hanging in the balance the press release in his name had all the credibility of a forced confession. Fr Philip Cleevely issued a remarkably similar press release about how happy he is to be spending the next year in Toronto. It would not be long until the men who Jack Valero said would be “back soon” announced plans to remain abroad permanently.

Which leaves Fr Dermot Fenlon, the last of the three. There has been no press release from Fr Fenlon, no statement that he is happy about being sent away from his home of twenty years at a days notice despite being 68 years of age. So Fr Fenlon has been well and truly stamped on. According to a report in the Catholic Herald Fr Fenlon is being “forcibly exclaustrated” for a period of five years. In the article Simon Caldwell writes that “Under the Code of Canon Law, a priest cannot be exclaustrated for more than three years unless there is a “grave reason” yet Fr Fenlon has officially done nothing wrong. Such a prolonged period must have “either the direct approval of either the Holy See or the local bishop, who, in the case of Fr Fenlon, is Archbishop Bernard Longley of Birmingham”.

And so the questions remain: If there has been no injustice, why not let the three speak to journalists and tell everbody how happy they are with the situation? If the three have done nothing wrong, why couldn't they be present for the beatification?

More than a year later - why is Fr Dermot Fenlon still in exile?

Fr Richard Duffield (the monkey, not the organ grinder) writes...

From Fr Richard: - A few weeks ago, Br Lewis requested a formal transfer to the Oratory of Port Elizabeth in South Africa where he has been living since last September. Both communities have now agreed to this. He has asked us to print the message below in the Parish Bulletin:

“I’m pleased to have the opportunity to write a few words to you, the parishioners of the Oratory in Birmingham, to explain that I have requested to transfer to the Oratory of Port Elizabeth, in South Africa, where I have been living now for nearly ten months. I am very happy here, and I feel so much drawn to the particular work and life of this community that I want to remain here permanently. I thank the Birmingham Oratory community for the support they have given me in this decision. I am also grateful to the Apostolic Visitor, Father Felix Selden, both for the kindness that he has shown me and for the generosity of his decisions in my regard. I am deeply mindful of the many blessings I received whilst at Birmingham. I am now looking forward to a new future, and I ask you to support me in this with your prayers. If anyone wants to write to me I would be happy to hear from you!”

I would like to add that although the community here in Birmingham is sorry to lose Br Lewis we are pleased that he has found renewed enthusiasm for the Oratorian vocation as it is lived in a house with which we have a long-standing friendship and which some of us know well. We thank Br Lewis for his contributions to the life of this house, especially his work for the Cause of Blessed John Henry Newman; and we thank also the Fathers of the Port Elizabeth Oratory for their continued generosity and for the renewed inspiration they have given to Br Lewis. His address is: Oratory of St Philip Neri 8th Avenue PO Box 5012 Walmer 6065 Republic of South Africa

[link]

Evict somebody from their home for doing nothing wrong, force them to miss the beatification they worked so hard for, send them halfway around the world and leave them there for ten months.

What's that? He'd rather not come home?

Is anybody suprised?

Must... keep... Brother... Lewis... Away... From... Pope...

Meanwhile, it would seem that while the Oratory are busy sending Fr Lewis away for very ordinary training at the other end of the world (a tradition begun by Newman?) the Archdiocese of Birmingham think he is already ordained!

Today is the one hundredth day of exile for The Birmingham Three.

One hundred days is not a short period of time. In one hundred days you could walk from Edinburgh to London and you would only need to cover four miles a day.

To get 100 days in prison you have to do something fairly serious. There was the priest who got 100 days in prison for stealing thousands of dollars from his Church. There was the man who got 100 days in prison for ignoring a stop sign on his motorbike and killing a man. Then there was the man who attacked his girlfriend who also got 100 days in prison.

The Birmingham Three - Fr Dermot Fenlon, Fr Philip Cleevely and Brother Lewis Berry - have done nothing wrong. This is official. Jack Valeo told me on Radio West Midlands that "there's no indication they've done something wrong, they've been punished or anything. these words are wrong they give the wrong impression". Ruth Dudley Edwards says that Jack "has confirmed unequivocally that the Three are entirely guiltless of any wrong-doing whatsoever, including, specifically, sexual misdemeanours or homophobia.

So why have they been exiled for 100 days?

Why has one of them been sent away for a year?

Why are rumours flying around all over the place that the other two will get an even worse sentence?

Today the story hits The Daily Telegraph and we learn a little more about the location of Frs Fenlon and Cleevely: "The Oratory has refused to explain why the three priests have been sent away – one is now in America, another in Canada and the third is going to South Africa"

If these three men have done nothing wrong then the obvious thing is to send them home, end the media speculation and lift the shadow from the Papal visit.

Thanks to everybody who passed this on - for some reason Jack Valero didn't see fit to send me the press release direct...

Fr. Felix Selden, the Apostolic Visitor of the Holy See for the worldwide Confederation of the Oratory of St.Philip Neri has made the following statement with regard to recent speculation about Br. Lewis Berry of the Birmingham Oratory.

“In the course of the Apostolic Visitation currently being carried out at the Birmingham Oratory, after consulting with the Fathers, and taking account of Br. Lewis Berry’s own views, it has been agreed that Br. Lewis’ ongoing formation will best be met in an Oratorian Community that will afford him greater opportunities for a varied programme of pastoral work, as the Church requires of a deacon.

As from the first week of September 2010 Br. Lewis will reside and work at the Port Elizabeth Oratory in South Africa, for a period of at least one year. He has welcomed this opportunity and is now preparing for this next stage of his formation.

I now again request that the Oratorian Community in Birmingham be allowed to continue its work without hindrance. The Apostolic Visitation that has been taking place at the Birmingham Oratory has been chiefly concerned with the Community’s own internal life and discipline.”

The Port Elizabeth Oratory was canonically established by the Holy See on 12th May 2008 and strives to carry out its vocational motto often repeated by the founder of the Oratory, St Philip Neri: “Serve the Lord with gladness.” (Ps 100:2)

Fr. Felix Selden, C.O.

Let me recap the official (100% speculation free) explanation so far...

The Birmingham Three have done nothing wrong, they are are "entirely guiltless of any wrong-doing whatsoever, including, specifically, sexual misdemeanours or homophobia".

Because of "disagreements" within the community - disagreements which if they resulted in fist fights or name calling or any other things that might have caused problems for the papal visit these things are are not the fault of the Birmingham Three who as we know are "entirely guiltless".

This is why they have been silenced and sent to live in monasteries hundreds of miles apart for 95 days (counter here).

Now, Brother Lewis (the youngest of the three) is being sent to South Africa and will miss the Papal visit - even though he is "entirely guiltless" because it is suddenly very important for him to receive the kind of formation one simply cannot get within the United Kingdom and it is entirely normal for Oratorians to get less than a months notice that they will be spending a year at the other end of the world.

The official story just doesn't make sense.

The "speculation" that somebody somewhere wants them out of the way sounds a lot more reasonable...

Poor Brother Lewis. Still, at least now he is back in an Oratory and presumably in good standing. Does that mean we will now be allowed to talk to him?

Here is the latest issue of the parish newsletter for the Oxford Oratory. You can always read the latest one on the Oxford Oratory Website which is where I got it.

I realise the writing is a bit small, so I have enlarged the important bit:

One wonders... If the Birmingham Oratory is so short staffed why not invite Fr Dermot Fenlon, Fr Philip Cleevely or Brother Lewis Berry to do it?

It seems strange to me that they are advertising at all considering the fact that the Birmingham Oratory is currently under visitation with no end in sight for the ongoing exile of three holy men. Surely the most important thing is to unite the existing community rather than making moves to replace them?

A parishioner from the Birmingham Oratory suggested some additions including the following:

"Candidates who are inclined to question official policy, or think for themselves need not apply."

Or rather, you may apply but the first interview might be held indefinitely at three separate monasteries hundreds of miles apart.

Update: I have removed a couple of comments on this blog entry that appeared to imply things about certain persons at the Birmingham Oratory which are potentially libelous. Please don't think this means I agree with all the comments I have not taken down.

John Smeaton writes...

What on earth are Catholics and non-Catholics to make of the situation? On the one hand three staunch pro-life, pro-family advocates suffer apparently peremptory ecclesiastical injustice. On the other hand Archbishop Nichols, just a couple of months ago, was painting the previous government's intentions on sex and relatonships education in an entirely postive light - when those intentions included continuing to enable the promotion and facilitation of abortion, contraception and homosexuality in schools, including Catholic schools.

What on earth is happening when, on the one hand, apparently peremptory ecclesiastical injustice can be unhesitatingly meted out to staunch upholders of Catholic teaching on life and the family, and, on the other hand, the appointment of a blatantly anti-life, anti-family former Member of Parliament to be deputy director of the Catholic Education Service is indignantly defended by representatives of the Catholic Bishops Conference of England and Wales?

He quotes Dr Tom Ward, corresponding member of the Pontifical Academy for Life...

Three Oratorians have been condemned to an indefinite sentence of removal after abrupt eviction from their home at Cardinal Newman’s Oratory in Birmingham.

This penalty of an indefinite sentence to widely distant monasteries is ordinarily associated with very serious moral failings. However it appears that the investigative process was incomplete before they started their sentence. How therefore could there have been a verdict? Indeed was there even a charge? These men are attested by their own authorities to be innocent, virtuous and to have done no harm. They have an almost unrivalled track record in this country of defending life and the primary and inalienable right of parents as educators of their children. They are totally faithful to and outspoken in their defence of the Papal Magisterium.

...

It is a scandal that these men with outstanding ability to cooperate in the defence of the authentic understanding of Cardinal Newman’s teaching on conscience have been summarily removed from the Oratory which, in the light of the imminent Papal beatification of its founder, has now become the best platform in the world from which to defend Newman and the Papal Magisterium.

Remember how Archbishop Nichols handled the Terry Prendergast situation? He said nothing and waited. It fizzled away in to the past until it seems almost obsessive compulsive to mention it. He's doing the same with Greg Pope and the exact same thing is being done with the Birmingham Three.

Bring them home.

I didn't draw this (you can tell because the author has artistic skills)...

Meanwhile Anna Arco writes...

There were some doubts about whether the Pope would be able to go to the Birmingham Oratory because of controversies within the community. Two members were removed to abbeys in Leicestershire and Scotland last month while a third was sent home.

...

Fr Richard Duffield, the current Provost of the Birmingham Oratory, said: “It’s marvellous news. We’re utterly delighted.

[link]

Remember when this was first announced in The Tablet, they said...

A spokesman for the Oratory described the decision as an “internal domestic affair” but said that there had been disagreements in the community about how best to approach the beatification of their founder Cardinal John Henry Newman.

So there were "disagreements in the community about how best to approach the beatification" and now we hear that these "controversies within the community" lead to "doubts about whether the Pope would be able to go to the Birmingham Oratory".

These holy men were sent away for having the wrong views about the beatification of Newman. Put out of the way so that those with the 'correct' views could get on with doing things according to plan.

What is the the 'correct' view? Don't rock the boat!

Boat rockers will not be tolerated.

Listening on the Radio yesterday to Jack Valero speaking about the Birmingham Three, I couldn't help thinking that the more he spoke, the less sense it all made.

Jack's narrative in all this is that it's not a big deal. It's a minor, tiny, small internal matter that we wouldn't even have heard of if it were not for the beatification.

"of course you can make it big" he says.

Sending somebody away for a few days: Not big. Sending somebody away for seven weeks is getting bigger. If these guys are away until the beatification it will have been months which is bigger still.

It's not me that's making this big. The longer it goes on, the bigger it gets.

Want to make it small? Bring them home.

Jack said they had been "asked to go away and pray for a while". Well it's been a while now so bring them home.

Jack said "they are away now, they will come back". This is excellent news! It's also the first time anybody from the Oratory has confirmed that the three will be coming home. Why not bring them home now?

Jack said "We are working together, so there's no falling out and there's no casting away it's just a time away to cool down" but surely seven weeks is more than enough time to cool down so bring them home.

Jack said "they can come back soon and we can continue as normal". Soon... That's a good word. How about now?

Jack said "there's no indication they've done something wrong, they've been punished or anything. these words are wrong they give the wrong impression". If they haven't done anything wrong, why can't they come back?

It is ludicrous to claim that the three have done nothing wrong, are not being punished and there is "no falling out" and then to say that they must be away any longer.

This is getting bigger, but that can stop right now by bringing these men home.

A couple of days ago I was contacted by a fellow from BBC West Midlands Radio who wanted to know if I would be willing to give the story on why the Birmingham 3 have been sent away.

This morning I appeared opposite Jack Valero who gave the usual nonsense about it being an internal matter - you know, because Catholic parishes are just like McDonalds and the way they treat their "staff" is not your concern.

Then there's this thing about the three needing time "to recover" - that's a new one.

Recover from what?

The simple fact is that if these three men have been sent away over internal disputes, seven weeks should be more than enough time to sort things out and the excuse is wearing thin.

Still, I'm pretty sure I heard Jack say that this is not permanent and the three will be coming back. That's good news - unless it's a lie.

Of course, he didn't say when.

You can listen to it on iPlayer here until 7th June. My part begins at 1hr 35min ish.