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Translation of Father Pachecos
Statement to the PJ 30th October 2007
Jose Manuel Conceicao Pacheco
The first time he had contact with the McCann's was on 5th May
at about 19.00. This was a personal contact with them in the
Ocean Club at their apartment, but not the apartment Madeleine
disappeared from. They were accompanied by members of the
holiday group.
This was an important meeting for the McCann's and which had not
been possible to the fact that they were busy. He knows that on
the fateful night the McCann's requested the presence of a
priest, but he was only informed the following morning.
On the 5th, the theme they talked about was the disappearance
and he gave all possible spiritual comfort and they prayed
together. They also agreed that the couple would go to the
church the following day to attend a mass.
He also prayed with the McCann's on the 6th and 8th May in their
apartment.
He gave them the key to the church on the 7th or 8th May upon
the suggestion of John Geraghty, a resident of the parish, so
that they could calmly go to the church without any media
pressure. Someone from the church gave the key to John Geraghty,
who then passed it on to the McCann's, with Father Pacheco's
permission.
He does not remember the date upon which the key was returned.
Other contact with the McCann's took place at the end of mass
when he would comfort them.
He would also meet with the McCann's after they returned from
their trips and remembered they were animated when they returned
from Morocco as they thought they would Madeleine there. He also
comforted Kate when the news of a child buried in Arau broke, as
she revealed great nervousness and anxiety, thinking that the
child had died.
When questioned, he said he never heard their confessions,
perhaps because they only spoke English.
He never talked to them alone.
He states that they showed great suffering to the loss of their
daughter.
He adds that a parish bulletin was published giving spiritual,
moral and human support to the couple and to other missing
children. |
