From the Irish Times:
The resignations of two Dublin auxiliary bishops, announced in the wake of the Murphy report into clerical child abuse, have been rejected by Pope Benedict XVI.Considering the motivation for their resignations offered by the bishops in that last paragraph, it is truly disconcerting and disappointing that Pope Benedict has declined to accept them. I've not yet read any official explanation for this decision. In fact, I'll be happily surprised if one is forthcoming. (John Allen at NCR offers four reasons on which the rejection of the resignations might have been based.)
Bishop Raymond Field and Bishop Eamonn Walsh tendered their resignations on Christmas Eve 2009 after coming under intense pressure because they had served as bishops during the period investigated by the Murphy Commission into clerical child sex abuse in the Archdiocese of Dublin.
"Following the presentation of their resignations to Pope Benedict, it has been decided that Bishop Eamonn Walsh and Bishop Raymond Field will remain as auxiliary bishops," Archbishop Diarmuid Martin said in a letter to priests of the archdiocese seen by the Irish Catholic.
The two men are to be assigned revised responsibilities within the archdiocese, according to Dr Martin.A spokesman for the Catholic communications office said this means the two men will be able to administer confirmation in the Dublin diocese over the next year.
Announcing their resignations in December, the two auxiliary bishops said: "It is our hope that our action may help to bring the peace and reconciliation of Jesus Christ to the victims/survivors of child sexual abuse. We again apologise to them."
(Read the complete article here)
Todd over at Catholic Sensibility notes that more than one blogger has remarked, "Good luck re-evangelizing Europe!" It is hard to imagine how such a decision could possibly enhance efforts to revitalize a moribund Church there. And I wonder for how many Catholics this news, wherever it is heard, will be another in a long line of "last straws," tipping the balance for them to make their exit from Catholicism.
Let us pray...
Gracious Father,
You have made us the Body of Christ:
the Church of his presence in the world
and heralds of his holy gospel.
In the grace of your Holy Spirit
you give us strength and wisdom
to proclaim your reign
over creation and every human heart.
In these deeply troubled times
we come to you in our need
and pray you'll heal us in your mercy.
As was your Son's Body on the Cross,
so is your Church broken by sin's burden.
Heal the wounds of those who've suffered abuse.
Heal your Church whose strength is bled
by failure to be faithful to the truth.
Call us to repentance
in word, in deed and deep in our hearts.
Show us the path
that leads again to peace.
Heal us of ambition and pride
and teach us to protect
only what is precious in your eyes:
your people, saved by your Son,
and the peace you promise
to those faithful to his love.
Open us to your merciful love
that even in our brokenness
we might faithfully proclaim
the gospel by which we are saved.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Subscribe to A Concord Pastor Comments
Re-evangelizing Europe? The sexual abuse scandal is a wound that will not be healed in my lifetime. I am ashamed of the actions of so many in the hierarchy, and feel sorry for the good bishops and priests who are bearing this cross.
ReplyDeleteThe Pope's unwillingness to remove these bishops is sickening.
We pray for "trust" because "clarity" may never come.
ReplyDeleteHowever, it is becoming more and more clear to the church that the hierarchy is not trustworthy.
This is so troublesome. Thank you for the prayer.
A moribund church in Europe, I don't feel it that way. I see it evolving into something new, different.
ReplyDeleteI also see a strong conservative streak that does not even seem to believe that there has been sexual misconduct on the part of priests...
True, many people think like you do and look to places like Asia or Africa for renewal.
A moribund hierarchy, in some cases yes, and taking forever to die...
I wonder if Cardinal Sean O'Malley and the other bishops who are going to Ireland in the fall will weigh in on this turn of events. I had read that Ireland had a surplus of bishops, so this decision is not only troubling from a moral standpoint, but is puzzling from a logistics standpoint.
ReplyDeleteI feel very sad for all those who have been abused and betrayed and who now seem to be being betrayed again.
Rosemary
I read that in September when Pope Benedict visits the UK, he will probably meet with a group of those who were abused like he did in DC. Considering his decline to accept resignations of these bishops, will these people (the abused) believe anything he says or promises?
ReplyDeleteJohn Allen's column was helpful in understanding the possible reaosns why, but I still felt very upset.
ReplyDeleteI really do not know what else to say.
Ireland is catching up with what the people in Boston were the first to learn: Church authority is not to be trusted.
ReplyDeleteYes, it is sad.
Claire: I'm interested in knowing what signs of evolution, growth, health you see in the Church in Europe.
ReplyDeleteSorry that you folks in the trenches have to live with the fallout from these decisions.
ReplyDelete