Priest at Centre of Cloyne Sex Claims Faces Dismissal

By Ralph Riegel
Irish Independent
March 22, 2013

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/priest-at-centre-of-cloyne-sex-claims-faces-dismissal-29146916.html

A CHURCH canonical court has recommended that the cleric at the centre of the Cloyne Report into child abuse allegations be dismissed from the priesthood.

The elderly cleric, only known by the pseudonyms 'Fr Ronat' and 'Fr B', was informed of the decision this week, the Irish Independent has learned.

The priest now has 15 days to appeal the recommendation.

The ruling followed a lengthy inquiry by the Church watchdog body which included a detailed interview session in a north Cork retreat centre last October.

The probe was re-launched two years ago following the publication of Judge Yvonne Murphy's devastating report into how the Cork diocese mishandled clerical child abuse allegations.

The report found that the diocese had ignored the Church's own protection guidelines and had, by its actions, effectively left children at risk.

The Cloyne Report was published in July 2011 but the chapter involving 'Fr Ronat' was withheld from publication for a further six months for legal reasons. Immediately after the final chapter was published, the Church signalled that it was resuming the suspended canonical trial involving 'Fr Ronat'.

The priest, who has never been convicted of any offence, was the focus of 11 separate abuse complaints.

In total, the allegations against him formed the largest single chapter in the hard-hitting Cloyne Report. Chapter Nine ran to a total of 42 pages.

For over a decade 'Fr Ronat' has been forbidden by the Church from saying Mass in public. He is also not allowed to wear priestly clothing in public.

'Fr Ronat' was the focus of a canonical inquiry before Judge Murphy launched her inquiry, but the process was suspended so as not to interfere with her investigation.

It was immediately re-launched following the release of the Cloyne Report's final chapter.

The canonical inquiry is an internal Church investigation in which canon lawyers interviewed all those who lodged complaints of sexual abuse against the cleric. They then heard his version of events.