Irish bishop resigns in sex abuse scandal

VATICAN CITY (RNS) An Irish Catholic bishop has resigned following accusations he mishandled cases of clerical sex abuse of children. The Vatican announced on Wednesday (March 24) that Bishop John Magee of Cloyne, 73, had stepped down in accordance with a church law requiring the resignation of a “bishop who has become less able to […]

VATICAN CITY (RNS) An Irish Catholic bishop has resigned following accusations he mishandled cases of clerical sex abuse of children.

The Vatican announced on Wednesday (March 24) that Bishop John Magee of Cloyne, 73, had stepped down in accordance with a church law requiring the resignation of a “bishop who has become less able to fulfill his office because of ill health or some other grave cause.”

Magee served as a private secretary to three popes — Paul VI, John Paul I and John Paul II — before becoming bishop of Cloyne in 1987. He stepped down indefinitely from active duty a year ago, pending the conclusion of an inquiry into sex abuse in his diocese.


The Cloyne inquiry, which has still not officially concluded, is the fourth major government-sponsored investigation of clerical sex abuse in the Irish Catholic Church since 2003.

“As I depart, I want to offer once again my sincere apologies to any person who has been abused by any priest of the Diocese of Cloyne during my time as bishop or at any time,” Magee said in a statement. “To those whom I have failed in any way, or through any omission of mine have made to suffer, I beg forgiveness and pardon.”

Because of his suspension, Magee was not present at the Vatican last month, when Pope Benedict XVI met with all 24 serving Irish bishops to discuss the clerical sex abuse of minors detailed in two Irish government-sponsored reports.

In an open letter to Irish Catholics released on Saturday (March 20), Pope Benedict wrote that Irish bishops had “failed, at times grievously,” to investigate and punish clerical sex abusers, thus enabling them to strike again.

Four present or former auxiliary bishops of Dublin have offered to resign because of the scandal; so far, Benedict has accepted only one resignation, of Donal B. Murray of Limerick.

Last week, the senior prelate of the Catholic Church in Ireland, Cardinal Sean Brady, said he was “ashamed” he had failed to tell Irish police about secrecy oaths signed by two alleged victims of Brendan Smyth, who was later convicted on more than 100 counts of sexual abuse of children. Brady, however, has rebuffed calls for his resignation.


Donate to Support Independent Journalism!

Donate Now!