Sacked priest takes church to court

by David Masters

A Catholic Priest from Dundee, Scotland, who was sacked because of an alleged 18-year affair with a member of his congregation, is suing the Church for unfair dismissal.

Monsignor Joseph Creegan, former parish priest of St. Peter and Paul’s Church, was fired in January this year by the Bishop of Dunkeld, Vincent Logan, following evidence given by the parishioner with whom he had the affair.

Creegan’s 62 year old mistress is understood to have confessed the affair to the Bishop after she discovered that Creegan was sleeping with another parishioner.

Creegan is taking the Catholic Church to court in Dundee to claim for lost earnings.

Bishop Logan has said that he will defend the Catholic Church by arguing that Creegan was not employed by the church, but by God.

It is unclear whether or not this will be accepted as a valid legal defence, because it is the first time that a priest has taken the Church to court over a dismissal.

If the defence is successful it will be because only employees can take their employer to tribunal.

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