BISHOP MAGEES RESIGNATION ACCEPTED …
Pope Benedict XVI this week accepted the resignation of the Bishop of Cloyne, Dr John Magee, writes John Barrett. The bishop stood aside last year over his handling of abuse allegations in the diocese.
The cleric, from Newry, Co Down, faced scathing criticism after the Church’s own watchdog found he took minimal action on accusations against two of his priests and branded his child protection ‘inadequate and dangerous’. He apologised when the watchdog’s report was first published before Christmas 2008 but he refused to resign at the time.
SINCERE APOLOGIES
A short statement issued on this Wednesday read: “His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI has accepted the resignation of the Most Reverend John Magee, Bishop of Cloyne. This announcement was made today in Rome at 12 local time “ In a statement issued from the Cloyne diocesan centre, Bishop Magee (73) welcomed the acceptance of his resignation. He extended his “sincere apologies” to any person who was abused by “any priest” during his time as bishop, “or at any time.”
“To those whom I have failed in any way, or through any omission of mine have made suffer, I beg forgiveness and pardon. As I said on Christmas Eve 2008 after the publication report of the National Board for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church in Ireland, I take full responsibility for the criticism of our management of issues contained in that report,” Fr Magee said.
GOVERNMENT COMMISSION
He added that he would continue to be available to the Government Commission of Investigation into child protection procedures in the Diocese “at any time”. He added that he “sincerely hopes” that the work and the findings of the Commission “will be of some help towards healing for those who have been abused.”
73-year-old Dr Magee once served in Rome as personal secretary to Pope Paul VI, Pope John Paul I and Pope John Paul II.
GOD'S BLESSING
Archbishop Dermot Clifford, who was appointed apostolic administrator to the Cloyne diocese and is Ireland’s longest serving Catholic Archbishop, said: “I would like to thank Bishop John Magee for the cooperation he has given me since my appointment as Apostolic Administrator to the Diocese of Cloyne on March 7 2009. I wish him all God’s blessings in his retirement.
"I ask for the continued prayers and support of the lay faithful, priests and religious of the Diocese of Cloyne for all those who have suffered abuse.”
Published:
Thursday 25th March 5:34pm
