Irish Bishop Resigns Over Sex Abuse Report

12/17/09-by Paula Brooks child_crying

But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.~Jesus of Nazareth

The Bishop of Limerick, Donal Murray, has resigned over his handling of child sex abuse allegations after he was condemned in an Irish Government report released last month that called Murray’s failure to protect children from predator priests “inexcusable”.

That report by the Commission of Investigation into the Catholic Archdiocese of Dublin, also known as the Murphy report, exposed a culture of concealment by church leaders in Ireland and said they placed the protection of the Churches reputation above the safety and well being of vulnerable children in their care.

The disturbing report detailed the sexual and physical abuse of children by the clergy in Ireland’s capital from 1975 to 2004. That report found that during Murray’s time as an auxiliary bishop in Dublin from 1982 to 1996, he was dismissive of complaints about a priest who went on to abuse again.

It also accused four former Dublin archbishops, five Bishops and senior members of the Irish National Police, the Garda, of covering-up for the predator clergy. According to the report church leaders in the Dublin Archdiocese failed to inform authorities about sexual abuse by priests, while police failed to pursue allegations under the belief that church figures were above the law and in at least one case allowed an alleged perpetrator flee the country to the United States. It also said police and social workers charged with stopping child abuse didn’t start getting cooperation from the church until 1995.

The Vatican was also severely criticized for failing to answer letters from the Dublin Archdiocese investigators. Last week, the Vatican released a statement from Benedict that said he was “deeply disturbed” by the sex-abuse scandal and shares the “outrage, betrayal and shame” felt by many Irish Catholics.

Several investigators and victims have called for Murray to be investigated and prosecuted for obstruction of justice. Retired Garda sergeant John Brennan, one of the prime investigators of the abuses, said last week, “They should be the subjects of a criminal investigation. If there is neglect and evidence of a cover-up, it shouldn’t be a question of somebody resigning. They should be the subjects of a criminal charge.”

The Irish justice minister, Dermot Ahern had said when the report was released, that there should be no hiding place for abusers. “The persons who committed these dreadful crimes will continue to be pursued. They must come to know that there is no hiding place. That justice – even where it may have been delayed – will not be denied.”

Murray, who had been in Rome awaiting his fate for more than a week after meeting with Pope Benedict, returned to Ireland yesterday, saying that Benedict had accepted his resignation on Monday but agreed that Murray should return to Limerick to allow him to be in his diocese when the announcement of his resignation was made.

Murray said, “I know full well my resignation cannot undo the pain that survivors of abuse have suffered in the past and continue to suffer each day. To all survivors of abuse, I repeat that my primary concern is to assist in every way that I can on their journey towards finding closure and serenity.”