Bishop respects move to leave Church

ARCHBISHOP Diarmuid Martin has stated that he “respects” the decision of a victim of clerical child sex abuse to formally leave the Catholic Church.

Dr Martin was reacting to the decision by Andrew Madden, who was abused by paedophile priest Ivan Payne in Dublin, to announce that he has decided to have his name withdrawn from the Catholic Church’s baptismal register.

“He made this application. I understand and respect his decision. He is a person who came to a priest in trust and that trust was betrayed, and anyone can see where that would lead a person. I wish him every success and blessing in his life but I respect his decision,” Dr Martin said yesterday following an ecumenical event in Trinity College Dublin.