Patrick "Pat" Buckley (born 1952) is a former priest of the Roman Catholic Church in Ireland who was excommunicated as a result of his ordination as a bishop in an independent church. As an illicitly ordained bishop he is not a member of the Irish episcopal conference and is not treated as a bishop by bishops in communion with Rome.
Buckley was born in Tullamore, Co. Offaly, Ireland and is now living at The Oratory, Larne, County Antrim, a house which used to belong to the Catholic Diocese of Down and Connor and which Buckley refused to leave following his suspension from the priesthood in 1986 by the then bishop, Cahal Daly.
Buckley was ordained a Roman Catholic diocesan priest in 1976 in Waterford by the Bishop of Waterford and Lismore, Michael Russell, and subsequently ordained a bishop by Independent Catholic Bishop Michael Cox in the episcopal lineage of Archbishop Ngo Den Thuc (Vietnam and The Vatican) on the 19 May 1998. He was co-consecrated by Bishop Peter Paul Brennan of New York in the Cardinal Rebiba lineage - a lineage shared by most of the current bishops of the Roman Catholic Church. These ceremonies were conducted without the approval of the Roman Catholic Church and the Pope. As a result, by Roman Catholic normative thought, Buckley's consecration may be considered "valid but unlawful". Also, by normative practice, both he and Cox were, if not already, excommunicated from the Catholic Church.
Buckley was elected to Larne Borough Council in 1989 as an independent, a seat he lost in 1993. In the late 1980s and early 1990s he wrote a column for the Belfast Sunday Telegraph.
Buckley has since offered marriage services to the divorced as well as blessing gay unions.[2]
On 10 October 1999 he publicly confirmed his homosexuality.[1] and takes a liberal stance on both moral issues and theology. In his autobiography, Buckley stated that he believes it may be possible for the Devil himself to be redeemed. He has also claimed that over 40% of Catholic clergy are gay and has encouraged them to come out.[2]
Buckley is actively involved in the gay and lesbian community in both Ireland and Britain. His ministry involves giving same-sex blessings as well as holding spiritual seminars for LGB communities.
Buckley entered into a civl partnership with his Filipino boyfriend Eduardo Yango on 2 March 2010..
Buckley was granted an episcopal coat of arms by the Chief Herald of Ireland in 2000.[3]
On 9th February 2010, an article published in Belfast Telegraph reported that Buckley's wedding was called off due to his boyfriend getting cold feet.[4]