Bishops Resignation Confirmed by Vatican and Announced at Mass, by Andrew Carey, Limerick Post, December 12, 2009

Bishop's Resignation Confirmed by Vatican and Announced at Mass

By Andrew Carey
Limerick Post
December 12, 2009

http://www.limerickpost.ie/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1304:bishops-resignation-confirmed-by-vatican-and-announced-at-mass&catid=37:local-news&Itemid=60

Ireland -- Following what many have called "the long goodbye", Bishop Donal Murray resigned his position at an 11 O'Clock mass at St John's Cathedral this Thursday.

Returning from Rome following his attendance to discuss his position, Bishop Murray addressed the congregation today and left his position.

Bishop Murray went to Rome on foot of a Papal Summons issued by the Vatican - a rare occurrence in itself and formally notified the Pope of his intentions.

Bishop Murray is one of a number of bishops heavily criticised in the Murphy Report for their handling of allegations of clerical child abuse in the Dublin Archdiocese.

There was continued pressure on Dr Murray to resign since the publication of the report.

Another priest named in the same report, Wicklow based, 78-year-old, Thomas Naughton, was sentenced to three years in Jail on Wednesday by Wicklow Circuit Criminal Court for sexually assaulting a six-year-old altar boy over 70 times in the early 1980's.

The report deemed "inexcusable" the failures of Bishop Murray to act on complaints made against Naughton while he was auxiliary bishop in Dublin during that time.