Abuse groups call for resignation of Bishop Kirby

Abuse groups call for Bishop John Kirby to resign after he admitted that in the 1990s he thought paedophilia was “a friendship that crossed the boundary line”.

Bishop Kirby’s remarks were made following an audit of his diocese by the Catholic Church’s child abuse watchdog. The audit found the bishop moved two priests accused of sexually abusing children to different parishes.

Bishop Kirby put his actions down to “gross innocence and naivety” but said he now knew the issue of child sexual abuse was “compulsive and addictive” and that his response was “grossly inadequate”.