Four Irish Bishops Resign in Wake of Abuse Report

The Irish are running low on Catholic bishops after two more bishops resigned on Christmas Eve in the wake of a report on the cover-up of sexual abuse. Two bishops previously resigned. Bishops Eamonn Walsh and Raymond Field offered their resignations to Pope Benedict on December 24th.

The Murphy Report looked at 46 priests were revealed widespread abuse and a cover-up by Church leaders.

Bishops criticized the report on abuse when it was issued. Now, four out of five bishops who were criticized in the Murphy report have resigned. Previously, Bishop of Limerick Donal Murray and Bishop of Kildare resigned. Only Martin Drennan, the Bishop of Galway, remains.

On Wednesday it was revealed that James Moriarty, the Bishop of Kildare.

Here is what the two bishops sent to the Pope:

Bishop Éamonn Walsh and Bishop Raymond Field offer their resignation to His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI

We, Bishop Eamonn Walsh and Bishop Raymond Field, have this evening informed Archbishop Diarmuid Martin that we are offering our resignation to His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI, as Auxiliary Bishops to the Archbishop of Dublin. As we celebrate the Feast of Christmas, the Birth of our Saviour, the Prince of Peace, 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.

Our thoughts and prayers are with those who have so bravely spoken out and those who continue to suffer in silence.

We will not be saying anything further at this time.

Signed:

Bishop Eamonn Walsh
Bishop Raymond Field

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