Bishop of cocaine-snorting priest is 'concerned' for his health
The bishop of a Roman Catholic priest caught on video snorting cocaine has said he is "concerned" for his health.
Father Stephen Crossan, 37, was shown sniffing a line of cocaine through a rolled-up £10 note in a room full of Nazi memorabilia, according to a video obtained by The Sun on Sunday.
Father Crossan, who has requested "extended leave" from his diocese of Dromore in Northern Ireland, had been out drinking in July last year near what was then his home in the grounds of St Patrick's Church in Banbridge, County Down.
He seemed to say "I shouldn't" as he took the drug, according to the video. Father Crossan admitted to the newspaper that he took the drugs. He said: "It was just the one night and that was it."
The video shows Nazi memorabilia such as an eagle with a swastika and a hat.
But Crossan, a former prison chaplain who was on sick leave with depression when the video was shot, insisted he was not a Nazi and said he collected historical items from other countries as well.
In a statement given to Christian Today, the Bishop of Dromore, Dr John McAreavey, said: "In May 2015 Stephen Crossan, a curate in the Diocese of Dromore, requested and was granted leave from his pastoral duties in Seapatrick Parish on health grounds. Since then he has been undergoing a period of counselling whilst also considering his own future.
"At the start of February 2016 Stephen Crossan informed the Bishop that he now wished to take an extended leave of absence from the priesthood. This was acceded to and a letter to this effect was read out at Masses in Seapatrick parish over the weekend of the 12/14th February.
"The Bishop had no knowledge of the incident, which allegedly occurred in the Parochial House in July 2015; however he is concerned for the health of Stephen Crossan and will pray for and support him and his family through whatever issues he is facing at the moment. No further comment will be made."
