U.S. clerics headed to Ireland

In 2002, he was named bishop of Palm Beach where the two previous bishops had admitted to abusing children.

Then, in 2003, he was named archbishop of Boston.  He replaced Cardinal Bernard Law who resigned having been criticized for his failure to remove abusive priests from their positions.

To date O’Malley has settled 101 abuse claims and claims to have initiated a zero-tolerance policy against sexual abuse. He also instituted one of the first comprehensive sexual abuse policies in the Roman Catholic Church.

O’Malley’s role in Dublin is to begin “in autumn this year,’’ the Vatican said.

“Our work here isn’t done,’’ said the Reverend John Connolly, a special assistant to O’Malley who oversees the archdiocese’s response to sexual abuse.  “It’s very much a work in progress.’’

O’Malley issued a statement about his new appointment.  “The church must be unfailingly vigilant in protecting children and young people. Our ongoing efforts in the Archdiocese of Boston are to ensure their safety will be helpful for the visitation,” he said.

“It will also be important to respond to the concerns of the Catholic community and the survivors in the manner that will promote the process of healing.”

The Archbishop of Dublin, Diarmuid Martin, issued a hopeful and positive statement.  Martin said he welcomed O’Malley’s appointment to the Dublin diocese.

His statement said he welcomes his “experience and personal commitment render him particularly suited to bring ecclesial solidarity to the faithful and the clergy of the Archdiocese of Dublin at this moment, in which the Church in Dublin addresses the truth of a dark moment in its history and undertakes a period of conversion, purification and renewal.”

In Boston, one Irish immigrant told the Boston Globe he was happy to hear of O’Malley’s intervention.

“I have a lot of respect for the man,’’ said Larry Reynolds, 77, a retired carpenter who lives in Waltham.

“I really think he would be good, because he’d go with an open mind, and give very sound advice.’’

The cardinal, who has his own blog, www.cardinalseansblog.org, is sure to write about his experiences in Dublin.

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Nster.com