Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

RTÉ.ie

Cork man ejected from priesthood over abuse claims 'kept celebrating Mass at home'

It’s led to a resignation in the diocese of Cloyne.

A FORMER PRIEST who was cleared of criminal charges of child abuse but was dismissed by the church continued to celebrate Mass privately at his home.

The discovery led to the resignation of Bill Meagher, the Designated Liaison Person (DLP) for the Diocese of Cloyne.

Dan Duane of the Cloyne Diocese had appealed the decision by the Canonical Court in Ireland to remove him from the priesthood but the Vatican dismissed the appeal.

The Bishop of Cloyne William Crean says that Meagher met with Duane in June to verify that he was abiding by the agreed Covenant of Care.

He was informed by Duane that the former priest was celebrating Mass privately at his home.

The terms of his dismissal had meant that he is not permitted to act as a priest in any way, whether publicly or privately.

Duane had defended his actions saying that he was appealing his dismissal to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) in Rome.

The Bishop of Cloyne said that he did not believe that Duane’s appeal was legitimate but felt he had no option but to wait for a response from the CDF.

“I believed that no further action by me was possible until I received notification from the CDF,” Bishop Crean said in a statement. “This led to Mr Meagher resigning as he did not agree with my position.”

Bishop Crean says that, after receiving confirmation that Duane’s appeal had no grounds, he wrote to him informing him that  he “cannot act as a priest in any manner whatsoever”.

Crean adds that he also wrote to abuse survivors in the diocese to apologise for any distress caused.

One of the court cases saw Duane accused of kissing a teenage girl on the lips, and fondling her, when she went to his house to speak to him about a family problem. The judge in the case directed the jury to find Duane not guilty because the delay in making her complaint.

Read: Cork man ejected from priesthood over abuse claims has appeal rejected by Rome >

Read: Cork priest denies indecent assault of Cork teenager in 1980s >

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

Close
136 Comments
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Gavin
    Favourite Gavin
    Report
    Jan 25th 2015, 2:56 PM

    Hope she is found okay!!!

    783
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Daniel Carry
    Favourite Daniel Carry
    Report
    Jan 25th 2015, 3:02 PM

    Best laugh I’ve had all day

    177
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute davedunne
    Favourite davedunne
    Report
    Jan 25th 2015, 3:37 PM

    Her body was found and then eaten by one of the local tribes

    29
    See 3 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Silver Planet
    Favourite Silver Planet
    Report
    Jan 25th 2015, 5:01 PM

    She’s prob just shopping

    23
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute kevinF
    Favourite kevinF
    Report
    Jan 25th 2015, 5:40 PM

    Or eaten by them fierce creatures
    mere cats ….like in life if pie

    5
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute John Lawler
    Favourite John Lawler
    Report
    Jan 25th 2015, 8:46 PM

    That’s a bit racist. All islanders are or we’re not cannibals.

    10
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Unfortunately
    Favourite Unfortunately
    Report
    Jan 25th 2015, 3:04 PM

    They cannot find jumbo jet that disappeared in 2014, yet they hope to find 1 or 2 person propeller plane from 70 years ago, yeah I think that may work.

    337
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Charles Mcdonald
    Favourite Charles Mcdonald
    Report
    Jan 25th 2015, 7:53 PM

    Not a jumbo jet and by lack of oxygen or intentionally it was crashed in middle of ocean. One thinks that if she was experiencing problems with her aircraft she might go for any land in sight.

    So maybe she did crash there. Maybe not. Be cool to solve but won’t hold my breath

    26
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Larissa Nikolaus
    Favourite Larissa Nikolaus
    Report
    Jan 26th 2015, 6:19 PM

    Didn’t they find some pieces of her plane and some skeletons on the island there, somewhen in the fifties, thought I read something about that, but can’t remember where

    4
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Kevin Gill
    Favourite Kevin Gill
    Report
    Jan 25th 2015, 4:23 PM

    Women drivers crash into anything and still manage to get lost

    68
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute James Onedin
    Favourite James Onedin
    Report
    Jan 25th 2015, 6:55 PM

    ‘Hunting the mysterious disappearance of……’ What did the English language ever do to The Journal to be abused in this way? One might say ‘Hunting for…’ someone or something or ‘Investigating the disappearance of…….’ someone or something, but ‘Hunting the disappearance of…’ is just bad grammar.

    67
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Charlie Mountney
    Favourite Charlie Mountney
    Report
    Jan 25th 2015, 3:43 PM

    Wow. She’s gonna be really really old if they do find her.

    67
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Laura Leslie
    Favourite Laura Leslie
    Report
    Jan 25th 2015, 7:53 PM

    So basically they watched ‘lost’ and got this idea!

    12
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Coly Costello
    Favourite Coly Costello
    Report
    Jan 25th 2015, 5:04 PM

    Aiiggghhhhtttttttt…..

    12
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.