IRELAND
Belfast Telegraph
Cardinal Sean Brady offer to step down in 2010 ‘was rejected by Vatican’
By Greg Harkin
Saturday, 5 May 2012
Cardinal Sean Brady was willing to resign over the Brendan Smyth affair two years ago but the Vatican refused because it had “no idea” who to replace him with, sources indicate.
The cardinal was in meetings with advisers on Thursday amid growing calls for him to stand down over his handling of child rape allegations against paedophile priest Smyth in 1975.
It has been learned Dr Brady was willing to step down, but dithering by the Vatican delayed the selection of a successor.
Asked if he had indicated his willingness to resign to the Pope two years ago, a Catholic Communications Office spokesman would neither confirm nor deny the claim, which was given currency yesterday by ‘celebrity’ priest Father Brian D’Arcy.
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