Clerical abuse - Murray and nuncio must be removed

Last week the Irish Examiner called for Bishop Donal Murray of Limerick to resign without delay. His prevarication is effectively undermining the positions of other prominent Church figures.

Bishop Willie Walsh has had an exemplary record in such matters, but his misplaced support of Bishop Murray’s position last week did nothing to enhance his own standing. Bishop Walsh admitted that he underestimated the degree of public anger. Others should recognise it too before they feel the inevitable backlash.

Archbishop Diarmuid Martin has tried to provide leadership, but he obviously only has the authority to speak in a guarded manner in which he hints at, rather than specifies, what should be done. The Vatican has called on local bishops in various countries to handle such paedophile matters.

The hierarchy seems to be waiting for individual bishops to act. Bishop Murray says he is waiting for guidance from the diocesan clergy and people of Limerick.

The Murphy report concluded that Bishop Murray did not deal properly with suspicions concerning the paedophile behaviour of Fr Tom Naughton. Later, when conclusive evidence of Fr Naughton’s conduct was produced in another parish, the Murphy Commission concluded that Bishop Murray’s failure to reinvestigate the suspicions was inexcusable.

Bishop Murray insists his failings resulted from “naivety and inexperience.” He admitted his inadequacies and that should be enough for him to realise what most others recognise – his position is untenable.

This applies also to other bishops who were criticised in the Murphy report. Whether their failings were the result of their own inadequacies or deliberate behaviour is immaterial. They must recognise their behaviour contributed towards this sordid mess, which must be cleared up for once and for all.

Cardinal Seán Brady and Archbishop Martin are going to the Vatican this week to meet Pope Benedict XVI. If Bishop Murray has not resigned by then, they must impress on the Pope that he has to be removed.

Otherwise, it is only a matter of time before people insist that Cardinal Brady has to go. Archbishop Martin has distinguished himself by his behaviour in these matters, but he does not have the authority to act.

In September 2006 the Murphy Commission wrote to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in Rome, asking for details of sexual abuse forwarded from the Dublin archdiocese. When there was no reply by February 2007, the Murphy Commission wrote to the Papal Nuncio for any report that he had received from the Dublin archdiocese about the clerical paedophile abuse, but the Papal Nuncio never bothered to reply.

Instead, in March 2007, six months after the original request, the Holy See responded with a diplomatic note through the Department of Foreign Affairs. As the request was from a commission set up by the Irish Government, the Holy See replied that the request should be made through “diplomatic channels and in accordance with international law and custom”.

The reports sought from the Vatican were the reports from the Irish bishops. One might have assumed that the bishops would have behaved correctly in such matters, so those reports should have helped to clear them. But the attitude adopted by the Vatican in seeking to use diplomatic protocol to avoid helping the Murphy commission merely fuels the flames of suspicion.

The behaviour of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and the Papal Nuncio in not cooperating with the Murphy Commission was reprehensible. The Taoiseach’s description in the Dáil of this behaviour as “not unreasonable” was mind-boggling, especially after the Murphy report had suggested that the state displayed a misplaced defence in failing to pursue such crimes actively and had even collaborated in suppressing proper investigations.

It was ironic this week that when Fr Tadhg O’Donovan denounced Irish tax officials as “the greatest shower of bastards on the planet”, his archbishop apologised within hours and Fr O’Donovan was promptly called to order. But we still have interminable procrastination in relation to the controversy over the paedophile priests.

The Church authorities had no problems in acting promptly against Fr O’Donovan when he insulted powerful people like tax officials, but after over 40 years they are still behaving as if they do not know what to do in relation to priests raping and buggering innocent children.

Public patience has run out. Archbishop Giuseppe Leanza, the Papal Nuncio, should be invited to accompany Cardinal Brady and Archbishop Martin to the Vatican – with a one-way ticket. The Government must demonstrate that it is taking determined action.