Forty-Four
Fr Maurice Skinner’s reformation didn’t come until he was well and truly entrenched in the ministry of chaplain to prisoners, which he lived as his vocation for thirty-five years. In a way, Maurice Skinner served a life sentence for his crimes. Bishop Walsh may have been understanding of his weaknesses as a man at the time of his failing but, motivated by his desire to protect the good name of the Church, he had done all he could to keep Maurice away from small boys. Bishop Walsh had not, however, been forgiving. Maurice had entered his ministry in the prisons as an ostracised servant of God. He had not been invited to fraternal gatherings of his fellow priests, and had been assigned to living quarters in a decommissioned parish, away from public view.
It had taken Maurice a l
