A Roman Catholic priest in the UK is taking legal action against a public hospital foundation after he was allegedly ousted from a National Health Service (NHS) facility for responding to a patient’s question about the church’s position on sex and marriage .
Rev Patrick Pullicino, 73, who was a temporary staffer at the South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust, was advised that the Trust’s policy on equality and diversity “overrides religious beliefs” after the patient’s complaint had legal counsel at the Christian Legal Center in London.
Pullicino told Fox News Digital that the incident, which took place in August 2019, happened when a Catholic NHS hospital patient asked to take him for a walk while telling the priest he was planning to marry his same-sex partner , and asked what he thought about it.
“So I said to him, ‘Well, what do you think God would say to that?’ That’s a Catholic asking a Catholic chaplain — obviously in a secular hospital, but he obviously wanted the Catholic doctrine, but that’s all I would give anyway,” Pullicino said.
CHARITY APOLOGIES TO KAPLAN WHO WAS THREATENED TO ‘CONSEQUENCES’ AND ‘RETRAINING’ FOR WEARING CROSS PIN
Rev Patrick Pullicino, 73, is pursuing legal action against an NHS trust after he was allegedly expelled for answering a patient’s questions. (Christian concern)
“I wasn’t trying to force it on him, I just set it up to try and slowly let him know, and it wasn’t a confrontational conversation.” After the patient disclosed his father’s disapproval of his lifestyle, Pullicino said , he would agree and encouraged the patient to “try to reconcile with his father”.
“Especially people with psychiatric illnesses definitely need family support. So I didn’t share too much more,” he said.
The Roman Catholic Church of Springfield University Hospital. (Google Maps)
Pullicino was later informed that a formal complaint had been filed against him over his comments. Vanessa Ford, acting chief executive of the South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust, reportedly said in a written response to the complaint that the trust’s equality and diversity policy “overrides religious beliefs”.
The priest’s contract with the hospital was eventually terminated while he was on annual leave in January 2020, his lawyers say.
“…it wasn’t a confrontational talk.”
– Rev. Patrick Pullicino
BRITISH SCHOOL Chaplain sues after dismissal after reporting as a terrorist for interviewing LGBTQ activists
The reason for the termination was reportedly “budget constraint,” although Pullicino found his salary was very low and offered to work for free. With the help of the Christian Legal Center he is now pursuing a legal battle against the trust alleging harassment, religious discrimination and victimisation.
The trial is scheduled to take place in July before the Croydon Employment Tribunal.
Prior to his ordination as a Catholic priest in 2019, Pullicino had a successful career in the NHS as a consultant neurologist and became known for helping to expose the abuses of the Liverpool Care Pathway, an end-of-life protocol later abolished.
The reason given for Pullicino’s resignation was reportedly “budget constraint,” though he noted his salary was very low. (Georgeclerk via Getty Images)
Pullicino noted that after his discharge from the hospital, there was no one to provide sacraments and support to Catholic patients.
“Psychiatric patients are extremely vulnerable,” Pullicino said. “They need support, and they especially need spiritual support. This is because some psychiatric problems, such as schizophrenia, blur the spiritual and personal dimensions, which can really upset patients. Spiritual support is extremely important for these people.”
CASE AGAINST CHRISTIAN STREET PREACHER ARRESTED FOR ALLEGED HOMOPHOBIA
“…in some psychiatric problems, such as schizophrenia, the spiritual and personal dimensions are blurred…”
– Rev. Patrick Pullicino
Pullicino said British society was becoming increasingly secularised, noting that the number of professing Christians in the country had fallen below 50%. He also said the hospital has been trying hard to hire more Muslim chaplains, even though the percentage of Muslims in the UK is relatively small.
“It’s as if they are bending over backwards to support and implement such a religion while supplanting Christianity,” he added. “It’s really sad.”
Christianity shrinks into a minority religion for the first time in England and Wales: ‘No big surprise’
Pullicono’s trial is due to take place before the Croydon Employment Tribunal in July. (Andrew Holt via Getty Images)
“While we cannot comment on active legal proceedings, we are absolutely committed to promoting equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) for all of our staff, patients and communities,” said a spokesman for South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust Fox News Digital.
“We have an EDI policy that we actively promote and expect all of our employees to adhere to. We respect and celebrate all protected characteristics of our employees, patients and communities alike.”
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
“We take seriously our responsibility to ensure that patients’ spiritual needs are met and we reject any form of discrimination. We strive to protect all of our patients and staff in accordance with the Equality Act 2010.”