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Irish Catholic Bishop Moriarty resigns to Pope Benedict

By
PATRICK ROBERTS,
IrishCentral.com Staff Writer

Published Wednesday, December 23, 2009, 11:17 AM
Updated Wednesday, December 23, 2009, 11:30 AM

 

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Dr. James Moriarty was auxiliary bishop in the Dublin diocese between 1991 and 1993.
Dr. James Moriarty was auxiliary bishop in the Dublin diocese between 1991 and 1993.

Irish Catholic Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin Jim Moriarty resigned to Pope Benedict XVI today following revelations in the Murphy Report into child abuse in the Dublin Archdiocese published last month.

Moriarty was an auxiliary bishop in Dublin between 1991 and 1993.  The report said that in that role, he had received a complaint about a priest known by the pseudonym Father Edmondus, regarding the priest’s contact with young children.

According to the report, youth workers were concerned that young girls, and especially very poor children, seemed to spend time at Edmondus’ house.
 
Moriarty discussed the matter with local priests and with Archbishop Desmond Connell, and warned "Edmondus" about his behavior, but he did not consult others for more information about Edmondus.

“No attempt was made by the archdiocesan authorities to check the archives or other files relating to 'Edmondus' when these complaints were received,” the Murphy Report says.

In a radio interview last week, Moriarty said he should not have to resign.

“I stand by my statement that I should not resign for my partial involvement in the Edmondus case, but I want to add that no bishop can put his own position before the good of the Church.”

Moriarty was due to retire in two years’ time. But following a meeting between Moriarty and diocesan priests and staff in County Laois, Moriarty has said he is willing to leave his post early, according to Irish TV broadcaster RTE.

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5 Comments

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Report abuse
Posted by CitizenWhy on Apr 21, 2010, 03:15 AM EDT
Raised catholic I thought religion was about developing a relationship with God and working to have at least respectful relationships with "neighbors," defined as people different from your own. Never heard much about "loving the church" but I gradually came to realize that the Catholic Church has a cult-like obsession with "the church," making it something apart from our common humanity. What has been lacking in all this is a concern for the humanity, never mind the souls, of everyone abused, everyone whose good will has been betrayed, and everyone tainted by abetting and harboring the abusers. I think of this whenever I hear the Eastern Orthodox formula emphasizing God's loving-kindness toward humanity. In all this ecclesiastical dancing away from responsibility there has been much love of the "church? displayed but very little lovingkindness for the humanity of the victims, their families, and people going to church as part of trying to live right and do right. The church has made an idol of the church. can it change? Doubtful.
Report abuse
Posted by KathyCallahan on Dec 23, 2009, 08:14 PM EST
"In a radio interview last week, Moriarty said he should not have to resign." His remarks are right straight out of the Irish Catholic Church playbook and central casting. Up until the moment of the watershed implosion that forced Bishop Moriarity to resign against his own selfish will: he had totally free reign to do and say whatever he wanted in regard to any and all aspects of children being sexually abused by priests. Moriarity took the law into his own hands because he could take the law into his own hands and operate freely outside of it and without any fear or concern about being held accountable or apprehended by local and state lawmakers because he wasn't and that was never known to happen in Ireland. Being in a totally anti social, coolly indifferent and emboldened by absolute power state of mind he demanded total obedience while exerting total control over the minds and bodies of victimized children, families, law makers and the newspapers so that true parish crime scene stories and reports would never see the light of day. Moriarity, acted like the King of the County and enjoyed all of the power and privileges bestowed on him by the ‘Divine Right of Kings’ as he unilaterally dismissed victims, scoffed off parents complaints, squashed and buried criminal evidence and diminished investigations underway and published in the Ryan and Murphy Report.
Report abuse
Posted by KathyCallahan on Dec 23, 2009, 07:33 PM EST
As Moriarity harbored and protected the "Edmondus Priests" in parishes where he knew full well they would never ever be investigated, apprehended or brought to justice in Irish criminal court. So they do what pedophile priests must do to the children they work closely with and have ready access to on the altar and in between saying mass and presiding over confessions, holy communions, baptisims, and teaching CCD: Orchestrate and perpetrate elaborate pedophile ritualistic crimes; sacrificing and soul murdering children to satisfy themselves. Another lawless bishop bites the dust reluctantly and has the temerity to say on the radio much like the priest who publicly embraced a convicted rapist a few weeks ago in effected re assaulting the female victim: Our behavior is normal and perfectly okay according to our private code. The Moriarity's seem to have a devil may care and anything goes attitude towards children. Of course the Irish Catholic Church doesn't have a -uniform and lawful across county child protection protocol and procedural manual or a program in place that mandates religious in Ireland and the Vatican must answer to and work in concert with the state and law enforcement officials on every level of accountability in regard to protecting Irish children from any and all harm; apprehending and prosecuting pedophile priests under Irish law and in courts of justice and never ever again before a religious tribunal.
Report abuse
Posted by barneyjo on Dec 23, 2009, 06:40 PM EST
How can anyone here know just how angry Christ is? Unless Christ has commiunicated his state of mind to someone directly.It is possible to hypothosise how our Lord may view these circumstances, but we do so from within the extremely limited scope of the "human condition" We cannot, dare not suppose to know what our Lord feels about anything!!
Report abuse
Posted by jmcmahon on Dec 23, 2009, 02:42 PM EST
The abusers directly destroyed the trust & self-belief of young children. Church leaders have destroyed church authority & public trust by their actions. Some of us who grew up in the 60's & later, went to schools & boarding schools, were defiled by priests who were attracted to the church for the wrong reasons. The 95% or more of dedicated priests & clergy who have been beacons of good have also been destroyed by these pedophiles. Church leaders who protected these pedophiles at the expense of protecting young children should apoligize & resign. They have done the work of Cromwell in slaughtering the innocent. Christ's anger at the moneylenders in the temple, is nothing to his anger at this betrayal. John McMahon ex Gormanston College Massachusetts
 


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