By Belize Live News Staff: The Catholic Church is moving to strip Edward Gallagher of his priesthood, as fresh questions arise about his time on mission in Belize.
Bishop of Derry Michael Router has petitioned the Holy See to send the case directly to Pope Leo with a recommendation that Gallagher be immediately dismissed from the clerical state. It is the most serious penalty available under church law.
The bishop said the church cannot undo the harm caused, but has a responsibility to respond truthfully, justly and decisively. He said the diocese has cooperated fully with police and will continue to do so.
Now, the Irish News reports that Gallagher is believed to have brought a teenage boy under 18 from a mission in Belize to Ireland to live with him. The Diocese of Derry says it had no knowledge of the arrangement and no record of it, adding that it would never have been acceptable.
The revelation is likely to raise serious questions here at home. When did Gallagher serve in Belize? Which community or parish was he working with? How was a minor able to leave Belize for Ireland to live with him, and were his parents or guardians, the local church or child protection authorities aware?
Belizean officials and the Catholic Diocese of Belize City and Belmopan have not commented publicly.
Gallagher, 59, pleaded guilty to 109 child sex offences committed between 2023 and 2025. He will be sentenced on December 9.
Anyone with information or concerns about a child’s safety can contact the Belize Police Department or the Department of Human Services.
