Controversial Bishop in plea for new church on sea

A controversial bishop today appealed for a donor to replace his ‘floating church’ ship which caught fire and sank off the coast of Galway.

Tridentine Bishop Michael Cox, 61, said he had been broken by the loss of the 82-foot Patriarch last year.

“If anybody out there has a boat they would like to donate to me, I would really appreciate it, because I couldn’t afford it at the moment,” he said.

Mr Cox had consecrated the boat and had got three experienced friends to sail it from Kilronan Harbour in Galway to Blacksod Bay in Mayo on September 1 last year.

He planned to carry out alterations to the shelter deck there so that it could be converted into a floating church.

But the boat caught fire and the crew had to be airlifted to safety.

The Marine Casualty Investigations Board report published today said the crew had smelled burning plastic or rubber.

“The information combined with the apparent seat of the fire suggests an electrical fire, however the vessel was so badly burned out it was not possible to prove this to a satisfactory conclusion,” it said.

Mr Cox said he had spent a lot of money to ensure the boat was provided with all the latest safety equipment.

“I had lifebelts, life buoys, a six man life raft and an eight man life raft. I had medical kit, VHF radio and a brand new GPS system. I was after getting it all serviced, it was a beautiful, beautiful ship.”

Although he put the total loss on the uninsured boat at more than €30,000, he said the most important thing was that the crew had been saved.

“I am glad no-one lost their life,” he said.

Mr Cox, who is based at St Colman’s Church, in Cree, County Offaly, was excommunicated by the Vatican after he consecrated rebel priest Fr Pat Buckley as a bishop in 1998.

He made headlines again a year later when he ordained singer Sinéad O’Connor as a priest in a ceremony in a hotel bedroom in Lourdes.

The Patriarch was intended to replace an old trawler known as the Little Bishop, which he had to bought to protest against the abortion ship being sailed into Ireland by a pro-choice group Women on Waves.

Mr Cox is now planning to raise funds for a new boat by publishing his life story ‘No Clocks on Me’ next year.

“If it’s God’s will, the book will sell,” he said.