To Whom it may Concern,
I first met Father Dermot Fenlon in August 2009 when he showed me around Newman’s study at the Oratory. I was deeply impressed by him as a person, a committed man of God and a scholar.
I invited him to the launch of my critically acclaimed book entitled: Sophie Scholl: The Woman Who Defied Hitler in Liverpool in February 2010, which tells the story of one of Germany’s most brave and important resistance figures who died fighting the unjust and inhumane Nazi regime.
I find the extended exile of Father Fenlon to be completely unjustified. This decision needs re-thinking urgently as it infringes the basic human rights and the free movement of a good and decent man. His continued enforced exile and the publicity surrounding it which is growing does no credit to the reputation of the Catholic Church in the broader community in Britain and it damages its international reputation.
I urge you to re-think this decision and allow Father Fenlon - who is serving a sentence, but has committed no crime, to return to the Oratory to carry on his good work.
Yours sincerely
Dr. Frank McDonough
Author of ‘Sophie Scholl’
Liverpool
15 September 2010
