Cloyne abuse scandal - Resign or be fired are the only options

WHETHER the four senior Catholic churchmen who yesterday publicly supported the embattled Bishop of Cloyne would have done so if they had been aware of allegations made public just last evening is questionable.

In reality, it is hard to understand how — even before last night’s revelations — they could support a man who epitomises a church in denial, a church aloof, a church that puts its own interests and survival before everything else. A church too silent and a church deaf to the wishes of those it purports to love and serve.

Those four men — Archbishop Dermot Clifford of Cashel, Archbishop Michael Neary of Tuam, Bishop of Achonry Brendan Kelly and Bishop of Clonfert John Kirby — could not have anticipated new allegations that a Cloyne priest “under supervision” and “removed from ministry” made inappropriate advances to a young woman in recent weeks — weeks, not months or years. This despite “protection measures being in place”.