DONAL MURRAY:BISHOP DONAL Murray confirmed his resignation at St John's Cathedral yesterday, the same church where he was installed as Bishop of Limerick 13 years previously.
Bishop Murray confirmed Pope Benedict XVI had accepted his resignation as Bishop of Limerick.
Addressing a gathering of about 200 people in the cathedral the bishop revealed that he formally tendered his resignation in Rome on Monday December 7th.
His two-minute statement was read as the bells of the cathedral struck eleven.
Dressed in a black clerical suit, Bishop Murray was accompanied on the altar by Msgnr Michael Lane, Msgnr Dan Neenan and Fr Eamon Fitzgibbon of the Vicars General.
His spokesman and diocesan secretary Fr Paul Finnerty also stood by his side on the altar.
There were at least 50 priests from the Limerick diocese along with people working in the diocesan office and diocesan pastoral centre present, after which the bishop lit three candles on the Advent wreath.
In his statement Bishop Murray said his resignation “cannot undo the pain” of survivors of clerical child abuse. “I know full well that my resignation cannot undo the pain that survivors of abuse have suffered in the past and continue to suffer each day. I humbly apologise once again to all who were abused as little children,” he said.
He said he asked the pontiff to allow him to step down because he believes his presence would create difficulties for some of the survivors of abuse.
“A bishop is meant to be a person who seeks to lead and inspire . . . I believe that my presence will create difficulties for some of the survivors who must have first place in our thoughts and prayers,” he continued.
After he read his statement the bishop left the altar to kneel in the middle of a front row pew where he was joined by the congregation in hymns and silent prayers.
A piano solo entitled Listen began the hour-long reflection by candlelight.
Just before midday, following a recital of the Angelus, the congregation sang the Latin hymn to Our Lady Salve Regina, after which Bishop Murray left the church.
The college of consultors, which comprises nine priests from within the Limerick diocese, will now elect an adminstrator until a new bishop is assigned.
Bishop Murray said that after informing the Vicars General of the Limerick Diocese of his decision to resign over two weeks ago, he contacted the Apostolic Nuncio asking him to arrange a meeting with the Congregation of Bishops in Rome.
This meeting took place on December 7th and Cardinal Re agreed to present Bishop Murray’s letter of resignation to the Pope on Saturday 12th.
On December 14th, the bishop visited the congregation once more and was told the Pope had acceded to his request.
Cardinal Re agreed that it would be appropriate for Bishop Murray to return to Limerick to be present in the diocese at the time of the announcement of his resignation by the Holy See yesterday morning.
Full Statement: I Believe That My Presence Will Create Difficulties For Some Of The Survivors
I MET the cardinal prefect of the Congregation for Bishops on Monday December 7th. I asked him to bring my resignation as Bishop of Limerick to Pope Benedict.
"The Holy Father has accepted my resignation which takes effect from this morning at 11am Irish time.
"I have heard the views of many survivors, especially in the days following the publication of the Murphy report. Some expressed the wish that I should resign, others asked me not to do so.
"I know full well that my resignation cannot undo the pain that survivors of abuse have suffered in the past and continue to suffer each day.
"I humbly apologise once again to all who were abused as little children. To all survivors of abuse, I repeat that my primary concern is to assist in every way that I can, on their journey towards finding closure and serenity.
"A bishop is meant to be a person who seeks to lead and inspire all the people of the diocese in living as a community united in the truth and love of Christ.
"I asked the Holy Father to allow me to resign and to appoint a new bishop to the diocese because I believe that my presence will create difficulties for some of the survivors who must have first place in our thoughts and prayers. Let my last words as Bishop of Limerick be those I spoke in St Joseph's on November 29th last:
"We are people who believe that God's mercy and God's healing are without limit. We are meant to be bearers of that hope to one another and especially to people whose trust was betrayed when they were just little children and who endured the terror, helplessness and suffering inflicted by a frightening and dominant adult.
"They should always have a special place in our prayers".