A PRIEST in the archdiocese of Armagh has agreed to step down from his parish to allow for an investigation into a complaint relating to “child safeguarding”.
Bishop Gerard Clifford spoke to the priest’s congregation on Saturday after celebrating vigil Mass at the parish. A statement explaining the matter was also read out to parishioners yesterday.
“This week the archdiocese has been made aware of a complaint relating to child safeguarding against a priest of the diocese.
“The priest has agreed to voluntarily step down to allow the investigation into this matter to be conducted efficiently,” said the statement.
“The allegation has been reported to the civil authorities, and the diocese and the priest will fully co-operate with any investigation. Whilst this process is ongoing the priest is entitled to the benefit of a presumption of innocence.”
The archdiocese of Armagh also called on any person who has concerns about any safeguarding matters in the church context to report these to the civil authorities or through diocesan officers.
Bishop Clifford said he had spoken about the matter to Cardinal Seán Brady, who was away at the moment. The priest at the centre of the allegations is very popular in his parish.
In recent weeks he had been told to move parish by Cardinal Seán Brady, prompting complaints from his congregation.
A petition calling for the priest to be allowed to remain in the parish had attracted hundreds of signatures in recent weeks.
"He is very well liked in the community and has done a lot of good work here," one parishioner told The Irish Timesyesterday.
Last March parents of Confirmation children in the parish had asked the priest to tell Cardinal Brady they didn’t want him to perform the ceremony when it emerged he had been involved in an investigation 35 years ago of a case involving Brendan Smyth.
A small group of protesters handed in a letter at the papal nuncio's residence in Dublin at the weekend in protest at the pope's refusal to accept the resignations of two Irish bishops, writes Joanne Hunt.
The letter calls on Pope Benedict to reverse his decision to decline the resignations of auxiliary bishops Eamonn Walsh and Ray Field.
The letter, handed in by Catholic activists, states that the pope’s action had caused “extensive hurt and outrage among survivors of clerical abuse and among the catholic faithful”.
Only four people, including protest organiser Brendan Butler, attended the demonstration despite the fact that victims’ groups had been informed of the event. Asked about the turnout, Mr Butler said “people won’t come out to protest . . . because they are not being listened to”.
The letter, handed in at Archbishop Giuseppe Leanza’s residence, was received at the gate by a member of his staff. She said the papal nuncio was not at home but assured protesters that the letter would be forwarded to Rome.