SCOTLAND
Herald Scotland
Martin Williams
Senior News Reporter
Bishop of Motherwell Joe Devine submitted his resignation having turned 75 last year, but had continued in his role until replacements were found.
It has been claimed appointments were held up in the wake of the scandal involving Cardinal Keith O’Brien.
It is understood Bishop Devine’s departure means that of the eight dioceses in Scotland, only three have full-time bishops in post who are not waiting to leave – in Glasgow, Oban and Aberdeen. …
Last month Bishop Devine backed down from moves to sanction a serving priest over claims the Church had covered up a culture of sexual bullying.
He issued a notice stating no action would be taken against Father Matthew Despard, who alleged sexual misconduct had been rife for decades in seminaries training teenage priests.
Father Despard, parish priest of St John Ogilvie’s in High Blantyre, South Lanarkshire, had written a book on the allegations.
The book names serving priests and claims senior figures in the Church refused to confront abuse and bullying complaints.
Last month, Bishop Devine’s office was hit by allegations questioning how he handled abuse cases.
Alan Draper, a former child protection consultant for the Scottish Catholic Church, claimed he had stopped working for Bishop Devine because his advice was consistently ignored.
In March, after revelations Mr Draper knew of 20 abuse cases where no action was taken, the Church issued a statement dismissing his remarks.
It said the number of cases reported in Scotland each year was “small” and “have only very rarely involved a member of the clergy”.
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