The Pope has announced that the Archbishop of Cashel and Emly, the Most Reverend Dermot Clifford, is to take over as Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Cloyne. The appointment means that Archbishop Clifford takes over the running of the diocese from Bishop John Magee.
Bishop Magee will retain the title of Bishop of Cloyne.
Bishop Magee had faced calls for his resignation since the publication last year of an independent report, which found his diocese had put children at risk of harm through an inability to respond appropriately to abuse allegations.
The report was conducted by the National Board for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church in Ireland (NBSC), a body set up by, but independent of the Catholic Church.
Archbishop Clifford said: 'I look forward to serving the people and priests of Cloyne and to giving them pastoral leadership to the best of my ability. Coming from a neighbouring diocese, I know them to be a people with a proud tradition of faith.
'I will give every possible cooperation to the Commission of Inquiry into the Diocese of Cloyne.'
Bishop Magee welcomed the appointment of Archbishop Clifford. He said he requested the appointment of an Apostolic Administrator, who would carry out the ordinary governance of the diocese.
In a statement this afternoon Cardinal Seán Brady, Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland (right), said the decision 'is an indication of the importance which the Church gives to safeguarding children and caring for the needs of victims'.
He said he wished Archbishop Clifford well as he takes on the administration of the Diocese of Cloyne.
Archbishop Clifford was born on 25 January 1939.
He was ordained a priest on 22 February 1964, ordained Coadjutor Archbishop on 9 March 1986 and installed as Archbishop of Cashel and Emly on 12 September 1988.
Bishop Magee served as private secretary to popes Paul VI, Pope John Paul I and Pope John Paul II and in 1982 he was appointed Master of Pontifical Ceremonies.
A group that counsels survivors of abuse has welcomed Bishop John Magee's decision to step aside as Bishop Of Cloyne.
Maeve Lewis, who leads the One in Four organisation, said the decision underlines the sincerity with which the Catholic Church is taking the safety of children.+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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Sotto Voce
(Source: RTÉ)
Yet again, the Roman Catholic Church shoots itself in the foot. If they had they done the decent thing and canned the good Bishop of Cloyne instead of inventing a way of getting rid of him that appears to owe nothing to the righteous anger and pain felt by the people, some healing might have been possible. It does nothing but reduce their credibility. Putting a dodgy Archbishop in charge doesn't help either. Until we see the sight of a Bishop in handcuffs convicted of perverting the course of justice in hiding paedophiles and facilitating them by moving them about and not properly dealing with them by reporting and suspending them, these arrogant fools will continue to behave as they are and wonder what all the fuss is about. What is the Garda Commissioner doing? Anybody else even smelling remotely of such an offence would have been dealt with - why is Facthna Murphy so afraid of doing his job in this regard? Raid the bishops offices and homes and their secret archives and we'll see the true extent of the crimes they have covered up!
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