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	Mother Calls on Bishop to Resign over Son By Ruadhan Mac Cormaic One in Four [Ireland] April 18, 2006 http://www.oneinfour.org/news/news2006/hopto/ The mother of a deceased Limerick man who alleged clerical child sex abuse has called on Bishop Donal Murray of Limerick to resign. Peter McCloskey, a 37-year-old separated father of three, was found dead on April 1st, two days after mediation talks with diocesan representatives. He was said by his brother Joseph to have been "devastated" by the mediation process. The late Mr McCloskey alleged he had been abused in 1980/81 by Fr Denis Daly, a priest ordained for Sydney who served in Limerick from 1978 until his death aged 61 in 1987. Mr McCloskey's mother, Mary McCloskey, said yesterday she believed "the actions of the Limerick Diocese were directly responsible for Peter's death. "Where Christian charity, humanity and the love of Christ were called for, Peter encountered a litigious response, denial of liability, bare-faced lies and was threatened with being sued for libel and legal costs. Peter paid those costs with his life." She added: "It is a source of very deep distress to me that for all those years I failed to recognise the signs and symptoms of what was going on in Peter's life." Mrs McCloskey also challenged statements made by Dr Murray on a recent Prime Time programme. She read from a statement at a press conference convened by the One in Four group. "He failed to show proper Christian love or even basic humanity to my son. I believe if he examines his conscience with real honesty he will realise that he must now step down from his position." Colm O'Gorman, director of One in Four, said the family was constrained from discussing several aspects of the case by a confidentiality agreement signed in advance of the mediation process. He called on the diocese to waive that agreement. Dr Murray became bishop of Limerick in 1996, nine years after Fr Daly's death. On investigation, he found no child abuse allegations against the priest in diocesan archives, but inquiries to Sydney archdiocese revealed "a moral lapse" in 1963 and alcoholism. A spokesman for Dr Murray, who funded counselling for Mr McCloskey, said last night that Mr McCloskey's death "was profoundly sad and deeply upsetting for all who knew him. "Bishop Murray has been, and will continue to be, available to meet Peter's family and support them in any way he can at this difficult time and to discuss concerns that they have." He urged anyone with concerns regarding abuse to contact the diocese, gardai or health authorities.
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