Pope keeps the Irish Bishops who helped cover up decades of child abuse in Ireland

by **Tony Bennett** 12.08.10 18:13

Outrage as Pope rejects bishops' resignation

12 August 2010 - Premier

A clergy abuse support group's labelled the Pope's decision to reject the resignation of two Irish bishops as a punch in the face.

Eamon Walsh and Raymond Field had wanted to stand down after being accused of cover-ups of abuse cases.

However Benedict the Sixteenth refused their request meaning they'll continue to serve in the Dublin Archdiocese.

Margaret Kennedy from the group Ministers and Clergy Survivors of Sexual Abuse tells Premier she's furious.

"It's actually a punch in the face to the survivors of abuse because it actually tells the survivors of abuse you are not important, the structure of the Church and the authority of the Church is much more important than doing the right thing for survivors of abuse. Everybody is shocked, appalled, disgusted."

The pair, who were both auxiliary bishops of Dublin, said they hoped their resignations would help bring peace to the victims of sexual abuse. They were bishops during the period covered by the Murphy Commission which examined abuse in the Dublin diocese.

The Report of the Commission of Investigation into the Catholic Archdiocese of Dublin was set up in 2006 to investigate how Church and state authorities handled allegations of child abuse against 46 priests over a period from 1975 to 2004.

by Guest 12.08.10 22:33

If the Pope rejected their resignations they should do the decent thing and leave the church anyway imo

It is well known the Pope is a protector of paedophile priests so this does not surprise me.