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Updated 11pm
POPE FRANCIS HAS accepted the resignation of Cardinal Seán Brady.
The Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland to Pope Francis offered his resignation in July in accordance with the requirement under Canon Law that he retire at the age of 75.
In a statement earlier today, Cardinal Brady said he was pleased that the pontiff had accepted his resignation. In the past, diocesan bishops have been allowed to remain on in their positions past the age of 75.
He also congratulated Archbishop Eamon Martin who becomes the new Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland from 11am today.
Cardinal Brady says he will continue to live near Armagh and “help out pastorally” when he can and when he is needed.
“I am looking forward to retirement and, no doubt, it will take me some time to get used to it, but it will be good to have more time for family, friends and to follow the football!” he added.
Hours after this statement, he spoke at a mass in St Patrick’s Cathedral in Armagh.
RTÉ reports at at this mass, he said that Pope Cranic’s motto “reminds me that I too need to say sorry and to ask forgiveness”.
Controversy
Cardinal Brady has been the subject of much criticism following allegations that he failed to protect children from the abuse of paedophile priest Father Brendan Smyth.
A BBC This World documentary revealed that an abuse survivor had furnished the Catholic Church with the names and addresses of children who were at risk. Despite the information, their parents were never warned about the danger facing their children from Smyth.
Cardinal Brady acted as a notary during the 1975 inquiry.
The revelations sparked a spate of calls for Brady’s resignation from victims of clerical abuse, from other priests in Ireland, and from members of government back in 2012.
Brady subsequently apologised to victims, stating that parents should have been warned.
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As a 14-year-old boy in Dundalk in 1975, Brendan Boland was made sign an oath of secrecy by Fr Brady and other priests, after he described how he had been abused by Smyth and gave the names and addresses of others whom he believed had suffered the same fate.
Brady led a secret investigation and covered up the whole thing to protect everything else first, before protecting the abused victims.
Brady is not a peadophile but he protected one, that in my view is just as bad…and today he retires rather than stepping down all them years ago.
People like him are the very reason I (like many others i’m sure) never step inside a Church unless I really have to.
Brady is a sick twisted man, he wouldn’t even walk the 200metres to his local Gardai station to report something that any sane human being knew was a sick and twisted crime.
But then he’s in good company with the catholic church, lets not forget that a senior cleric laughed at our then president Mary McAleese when she said the church should open up its files on child abuse or the State would force it to do so.
A week after that senior cleric laughed at her the Irish State forced then catholic church to do just what Mary said, Mary herself tells this story as part of her recent talk about the catholic church http://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/religion-and-beliefs/mcaleese-says-catholic-church-s-old-boys-club-has-to-go-1.1920947
McAleese always had far too a comfortable relationship with the Church IMO. And her husband didn’t exactly cover himself in glory with a report of his a number of years later either.
Well said, Brian. A deeply evil man who should have be spending the rest of his wretched days in a jail cell.
Perhaps those giving red thumbs could explain why this monster shouldn’t be behind bars?
As someone who also suffered I can totally relate. If the Catholic Church was really sincere in the contrition they would hand over all their files of complaints and evidence thereby providing verification needed for legal cases. The Catholic Church stonewalls any attempt to find the truth. They have not changed, they lie,the distort and the hinder.
I love my country. I agree with all you say and what’s worse is the puppet that is taking over is not interested in you or any other victim. It’s Rome, Rome, Rome all the way forever no mater what !
I don’t know why the law has not stepped in on this, Brady hid evidence. A lesser man would be in prison now.
@ Eileen: it would be hard to find a ‘lesser’ man than that one.
Go to hell Brady and take the rest of those perverts with you.
Its Rome in religious exploitation of this nation, just as its Berlin and Washington in economic exploitation of this nation…..how can anyone call this a republic??? ….except that is a bunch of flag waving, gangster supported and gangster supporting shinners…eh gerry?
Should have had the decency to resign years ago..
” yawn”
The best defence people have for bradys disgusting behavior is boredom. Sums them up really doesn’t it.
He should have been thrown in jail years ago.
Look at the nice boy in the hot seat now. AB Diarmuid has to be the most insincere puppet ever sent here from Rome not so many years ago because he was deemed most capable to fool the worshipers of Catholicism into believing that all will be well now.
It isn’t, not by a long shot.
Quivering lips and tearful eyes are obvious “acting” at its worst. It’s damage limitation time and sure poor Diarmuid looks and sounds very nice simply because its his job to. Only blind Catholics will believe and follow. His priority is to answer to Rome and not the people of Ireland.
Cannon law my hole.
Aren’t you the lucky one Seamus, that you were not abused as a child.
Apologies I thought it was Diarmuid Martin.
No, it was always about helping the church support (with its so called “moral authority”) those in power. Prostitutes, just like the Russian orthodox priests and bishops supporting the ultra nationalist Putin today. Putin / Dev to the priests – your cheque is in the post….
Should have rejected the resignation and fired him.
Rob,
I see where you’re coming from but why would the Vatican/Pope do such a thing?
Even if a priest sexually abuses a child all he has to do is ask for forgiveness and the church will look after him and they won’t strip him of his titles. This is very well documented.
He’s looking forward to spending time with family, he didn’t care much about families when he allowed their children to suffer abuse from priests
Should he not be taken away by the Garda? Why is he allowed sail into the sunset, people get locked up for alot less .
Why hasn’t he actually been arrested and prosecuted?!
Someone actually needs to go to a police station and make a formal complaint against him. The police won’t or can’t act without a complaint.
Pope Francis is a decade late and a dollar short. The low and mediocre standards of leadership and moral authority in the Catholic Church are not a function of either chronological age or rings on a tree.
PR Pope Fran the man won’t do anything more than empty, token gestures… Might lose him a few Twitter followers.
Pope Francie does what he is told, like every other pope. It’s politics. Not religion.
If it’s a requirement to resign at age 75 it’s a bit pointless in being grateful that the pope accepted it.
He’s still remains a cardinal for the rest of his life.
May he burn in hell the arrogant Bsatard
There is no hell. In fact there is no heavan or are there any gods of any kind. What there is, is foolish men
@Barry Sometime you kinda wish there was though.
The man should be in jail and not be allowed to enjoy life and “follow the football”
Shouldn’t the whole Catholic Church just call it a day, the games up for all religions, they had their way in the world for far too long, causing misery and mayhem with their ridiculous outdated ideas.
Stephen,
“The games up for all religions.” Try telling that to ISIS. They will change your opinion when they ask you to convert. If you don’t you will literally lose your head!
That’s true, it’s also similar to the ultimatum given to South American Ind
I think British and American special forces are working on that Isis situation.
Blame the yanks! 2013 Sen John McCain said we must arm ISIS to defend itself from Assad. In 2014 Sen John McCain said we must arm Assad to fight ISIS. ‘Merica!
Sadly it is not true. I have a good friend who tried to raise the warning about abuse in his mosque. He has been beaten up, threatened with death and banished from his community. He tells me that it is rife within many Islamic communities. He told me that he feels the hardline on gay people in Islam is actually misplaced anger over the pervasive abuse within Islam. Basically gay men are paying with their lives for the failure to face up to the issue of child abusers in Moslem societies. Gays are the scapegoats. Mind you the RC church has been doing the same to “faggots” for centuries. Basically gay men pay for other’s sins.
Frankie should have sacked the him as soon as he came to office this bastion of holyness conspired to cover-up child abuse!
He should be ashamed olf himself he has the devil in his heart not God, he should be gone long ago
Curious where Paddy Scully from Catholic Comment is?
Normally he’s on here defending the church and condemning people like philomena lee, funny that he’s never too quick to condemn the catholic church for its crimes and lack of actions.
“Offered his resignation”did he offer his apology to the victims ?
Why would he apologise? He was just “following orders”.
Yeah, yeah. Godwin’s
Now can the cops drag this bar steward’s evil carcass in for questioning as an accessory to rape and sexual assault?
I hope Brady is tormented by the prospect of an eternity in hell for the rest of his long, miserable life.
“Now can the cops drag this bar steward’s evil carcass in for questioning as an accessory to rape and sexual assault?”
No, because he is politically protected as is the church…..duh….are you living on this planet at all? Who appoints the top 200 gardai, why its the minister for justice isn’t it.
“A horrible yolk” as my dad would say!
Sean Brady brazened it out until he was forced by means of his age to offer his resignation..no dignity and no remorse shown by him, and Ireland as a nation brought into disrepute and ridicule by his inaction.
Pope Francis should now send him in his late years to one of the poorest nations to repent and to learn to understand humility.The arrogance of this man of the cloth takes something to beat.
Geraldine, pope Francis is a puppet on the same string. He sounds and looks good because that is what’s required to do by his masters.
Good riddance.
This guy was afforded protection by his corrupt organization and the state , he should have been arrested and tried for his crimes, instead he had a few weeks of headlines in the paper , a few tough questions and then let back in to run the daily business of telling people how their lives
He should take the rest of the Catholic Church with him as he leaves. I don’t know who’s more evil and corrupt. The Catholic Church or the Government!
Why was Brady not arrested for preventing the course of justices.
They hide behind this cannon law
The law of the land must supersede all other laws
If this cannon law allows them to get away with what they did and then cover it up,
The Government must step in to protect its people.
But we know the Government turned a blind eye to these poor children for long enough too.
Are we sure it has “STOPPED”
When he dies, will this facilitator be canonised and sainted too? After all, he performed the miracle of making accusations against God’s chosen princes disappear.
Vermin
There may be a God, yes. But the idea of him appointing some special hierarchy of humans on planet Earth is laughable and no better than Scientology.
At least now people can see why they want(ed) to protect the unborn .. Steady flow .
Will someone *please* make a meme / anigif of that cross Whacking Brady on the head – Father Ted style, Please!
Only the deluded Zealots could defend an odious toad like Brady! Pity Hell doesn’t exists because he’d be front row centre.
There were definitely some Archbishops that went beyond 75 Sinead. One went to 79 not too long back, but I can;t remember his name.
Desmond O’ Connell, Odious guy.
Protector of paedos. Vile ‘person,’ vermin really.
I think the main reason there aren’t more people on defending the Cardinal is because of the level of misinformed and uneducated angry comments directed at the Church.
Most of the comments are not even civilised let alone worthy of acknowledgement.
Do you realise what these people have done? Shall I tell you?
Or maybe it’s because they’d rather not defend the indefensible.
Its important to be civilised to make a serious point…When did Sean Brady act in a “civilised” way when in his position of great spiritual responsibility?, he consistently covered up and failed to address or acknowledge the rape of young Irish children by his brethern, whom he had authority for….what is your definition of being civilised?…to any sane responsible human this is barbaric behaviour of the highest order.He should be defrocked..even at this very late stage.The muppet generations are no more!
Well said Geraldine. They are worse than beasts because they continue to make the innocent suffer because of their stonewalling of evidence and cases. I am Catholic in spirit but I hate the institutional Catholic Church.
Y’know Tarlach, to be catholic means you accept the pope as god spokesman – if you believe in the whole Jesus as saviour thing but have no time for the Vatican you’re actually Christian.
@Ross Casey:
The main reason is because the people are waking up to these dinosaurs and their control cult.
Misinformed is for you, my dear boy!
@ Casey defending child rapist enablers again your a warped scary man alarm bells.
@ Casey defending child rapist enablers a scary man alarm bells.
“misinformed and uneducated angry comments directed at the Church.”
Judging by the comments it would seem to me that most of the people are well informed and educated on the subject of Cardinal Sean Brady. As for the anger, I find it slightly disturbing that you don’t see why such anger is justified? Salvation over morality is what being a good Catholic is all about, you’ve made that perfectly clear Ryan.
They’re gradually dying out – not soon enough but they’re well on the way. The people are waking up at last to this old boys’ club.
Good riddance!
The face of evil
Hope he burns in hell. Arrogant Bsatard
Good oul Catholic Church
Ross Casey,
This is the second last opportunity for the outpouring of vitriol against the Cardinal.
What will they vent their anger on next?
No condemnation on the genocide against Christians as we speak, these people love reminiscing on the past, yet they cannot see what what is happening in a world around us in the twenty first century.
No comment on the violence in the middle East, floods in Pakistan, starvation in the Horn of Africa, Ebola outbreak. Planes being shot down, Russian aggression, ISIS.
The first place any christian,civilised society looks to banish evil and develop an ethical and moral conscience is at home..ie Ireland.
Extraordinary Sir, that you can sleep well at night in your bed with a clear conscience that the youth of your country were been raped, by those you choose to defend..and you obliterate it from your conscience,conveniently…by scattering shallow thoughts of those..far away..charity begins at home..etc
Now he wants forgiveness as he retires, this man had no morals or sense of reality
Our prayers answered, perhaps this is a miracle by devine intervention…….
St Patrick, pray for us.
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