Surprise at Pope’s hasty acceptance of Cardinal Brady’s resignation

Ulster Herald
September 15, 2014

http://ulsterherald.com/2014/09/14/surprise-at-popes-hasty-acceptance-of-cardinal-bradys-resignation/

Cardinal Seán Brady and Archbishop Eamon Martin celebrate Mass in St Patrick’s Cathedral on Monday as it was announced that Pope Francis had accepted Cardinal Brady’s resignation.

ONE of Ireland’s leading commentators on the Catholic Church has expressed surprise at the speed of the Vatican’s acceptance of Cardinal Seán Brady’s resignation.

In line with Church rules, Cardinal Brady offered to resign as Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland on the occasion of his 75th birthday last month. That resignation was accepted by Pope Francis on Monday, allowing the Coadjutor Archbishop of Armagh, Archbishop Eamon Martin (52), to become the 116th Archbishop of Armagh and leader of the Church in Ireland.

Omagh native Michael Kelly, who edits the Irish Catholic newspaper in Dublin, said there was surprise that Pope Francis took just three weeks to accept the resignation.

When Seán Brady’s predecessor Cahal Daly turned 75 in October 1992, he remained in office for four years until his retirement in 1996.

“That would be normal enough,” said the editor. “The surprise is that it has been accepted relatively quickly.

“I think the Vatican did want a fresh start, Pope Francis wanted a fresh start, while at the same time not wanting to give the impression that the Cardinal was hounded from office. I think that’s why they waited until he was past the retirement age.”

PARADOX

The Omagh native said it was “paradoxical” that Cardinal Brady has been tarnished by his involvement in a child abuse scandal from early in his career.

“The pity about it in some ways, that as president of the Bishop’s Conference and as Primate of All Ireland, nobody has done more than him to ensure the robust guidelines that are there now are followed.”

The editor pointed out that it was Cardinal Brady who established the National Board for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church, the independent body which monitors the Church to ensure it adheres to the guidelines.

“He has actually faced down a lot of people within the Church who didn’t want things like mandatory reporting and vetting,” he said.

He also said Seán Brady would be remembered much more fondly within the Armagh Archdiocese.

“Anyone who had any dealings with him, there was no doubt about the basic decency of the man. There was no doubt he was extremely pastoral, he was quite warm with people on a one-to-one,” he said.

Mr Kelly also praised the Cardinal’s outreach to Protestant church leaders and described as “courageous”, his call in 2001 for young Catholics to join the PSNI.

NEW ERA

Describing the 52-year-old Twitter using Archbishop Eamon Martin as “of this generation”, the commentator said the Derry native represents “a new era” for the Catholic Church in Ireland.

Addressing the media for the first time on Monday as Primate of All Ireland at St Patrick’s Cathedral in Armagh, Eamon Martin spoke of “humble renewal of the church”, a message Michael Kelly has described as important.

“I think that is what attracts people most to Pope Francis, his very obvious humility. I think if there is to be any true renewal or reform of the Church in Ireland, it has got to be one on humility.”

The Omagh man said the Catholic Church had been “rotting from the insides” in recent decades, but hailed the new era and new message this week as “cleansing”.

“I was very impressed by his words on Monday that he was only one man and that people need to join him. That appeals to Catholics and communities across the island, if they care about their Church, if they care about the future, they need to put their shoulder to the wheel as well.

“I would interpret that as a future based on partnership, much more based on collaboration.”