Bishop asks Belfast priest to 'stand aside'

A senior Catholic cleric in the North has temporarily stood aside, it emerged today.

Father Hugh Kennedy, the administrator of St Peter’s Cathedral, in west Belfast, confirmed he took the decision after talks with Bishop Noel Treanor, the Bishop of Down and Connor.

No details have been revealed as to why he had stopped working as a priest at the Cathedral.

In a statement Father Kennedy, 55, said he took the decision after meeting with Bishop Treanor on July 20 last.

He added: “Bishop Treanor requested me to ’stand aside’ from all my priestly/cathedral duties on foot of ’information’ he had received. This information was not shared with me. Following from this, I have ceased working as a priest at the Cathedral.

“I have no hesitation in co-operating with church/state authorities in light of this development.”

Father Kennedy was ordained a priest in 1981 when he was studying at the Irish College in Rome. He was appointed administrator at St Peter’s in 2006.