IRELAND
Irish Independent
THE Bishop of Ferns has asked church leaders to pray for "a positive outcome" to the first state inquiry into diocesan handling of clerical sex abuse allegations.
The Ferns inquiry, led by Mr Justice Frank Murphy, was set up by the Government after the 2002 broadcast of a BBC documentary on abuses carried out by the late Fr Sean Fortune.
Dr Brendan Comiskey resigned as Bishop of Ferns after the broadcast over his handling of abuse allegations. Dr Eamonn Walsh, who was appointed to oversee the running of the diocese, has written to leaders of religious congregations warning them to brace themselves for the publication of the inquiry's report.
Due in the autumn, the report is expected to be highly critical of Dr Comiskey, along with other senior members of the Catholic hierarchy, the gardai and health officials.