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Ultimatum to four Irish Catholic bishops: Quit or be fired by Vatican

Prime Minister Brian Cowen comes out swinging, too

By
PATRICK ROBERTS
,
IrishCentral.com Staff Writer
Published Saturday, December 19, 2009, 11:46 PM
Updated Monday, December 21, 2009, 4:01 PM
Read more: Archbishop Diarmuid Martin, Christianity, Culture and Lifestyle, Religion, Roman Catholicism

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Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin
Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin

Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin has apparently issued an ultimatum to four bishops embroiled in the Irish Catholic Church child sex abuse scandal — to either quit or be fired by the Vatican.

Martin also has a new and potent ally: In a dramatic move, Prime Minister Brian Cowen has backed Martin, saying it was "a time for leadership and accountability" from the Catholic Church.

The four bishops were implicated in the escalating scandal by the Murphy Report, which probed the period in which they served in the Dublin Archdiocese. They are Bishop Raymond Field, Bishop Eamon Walsh, Bishop Martin Drennan and Bishop Jim Moriarty. 

One bishop, Donal Murray of Limerick, has already been forced out, and Martin is believed to have told the others that their days are numbered.

If the four bishops don't quit, Martin will reportedly petition the Congregation of Bishops in Rome to remove them.

For his part, Cowen stated: "The resignation of Bishop Murray is a welcome indication that those who are in positions of leadership and responsibility in the Church are facing up to their responsibility in the light of the very clear findings of the Murphy Commission."

Martin appears to have a clear mandate from the Vatican to sort out the Church sex abuse issue once and for all, and is moving very aggressively to have those who were in any way implicated in it to be removed.

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Most recent comments - See all comments

Report abuse
Posted by LeoDavis on Dec 23, 2009, 10:42 PM EST
It is truly a sad situation. Having gone to a Catholic parochial school and having worked with Priests in various parishes and serving on Parish, Regional and Diocesan Councils, I never encountered any incidents of the sort reported here. I have been fortunate to have been associated with fine commited, holy men. As in ages past, the Curch will survive and good men will replace those few bad apples.
Report abuse
Posted by Joskonogha on Dec 21, 2009, 08:22 PM EST
Very sad indeed.
Report abuse
Posted by BlessedThistle on Dec 21, 2009, 03:17 PM EST
I am firm in the punishments of the guilty. The only reason the modern Church is against execution is their secret knowledge of all the abuse they have done. Many laws even within the church itself gave torture and execution as the only means to save the sinner of child abuse. The evil Bishops and priests and sisters and brothers should all be taken and tossed in the Atlantic. Maybe before that an gorilla aphrodisiac sprayed on them and then placed into the gorilla cage. A 300 pound gorilla having his way with them would be just. All of these horrid sins of the proud bishops were foretold by Our Lady of La Salette and Fatima. God will soon restore order but before than every good Irishman should burn these evil ones out of their homes.
Report abuse
Posted by Ms.Gail on Dec 21, 2009, 12:35 PM EST
Fired? Were there no criminal charges? Were there no civil charges by the victims or their families?
Report abuse
Posted by SarahTX2 on Dec 21, 2009, 12:18 PM EST
Martin is the man! Wish we had one in America.
Report abuse
Posted by alioops on Dec 21, 2009, 09:45 AM EST
Didn't Oprah once say child sexual abuse is the 'great spirit killer'? Well fire those child molesting sickos now and be done with it.


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