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	Bishop James Moriarty Will Not Cling to Power Offaly Express December 23, 2009 http://www.offalyexpress.ie/news/Bishop-James-Moriarty-will-not.5935195.jp Ireland -- ONE of the most senior parish priests in Laois has said Bishop James Moriarty will "not cling to power" and will do what is best for the Catholic Church and the victims of child sexual abuse. Speaking in the wake of the Murphy report, Msgr John Byrne, PP, Portlaoise, accepted the report's findings, and said the Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin would do the right thing. "I know he is considering the report and the fallout, and I would be ADVERTISEMENT very certain that the Bishop is not a man that will cling to power for the sake of power. If he considers that it is the right thing to do for the victims and the church in Kildare and Leighlin, he will do what he thinks to be best," he said. "The report itself was shocking and, as the Bishop (Moriarty) himself has stated, we fully accept its findings. It marks a very dark period and a very wrong direction that the church was taking in protecting the institution rather than the victims. "We have moved a long way from that and safeguarding our children is a very great priority for our parish and all the parishes of the diocese, and we have moved a long way towards putting systems in place and having a designated person in relation to child protection. I would be confident that in our own parish we have those safeguards and systems in place, where such things couldn't happen," said Msgr Byrne. The PP said the people of Portlaoise Parish had been supportive, but were angry. "Our parishioners share the sense of anger and shame, and the sense of real regret at what has happened. They have been supportive of us as individuals and realise that we are very affected by this report and that it makes our ministry very difficult. I would say parishioners have been very supportive of us." Msgr Byrne said his Bishop had addressed the issues raised in the report and had taken steps on child protection in his current diocese. "He was an auxiliary bishop in Dublin during the period and had been implicated in it. I think the Bishop has to be commended for the efforts he has made as Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin on many fronts, but particularly on ensuring that every parish has a designated person in relation to child protection, and has a whole policy on child protection," he said.
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