For Immediate Release – December 24, 2009
The resignation of the Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin, Ireland, James Moriarity, former auxiliary bishop of Dublin and one of five
bishops named in the Murphy Report, came wrapped in a statement that said, “with the benefit of hindsight, I accept that from the time I became an auxiliary bishop I should have challenged the prevailing culture.”
The National Survivor Advocates Coalition expresses its incredulity that any religious leader at any time could think that the abuse of children and the protection of priests who abused them could be considered acceptable and only in “hindsight” could right could be discerned from wrong.
We hope that the gift of foresight will be forthcoming upon the Irish hierarchy this Christmas season so that not one more child will suffer the bitter myrrh of sexual abuse.
While acknowleding that two resignations of bishops in Ireland is a 100% better result that the public knowledge of clergy sexual abuse in the United States produced, the coalition called for the resignations of the three additional bishops named in the Murphy Report.
The resignation of 4 Irish bishops is a good start. Bishops from Canada, Austrailia and the United States are forevr apologizing for their failure to do the right thing but when are they going to do the right thing and resign. Don’t they realize, only when they resign will their dicese begin to heal. Hopefully, every last one of the hierarchy that has been involved in the scandalous abuse crimes will resign. Priests, Bishops, Archbishops, Cardinals and need I say more. We need cleansing of the (holy?) ranks.