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More Irish bishops may be forced to retire by Vatican

By
Patrick Roberts,
IrishCentral.com Staff Writer
Published Tuesday, December 8, 2009, 8:00 AM
Updated Tuesday, December 8, 2009, 8:15 AM

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Several Irish bishops may be forced to retire by the Vatican following the church pedophile scandal, according to reports.

Cardinal Sean Brady and Archbishop Diarmuid Martin have been asked to meet the Pope on Friday “to exchange information and evaluate the painful situation of the church in Ireland following the recent publication of the Murphy commission report."

Senior Vatican figures and the Papal Nuncio to Ireland will also attend amid growing sings that the Vatican has lost patience with the continuing series of priest pedophile stories emanating from Ireland.

It is thought that the Vatican will adopt a hard stance against those involved, and sources describe Pope Benedict XVI as "increasingly frustrated" by the crisis in the Irish church.

It is already believed that Limerick Bishop Donal Murray will be forced out, but four other bishops named in the Murphy report may also be on the chopping block.

The status of Cardinal Desmond O'Connell, who was in charge in Dublin when many of the abuses occurred but has since retired, is also in question. 

Bishop Murray is already in Rome and will attend a meeting with the Vatican’s Congregation of Bishops, which oversees the replacement of bishops and their reassignment.

Bishop Eamon Walsh, who was in key positions in the Dublin archdiocese during the worst of the pedophile allegations, is considered the most likely bishop to follow Murray into forced resignation

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15 Comments

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jacersisityourself | Dec 11, 2009, 02:47 PM EST
News here in Ireland tonight, following the meeting between Pope Benedict, Cardinal Brady and Archbishop Martin has it that the CC in Ireland is set for major changes. Not before its time, too late for the abused.

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jacersisityourself | Dec 11, 2009, 02:43 PM EST
I agree with McNamara31... but you have to remember that Canon Law deals with spiritual aspects while state laws deal with society. Remember too that almost every organisation of any kind has its own set of rules - soccer, GAA, AFL, your local Residents Association etc.

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jacersisityourself | Dec 11, 2009, 02:39 PM EST
irishathens - Amazing news breaking about the dead body of former Greek President of Cyprus, Mr. Papadopolous being stolen from his grave on the 1st anniversary of his death. His grave was dug up, coffin opened, body removed and the empty coffin left behind. Or could this be a "Resurrection"?

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McNamara31 | Dec 09, 2009, 05:54 PM EST
In so many abuse articles, there is often a reference to how "canon law" handles the situation. I believe it was truly a terrible day in the catholic church, when the bishops, cardinals and popes behaved more like "lawyers" than sheperds of men. Their attention became more focused on canon law than the teachings and gospels of Christ.

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Littlebird | Dec 09, 2009, 04:03 PM EST
Although the bishop of the child abuse scandal in Ireland will resign, will help the victims and their families who have been emotionally traumatized, not to forget the alienation from God caused by such “STALWART DEFENDERS” of religious faith! Where does the responsibility lie? Enforced celibacy has no biblical foundation at all! Why was it instituted in the first place? And why was such a perversion covered up for so long by an organization that claims to be the guardian of Christian ethics and morals? And why was this allowed by the authorities for so long? Were church and state in each other pockets? May we hope that the discussion with the Pope at the Vatican next week will HELP clear up ALL THE TRADITIONS AND PRACTICES, DOGMAS AND RITES, that CONTRADICT the teachings of the greatest Prophet of all times, Jesus of Nazareth? AND PERHAPS, WHILE THEY'RE AT IT, start compensating for ALL THE wrongs DONE OVER THE ages?! What would Jesus of Nazareth say if He came to the Earth and saw what the church – which claims to speak for Him – has made of His life’s work? A small group in Germany called“ The Free Christians for the Christ of the Sermon on the Mount in All Cultures Worldwide” is against such shameful sham Christianity. They announced a lawsuit against the Catholic Church. As they put it, they do not want to remain silent anymore on the “brazen labeling fraud,” with which Christ is mocked and His name abused to such an extent. They demand that the Catholic Church no longer call itself “Christian.”As a Christian. Perhaps your readers would like to check them out: http://www.christus-oder-kirche.de/christ-or-church/index.php

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Littlebird | Dec 09, 2009, 03:42 PM EST
http://www.irishcentral.com/news/More-Irish-bishops-may-be-forced-to-retire-by-Vatican-78758747.html

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jacersisityourself | Dec 09, 2009, 03:22 PM EST
Many thanks to irishathens for that enlightening info on the Greek Orthodox Church. So the scandalous former Greek Prime Minister Papadopoulos (spelling?) was a son of a Greek priest – Fr. Dopoulos? Interesting - never knew that! I think it’s extraordinary that you’ve known of only one case in 19 years relating to paedophilia in Christian Greece because statistically it exists in all societies according to Social Studies experts and exists all the time, everywhere. Yep, I agree – I’ve previously posted under Fr. Tim’s old IC blogs that the Church Laws need massive overhauling. I don’t agree that the Church walls will tumble down – Christ promised He would be with his Church at all times and I freely believe in Him. I’ve been to Athens a few times – love the old city, fascinating museums and ruins. And nah! – St. Peter is not poor – he’s rich in the love of Christ, as we all are, whether we acknowledge or not.

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jacersisityourself | Dec 09, 2009, 02:55 PM EST
LOL @ kickstar!

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irishathens | Dec 09, 2009, 01:57 PM EST
Kathy, I to have had experience with adults who couldn't talk about "their shame" so I fully comprehend the work you are doing. I couldn't do it as it breaks my heart. jacersisityourself, this is a very rare occurance in Greece. Like Ireland there is no separation of church and state. Priests if they do not want key positions in the church (Bishop upwards)are allowed to marry (everyones name that starts with Papa means that they are the offspring of a priest). When the question of pedophile allegations happen,(only once in my 19 years here) regardless of rank they are judged by their peers and if found guily are defrocked then they are tried and sentenced to prison by the civil courts. I honestly believe the Vatican should scrap or improve on the archaic Canon Laws. I agree that we all make mistakes and learn from them. However, it has been proven that it is rare for a pedophile even with therapy not to have the "urge". I have the utmost respect for the Church but as a free thinker realise that if it cannot clean its own house the walls will tumble down. Poor St. Peter!

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kickstar | Dec 09, 2009, 07:52 AM EST
The last thing I would want to look at is one of these morons without his frock on.

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Downunderyan | Dec 09, 2009, 06:41 AM EST
It is an appalling history of abuse, injustice and indifference, covered up and protected by the Catholic State hegemony established by the odious 'Long Fella', de Valera, after Irish Independence(?). However, on a lighter note (true story) there was a painfully shy British Diplomat posted to Latin America in the 1950's who always needed a stiff shot of 'Dutch Courage' before going to diplomatic functions, always arriving unfashionably late. One night, when he entered a crowded function hall, he espied a vision in red across the room and meandered his way across the floor filled with the gathered VIP's as the band played a musical item. In his slurred, best English, he asked the 'vision splendid' to give him the pleasure of the next dance, to which he received the following response: No, for the following reasons; One, you're drunk, two they're playing the national anthem, and, three, I'm the Archbishop of Montevideo. How can you take seriously clergy, or diplomats, dressed up anachronistically in mediaeval costume? They're so out of touch with the day-to-day reality of their flocks! We need to catch up with the twenty first century here and remove the feudalistic rights and privileges of the clergy. They shouldn't be accorded the secrecy and protection of the Free Masons, the Hellfire Clubs, Yale University's ultra-secretive Skull and Bones Society and other equally nefarious cloak and dagger organisations acting sub rosa.

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ceciliag | Dec 08, 2009, 09:36 PM EST
It would be wonderful if all those criminally indifferent bishops, (including the Bishop of Roman, Ratzinger) would be removed from power in our church.

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jacersisityourself | Dec 08, 2009, 03:39 PM EST
Ah now, now - c’mon irishathens... Forgive me if I think you’re forgetting the blessings of the Sacrament of Forgiveness instituted by Jesus Christ Himself in the moments before he died on the Cross. I’m not defending the covers-up, nor am I belittling the child abuse but when you and I go to Confession and are truly contrite for our wrongs, we receive the forgiveness of Jesus and His Father through the Sacrament and get on with our spiritual lives. Clerics are no different... even Pope Benedict goes to Confession. We are all human, with all the faults of humans in things we do and in the things we fail to do. I agree that all clerics, including those of rank should resign or be put out of religious office for covering up or failing to act but if they’ve confessed and done penance for their wrongs, then canonically they are in the clear with God (until the next time, if it comes, God forbid). Who amongst us has not ‘Loved God first’ at least once or failed to ‘Love our Neighbours’ as God loves us at least once? “Once a priest, always a priest”, even out of titular office but defrocking from priesthood is only for those clerics who persist with sin under Canon Laws (quaint expression that – ‘defrocking’ – it means ‘taking away the authority to be a priest’). We all make mistakes and can most times correct them. If the crimes of clerics are also against the State Laws, I agree too that they should be punished under these laws. Don’t the rest of us in society face serving time in jail to purge our wrong against society until released (or not!)? So too should clerics. But we can’t summarily call for defrocking, that’s not our right – that’s within Canon Law and nothing to do with state laws. As you’re in Athens, you might offer for our information what happens to Greek clerics caught in these situations?

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KathyCallahan | Dec 08, 2009, 02:51 PM EST
and locked up -irish athens See the first paragraph above: notice! what is not stated: -the painful situation of the victims and their families in Ireland, Boston and across America. I care about this issue personally; and professionally as I am a child and family therapist, consultant and I also work with adult victims in North Jersey: Hudson, Essex, Passaic and Bergen County New Jersey

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irishathens | Dec 08, 2009, 11:26 AM EST
About time....they shouldn't just be retired but defrocked

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