Accused priest offered promotion by Magee

BISHOP Magee offered to promote a priest accused of molesting a girl after the priest threatened to sue him for defamation.

In a move described by the commission as “shocking,” Bishop Magee said he offered the priest the position of parish priest of an “insignificant parish” that he knew he would decline but had to make the offer because the priest was putting him under pressure.

The priest, referred to as Fr Ronat, has been the subject of a number of criminal and civil actions and the chapter in the report dealing with him is heavily redacted. However, it is clear that a complaint was made about him to another priest and subsequently a parish priest in the diocese in 1989 but nothing was done about it.