Dublin Archbishop Will Ask For Bishops’ Removal If They Refuse To Step Down

12/22/09- by Bridgette P. LaVictoire
The Archbishop of Dublin has issued an ultimatum to four bishops over the Murphy Report. Either they step down or he will ask the Vatican to remove them. The Murphy Report was the long awaited report going into the sexual abuses perpetrated by Catholic Priests throughout Ireland and the subsequent cover up regarding them. The decision to ask for the removal of bishops is rare; however, Archbishop Diarmuid Martin may feel that he has little choice in the matter as some members of the clergy, especially at the top of the power structure, are less willing to leave over the scandal than others. The four that Archbishop Martin is targeting have, in essence, refused to accept responsibility for their part in the scandal.

The Roman Catholic Church in Ireland has come under increased fire over the last decade with regards to its practices. An earlier scandal involving the Magdalene Asylums, placed for “fallen women” to be housed to supposedly purge them of sin, caused quite an uproar in Ireland. Many women who went to the Asylums were subjected to harsh physical punishments and were often raped and otherwise molested. The Murphy Report details sexual abuse within the Church inside Ireland, and the Archbishop is taking a collective approach to punishing those responsible.

Bishop of Limerick Donal Murray has already stepped down. The other four, who were once or still are auxiliary Bishops to Dublin have been told that, should they refuse to step down, Archbishop Martin will petition the Congregation of Bishops in Rome for their removal early next year. The remaining four are Bishop Martin Drennan of Galway, Bishop Jim Moriarty of Kildare and Leighlin, and Auxiliary Bishops of Dublin Raymond Field and Eamonn Walsh.

Calls for them to be held accountable for what was mostly their inaction regarding the protection of children have mounted of late. The Irish Primary Principals’ Network, an organization of Irish school principles, has called for these men to be held accountable for failing to discharge their duty to keep children safe. Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Brian Cowen backed Archbishop Martin regarding this decision. “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.”

However, not all politicians are so willing to back the Archbishop. Galway West Fianna Fail Teacta Dala (Member of Parliament) Frank Fahey stated that there was no reason for Bishop Drennan to resign. Bishop Drennan has stated that his conscience is clear.

Bishop Moriarty also believes that he is not in the wrong regarding his handling of child molesting priests, but he is facing local pressure to resign. Many parents have already begun to pull their children from ceremonies officiated by him. Parents from one of the counties his bishopric covers have threatened to remove their children from any sacraments that he officiates over.

Vatican will be asked to remove four bishops if they don’t quit