Why did the bishop buy a £215,000 villa for his housekeeper?

ONE OF the Catholic Church's largest dioceses has been called to explain why £215,000 of parishioners' funds were used to buy a villa for use by a senior bishop's housekeeper.

A Labour MSP has asked why the cash was used to purchase a property for Bishop of Motherwell Joseph Devine's maid, despite his home having private quarters for her.

Monsignor John Burns, whose name is on the official documents for the transaction, said he had no knowledge of the sale.

The bishop's spokesman referred all questions on the house to senior church official Frank Cassidy, while Cassidy said the idea behind the plan came from the bishop. More...

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