NEW YORK BOSTON |#Popular: Irish Celebrity Gossip Irish in US Politics Irish Festivals Irish Roots Irish Entertainment Offbeat Irish

Home Page > News > Why the pope refused to name Archbishop Martin as a Cardinal

Why the pope refused to name Archbishop Martin as a Cardinal

Sex abuse scandal is over, say Vatican insiders

FATHER TIM,

Special to IrishCentral.com

Published Thursday, October 21, 2010, 5:23 AM

Updated Thursday, October 21, 2010, 9:15 AM

Larger Text

E-mail

21 Comments

Archbishop of Dublin, Diarmuid Martin

And that was a no-no. The always-right, supreme judge of others was guilty of something? Impossible! Almost heresy! There were just a few bad apples, Rome claimed. A little housekeeping and the dirt would be gone – so what’s this guy Martin trying to stir up?

Small wonder that Benedict called off the crusade – refusing in August to accept the Martin-inspired resignations of two Irish bishops named in the Murphy Report, and then reinstating them. There had previously been wide speculation that Martin was soon to wear a new red hat as one of the Church’s cardinals. Up in smoke!

In a letter to seminarians a few days ago, Benedict – for the first time – spoke of the Church’s much-debated policy on priestly celibacy in the same breath as the sex-abuse scandal:

“Even the most reprehensible abuse cannot discredit the priestly mission, which remains great and pure … in the life of celibacy.” This from the same pontiff who has cynically invited conservative Anglicans and their married priests to leave their church and join the Catholic Church!

Does Benedict just not get it? Far from it: Passing over and undercutting the fiery Martin is simply part of the overall strategy to fill the Curia with even more-conservative loyalists who will, at any cost, protect the Church from its “enemies.”

Like the innocent victims of predator priests and their fellow conspirators.

Father Tim is an Irish-American Jesuit missionary and a frequent contributor to IrishCentral.

Last page < 1 2

Nster.com

E-mail

21 Comments

See all comments

paricaliswishes | Dec 18, 2010, 03:03 PM EST

Diarmad Martin is a strong man and the church is afraid of him.???With the Faithful in a volatile mood anything could happen?

Report abuse

haikued2 | Oct 25, 2010, 01:20 PM EDT

What was done to children is a crime. Root them out and prosecute them. Anyone who covered it up also committed a crime and should likewise be prosecuted. The BUNK of forgive and forget only serves to encourage future transgressions. The wolves pretending to be shepherds need to be eliminated from the clergy...period.

Report abuse

Intercessor | Oct 24, 2010, 08:46 AM EDT

Why wasn't Archbishop Martin promoted? The answer is obvious to many. Probably seeing a Man of God, like Archbishop Martin, who puts Victims/Survivors of Priest/Nun/Clergy Pedophilia, first, would be a stark contrast against other high-hatted clerics in Ireland's Magisterium, who have an abominable track record of orchestrating cover-ups of rapes, sodomy and abuse! Why reward an honest archbishop, who makes the sins of the other bishops and archbishops even more obvious?

Report abuse

jacersagain | Oct 23, 2010, 08:02 PM EDT

(/...con’td) Let me get it straight up front for Watereskhill and others: I repeat that I think Ireland needs to be FLOODED with Princes of Christ’s Church in these our hours, days and years of doubt. Let's get what the World Eucharistic Congress of 2012 in Ireland is all about – a simple celebration of Communion with Christ, even if the world has to come here for it. Let’s not just have Pope Benedict, or whichever Roman Pope is in place in 2 yrs time, let’s invite the Pope of the Coptic Church, the Pope of the Eastern (Russian) Orthodox Church, the Patriarch of Greece – all of them - and every other leader of Christ’s Church on earth to be here in Ireland in 2012. Then the few secularist press reporters working in fewer and fewer press offices around the world might wake up and see just how strongly world-wide Christianity is working in loads more numbers of parish offices than they will ever have of newspaper offices. I just hope that Archbishop Martin and I will be privileged to be alive in 2012 to see the day that’s going to happen, secularist press or none present. You ask God to bless the bread and then you eat and share it; you ask God to bless the wine and then you share it – Christ lives.

Report abuse

jacersagain | Oct 23, 2010, 07:56 PM EDT

Watereskhill says - “There’s no room or role for a second Cardinal in Ireland”. I disagree strongly. On the contrary, I think Ireland today should be flooded with Princes of the Church of Christ. Some of us say they are here all the time, unnoticed in our parish churches. I agree w/ what The Yank says to some political extent - that our country’s population is “so small” that it doesn’t warrant a second Cardinal but St. Patrick didn’t think we were so small that he shouldn’t have bothered his barmy to return here with his message, for us celtic heathens, of Christ and the Trinity, expressed in his example of our unique shamrock plant. (Con’t’d.../)

Report abuse

Watereskhill | Oct 23, 2010, 12:19 AM EDT

There is no room or role for a second Cardinal in Ireland. The Archdiocese of Armagh is in charge and that is how it has been for centuries. The seat comes with the red hat and title 'Primate of all Ireland' with historical lineage dating back to the days of Patrick. I'm all for Archbishop Dairmud Martin being successor to Cardinal Brady. But given the fickle nature of The Vatican...It doesn't always salute or reward the best. Everyday Catholics in Ireland are regrettably not included in who sits on that chair. Nevertheless this honorable warrior Martin has my vote. God help us in these times of Benedict. Guilty of nepotism while The Church cries out for a Third Vatican Council.I am of the opinion that Archbishop Dairmud Martin of Dublin has no investment or interest in donning the red hat of The Church 'as is'. Given his marvelous Articles of late on Hierarchy. One reported on in these colums awhile back. If he reaches Armagh I can only align it to another Miracle and Divine Intervention at Knock. Thank you Fr.Tim for your forthright stuff in these matters. However you need to do some homework in speaking about Ireland. Another Cardinal on the landscape? What would be the boundaries of his jurisdiction? It's not Italy with numerous little 'kingdoms' and coquetish votes. It's a pyramid and Armagh has the first and final word.

Report abuse

maryemoore | Oct 22, 2010, 11:58 PM EDT

Fr. Tim, although I agree with all the things you have to say about the cover-up,you should know better. The reason Martin was not elevated to Cardinal is because Ireland, being a small country, Rome will not ordain a second Cardinal for the island as long as the one in place is under 80 and still can vote in the consistory to elect the papal successor. Dolan of the Archdiocese of NY was not elevated either because his predecessor, Egan is under 80. Wurl of Washington,DC just got the nod now that McCarrick is over 80n and can no longer vote. Don't be as duplicitous as the rest of the clerical bunch, please!

Report abuse

bcoc1124 | Oct 22, 2010, 10:44 AM EDT

Bernard Law was and is rewarded for his exploits in Boston - for shame! Archbishop Martin is actually being honored by exclusion from Rome's reward system. Our pope may not honor him, but Our Father does! Bless you, Archbishop.

Report abuse

TheYank | Oct 22, 2010, 06:00 AM EDT

There was never a chance that Ireland would have two voting Cardinals. Until Cardinal Brady reaches retirement age, Archbishop Martin will have to wait. I don't think there's any more to it than that.

Report abuse

Padraig | Oct 22, 2010, 03:32 AM EDT

To be honest, is it so crazy to become The Irish Catholic Church of old??They were looked down by Rome because of incorporating pagan teachings but really?? I read stories about Priests protecting their flock with Swords and Armor against Vikings. Could you honestly imagine if those Priests were alive today??? Modern day Priest would truly feel the vengeance of God, in this life and the next. Yes, we are told of a loving God but if Priest were a direct conduit to Christ, would they not carry out his vengeance to the wicked? I believe they would shed their blacken wings and flow a river forth to thee. I fantasize but it would be nice if someone truly took up the cross and had a crusade against pedofiles.

Report abuse

1934Máirín | Oct 21, 2010, 11:15 PM EDT

I think it is business as usual in the Vatican.

Report abuse

TonydeNewYork | Oct 21, 2010, 09:46 PM EDT

Another aging LIBERAL priest 'father tim' making FALSE acussations agaisnt the pope. Not wonder he is jesuit!

Report abuse

barneyjo | Oct 21, 2010, 07:49 PM EDT

I recall one of Father Tim's posts from about a year ago, in the immediate aftermath of the Murphy Report, in which he predicted the (slow) demise of the Catholic Church in Ireland. It was called "Would the last priest to leave Ireland please put out the light"!! I think we are getting down to that now. The upcoming Apostolic Visitation will I believe be the final weathervane that will indicate to the Vatican that it has lost control of its hold on Ireland. Once realising that, the vatican will simply walk away. I dont believe that Diarmuid Martin would even accept a Red Hat in the Church as is, even if it was offered to him; talk about a Poison Chalice!! His just reward will come from God in recognition of his faithful ministry of conscience and love for those who have suffered at the hand of the institution he has striven to serve.For me, the case is made and proven against the Church. It may limp on for a time, but it will fail because many of those presently in authority within it, no longer walk with Christ. It MUST!! fail before it can truly start to heal and renew itself; but not from the "top down" that day is gone for Irish people. The WILL embrace Priests and Religious who truely are instruments of Gods will on earth and together with those who are committed will build the church anew. Benedict, like many of his predecessors could have taken the decision to renew the mission of the church, but instead have chosen a course whereby it firmly entrenched as a (large) part of the problem, and not the solution!!

Report abuse

jacersagain | Oct 21, 2010, 07:05 PM EDT

(...cont’d) It has always been an eternal - but in days of we who exist at the time - long-term goal of the human side of Christ and His Apostles. Pope Benedict is not going to be around to see that long term goal achieved. I think Benedict is getting our Catholic Church’s house in order, ready to face the challenges, dangers and wrongs of media-led secularism in Europe and elsewhere and, less notably, the creep of the falsity of Islam everywhere. I say ‘kudos’ to Benedict for his forward-thinking in naming Europeans most among the new Cardinals – readying them to lead the battles ahead after he and we are gone and one of them is the next Pope... just as a true present-day leader of Christ’s army of believers should for the future. Oh, and btw – the Pope runs the Catholic Church in communion with the College of Cardinals. He is not ever alone in making Vatican governmental decisions, or, needless to say, its Holy Spirit-guided ones. I think Fr. Tim needs to think again on this, he being out in the fields of Christ’s mission, perhaps with flat batteries. Love God, Love your neighbour, even the distant one.

Report abuse

jacersagain | Oct 21, 2010, 06:55 PM EDT

I was a great admirer of Fr. Tim's articles on ICentral last year (PS to Niall O'D - why did you drop him? His articles were the best for thousands of yr readers. Bring him back!) I digress - but I have to challenge Fr. Tim's comments above. I know nothing of the Archbishop of my dear Dublin City, Dr. Martin, apart from his media appearances (I like the guy, really do! – he says a lot that I cannot put into media circles like he can - not surprising as I’m just an ordinary Catholic guy in the streets of Dublin and media people wouldn’t be bothered with the likes of me) but I think Fr. Tim has perhaps been a bit too long out in the Jesuit mission fields to know what is going on in the Vatican's circles. The people of the Vatican city's mission is simple – to spread the Good News of Christ and to spread His exhortations – and it is once again, outwardly and unashamedly, challenging the peoples of Europe to regain their forefathers’ and mothers’ Christianity - specifically its universal catholicism, as it was intended by Christ, a long term goal – no! I correct myself - an eternal goal - of His Father’s will. (cont’d/)

Report abuse