Archbishop will ask Vatican to act if quartet don’t resign
By JOHN COONEY, CIARAN BYRNE and BRIAN McDONALD
Saturday December 19 2009
THE Archbishop of Dublin, Dr Diarmuid Martin will seek to have four bishops fired by the Vatican if they refuse to step down over the Murphy report into child sex abuse cases in Dublin.
The dramatic development emerged as one of the embattled bishops, Martin Drennan of Galway, accused Dublin’s Archbishop Martin of calling his integrity into question.
Bishop Drennan, one of the four former auxiliary bishops who served in Dublin, is under fierce pressure to resign to show “collective responsibility” for the abuse scandals.
The three other bishops facing calls to go are Dublin auxiliaries, Eamonn Walsh and Raymond Field, and the Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin, Jim Moriarty, a previous auxiliary in Dublin.
Archbishop Martin last night refused to make a public comment on his tense relations with Bishop Drennan.
But sources told the Irish Independent that if the four bishops — who say they did no wrong — do not stand down voluntarily on the principle of collective responsibility, Archbishop Martin will petition the Congregation of Bishops in Rome to fire them.
The prospect of their resignations moved a step closer yesterday after school principals demanded all four should step down as patrons of hundreds of primary schools.
The Irish Primary Principals’ Network (IPPN) also wants the four bishops to be accountable for their actions — or inactions — in discharging their child protection responsibilities.
Taoiseach Brian Cowen also waded into the row, firmly backing Archbishop Martin’s stance and saying it was “a time for leadership and accountability” from the Catholic Church.
Mr Cowen said: “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.”
Despite the developments, Bishop Drennan mounted a robust defence of his position yesterday, hitting back at a call by Archbishop Martin to take collective responsibility for the report into systematic cover-up of abuse complaints from victims of priests.
Interpreting a letter from Archbishop Martin as seeking his resignation as head of the Galway diocese, Bishop Drennan said his conscience was clear and he had no intention of resigning from office.
Support
Earlier yesterday, he hinted he might quit, telling a local radio station he was “not sure” if he would resign. Later he claimed he had received phone calls of support following the interview.
There was growing speculation last night that the Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin, Dr Jim Moriarty may take the decision to step down in the face of grassroots anger at his handling of sex abuse cases.
Some parents in Co Carlow have suggested they will remove their children from religious sacraments officiated by the bishop, a move that might make his post untenable.
Bishop Moriarty has said he does not consider that there are any grounds on which he should resign. But several parents in one parish had decided not to allow their children to attend a Confirmation ceremony if Bishop Moriarty was officiating at it.
Last night a senior Dublin priest openly sided with Archbishop Martin and said that more resignations of bishops named in the Murphy report were “inevitable.”
Fr Joe Mullen, chairman of the Dublin Council of Priests, said: “If they don’t resign or if this moment that we’re in doesn’t move in a way that seems to be fuelled by forgiveness and justice and a sense of recognition of hurt and hope for healing, then maybe we’ll all be retiring, if not resigning”.
In two interviews yesterday, Bishop Drennan pointed out that nothing negative had been said about him in the Murphy report on clerical sex abuse.
– JOHN COONEY, CIARAN BYRNE and BRIAN McDONALD
Irish Independent
http://catholicheritage.blogspot.com/2009/12/fifteenth-monthly-mass-in-diocese-of.html
As children, we had courage in spades! What’s happened to us all? Have we given up the fight? Do we remain in victim mode for ever? Let’s move from survivors to thrivers! The ball’s in your court!
Quote: “Some parents in Co Carlow have suggested they will remove their children from religious sacraments officiated by the bishop, a move that might make his post untenable.”
The courage of the few. Things will only change when enough people vote with their feet.
A Moment In Time
The audience sat hushed and a little impatient waiting for the concert to begin. Small talk whispered in the private booths above among dignitaries more suited to be waited on than waiting, after all they had paid enough they grumbled. The orchestra joined them too in silent protest, tuning and picking their instruments impatiently while craning their necks for the performer to show who had every reason to be nervous. At last the creaking floorboards heralded his arrival.
The whole hall grew quieter still at the sight before them now, and impatience was replaced by alarm unsure what was before them. To some their privacy had been invaded, to others their dignity was set upon by a devil, while the seasoned traveler gazed in careful but muted wonderment. Young women giggled nervously.
Alone on the vast expanse of the small stage the man began to perspire profusely, his temples throbbing with anxiety and the sweat dripping down his exposed ebony skin that defined a muscular chest. Elements of fear within him encouraged a trembling body but still he held on, driven by the faith in his tall, wide, athletic frame that was built for destruction if set upon by wild dogs. If all this failed there was the promise before the fight that the voice in his soul would save him as it did before. The first missile landed beside his bare feet signaling the battle had begun.
Another soon followed with pickled fruit among stained napkins and empty bottles, careful in their aim not to antagonize this magnificent giant too much. A shard of glass cut his shoulder leaving a trail of blood running down his veined thick biceps that only added to his magnificence. His nostrils flared like a proud centurion on a crowded battlefield sure in his own destiny that the night would eventually be his. Digging deep within himself, a slow, deep baritone came roaring back that moved and shocked his own emotions just before it reached the audience.
The last sight and sounds of discontent quieted down as his voice rose higher and deliberately to envelop all before him. His spell was been cast to bring them back to their birth, to womb, to question again and ask just once more, ‘why’. Here and there a tear shimmered in the flickering light and his own self could not resist or fight their pain any more while probing their souls as they gave everything back. Holding to the last note held in the grasp of raw emotion was an appeal to them never to forget this precious moment. They never would. The applause erupted with the thud of leather boots and feverish clapping and none could stop them now. A parade of military uniforms stood to attention and became human again alongside jeweled heaving breasts. Flowers rained down on him with apology and appreciation and he basked in its glow. For him the battle was over and for them it had just begun
It was on a night in Germany before September 1939 that Paul Robeson, the great American singer, strode the stage to leave his message and help try to stop prejudice and the coming apocalypse. This forgotten hero I hope with this letter will be remembered in that moment of time for he never did stop trying until he died in 1977.
Barry Clifford
Email: bgclifford@iol.ie