Dublin’s Auxiliary Bishop Walsh to Make Dramatic Come Back

By Garry O'Sullivan and Cathal Barry
Irish Catholic
August 15, 2013

http://www.irishcatholic.ie/20130815/news/dublins-auxiliary-bishop-walsh-to-make-dramatic-come-back-S36379.html

Bishop Eamonn Walsh being interviewed after a conference at St Patrick's College, Maynooth. Photo: John McElroy

Garry O'Sullivan and Cathal Barry

In what some Dublin priests are describing as a ‘mystifying move’, auxiliary Bishop Eamonn Walsh is to be appointed Episcopal Vicar for Clergy in the archdiocese, the first senior appointment for Bishop Walsh since his dramatic resignation on Christmas Eve 2009 amid public pressure and a lack of full-some support from Archbishop Martin in the wake of the Murphy report.

However in August 2010, in what was widely seen as a public reprimand to Archbishop Martin, the Pope refused to accept the resignation Bishop Walsh and that of fellow auxiliary bishop Ray Field forcing Archbishop Martin to quietly announce their reinstatement buried in a three page letter on the sacraments.

Abuse victim Marie Collins at the time declared that Archbishop Martin’s authority had been “undermined”. However, Bishop Walsh has always considered his treatment ‘an injustice’ and it is believed a case was made to Rome along these lines and hence Rome refused to accept the resignation.

The ‘promotion’ now of Bishop Walsh, given he has been largely consigned to Confirmations has taken the clergy of the diocese by surprise. “It makes sense to give it to him. But it does show a complete lack of imagination” said one priest contacted by this paper. “The diocese is suffering from a lack of imagination. Where’s the vision?”

Another priest added: “Eamonn Walsh does know the clergy. He was dean of Clonliffe. He is regarded as having always acted with integrity.”

Other priests contacted had mixed views. “Eamonn was without portfolio for a good while. The Archbishop allegedly said they would have to figure it out themselves.” Another priest was worried about the Murphy report legacy. “Colm o Gorman laid into him after the Murphy report and listed his faults, I’m worried this appointment might bring up echoes of the past.”

“Priests have a relationship with Eamonn, not everyone likes him but many see him as being treated badly. He was thrown under the bus really” added another.