Scottish Daily Record

FATHER SINEAD;
Rock star's bizarre entry to priesthood=20

Euan Mccolm



THIS is the moment outspoken pop singer Sinead O'Connor became a priest in
a bizarre hotel room ceremony.=

The star - who outraged Catholics when she ripped up a picture of the Pope
on American TV - danced to reggae music after being ordained in Lourdes.

O'Connor is now the first female Catholic Priest of the breakaway Latin
Tridentine group.

Rebel Irish Bishop Michael Cox of Birr, County Offaly, who flew to France
for the ceremony, said: "It was just beautiful. It was the most moving
ordination I've ever witnessed or taken part in."

The eccentric star - who recently claimed she was a medium at a tribute
concert for the late Linda McCartney - was ordained in her hotel.

She read from the book of Revelations before lying down on a white sheet to
symbolise her "death to the world".

Wearing a white robe, and bridal veil, O'Connor remained face down while
Bishop Cox continued the ceremony.

The bishop then bound her hands with linen as a sign of her devotion to God.

As he completed the ritual she was named Mother Bernadette Maria.

She said: "I am delighted to offer myself to the Catholic Church so that I
may be used to attract young people back to church, Christ, his Mother and
the power of prayer."

O'Connor is now entitled to say mass for the Latin Tridentines, and will be
encouraged to use her singing voice and hands for "divine healing".

As the ceremony finished, O'Connor took delivery of a box of reggae CDs for
her record company.

After the ordination, the singer and the bishop danced around the room to a
dub reggae track, Vampire Slayer, by Jamaican star Lee "Scratch" Perry.

Afterwards, Bishop Cox said: "I would not have ordained her if I did not
believe she had a true vocation. This is a great day for the Catholic church.

"This ordination will encourage a lot more people into the church."

>From now on the singer - who was recently involved in a custody battle over
her three-year-old daughter Roisin - says she will be based in Lourdes.

She said: "My US record company Atlantic have agreed to allow me to use the
name Mother Bernadette and to act as the post office for my ministry. They
are one million per cent behind me."
O'Connor also revealed that she has donated pounds 150,000 "to the people
of Ireland" to start off her new ministry.