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	Bishop Walsh Tells Kilcullen Congregation He's 'In Limbo' By Laura Coates Leinster Leader February 10, 2010 http://www.leinsterleader.ie/news/Bishop-Walsh-tells-Kilcullen-congregation.6059021.jp IRELAND -- THE "elephant in the room" is how Bishop Eamonn Walsh described the issue of the fallout from the Murphy report on institutional sexual abuse during his celebration of confirmation Mass in Kilcullen last Sunday. The auxiliary bishop of Dublin tendered his resignation last Christmas Eve in the aftermath of the Murphy report into child sex abuse in the Dublin archdiocese. Bishop Walsh fought to maintain his role, claiming until he bowed to public pressure that he himself had done no wrong. He was defended from the altar recently by Kilcullen Parish Priest Michael Murphy, and was subsequently invited to celebrate mass in the parish, which is part of the Dublin dioscese. The bishop and Fr Murphy co-concelebrated the 11am confirmation preparation mass last Sunday, February 7, at the Church of the Sacred Heart and St Brigid, Kilcullen. He addressed the sixth-class pupils of Scoil Bhride in the congregation during the homily, and kept his references to the Murphy report to a short address for the "adults present" at the end of the service. The Bishop told the packed church that, contrary to popular belief, he has not yet finished his ministry and is "in limbo". He is still waiting for his resignation to be accepted by Pope Benedict XVI. "The only interest I have is that I can minister as a priest with my reputation intact," he told the congregation, acknowledging that he had been damaged by the fallout from the Murphy report. He said he was not interested in fighting with people, and just wanted to be able to minister. The bishop said he would draw on the gifts of wisdom, courage and right judgement, and urged the young people in the congregation to do the same. Earlier, in his address to the confirmation candidates promoting the message of St Luke's Gospel, he remarked "that is why we got into trouble, we got away from the gospel". The Bishop presented all of the confirmation candidates with a copy of St Luke's Gospel. He greeted and shook hands with parishioners outside the church after Mass. Meanwhile, a group of Irish abuse victims has written to Pope Benedict urging him to accept without delay the resignation offers of the Bishops who quit before Christmas as a result of the Murphy report. These Bishops include the Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin, Jim Moriarty, and Bishop Walsh. It has emerged that it may be up to a year or more before a new bishop is appointed to Kildare and Leighlin. A meeting has been scheduled between the Pope and all of the Irish Bishops in Rome this month.
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