In an example of people power, parishioners in Co. Tyrone have vowed
to step up their campaign to have their parish priest reinstated.
Fr
Sean McEvoy, PP of Aughnacloy was forced to step aside by Cardinal Seán
Brady more than a year ago while an abuse allegation was investigated.
However, a police spokesman confirmed that after an investigation there
was no case to answer.
Despite this, Cardinal Brady has not returned Fr
McEvoy to ministry.
Petition
Now some 3,000 parishioners have put their name to a petition putting
pressure on Dr Brady to reinstate their much-loved parish priest.
Fr
McEvoy, who served the local community for six years, has been out of
ministry since last March.
A delegation of parishioners met with Cardinal Brady last week to
hand over the petition and to make clear their desire for Fr McEvoy to
be reinstated.
However, a spokesman for Dr Brady said: ''In this case,
there is a process which must be followed and which involves a number of
steps which must be taken.
''Such a process is at present in progress, but has not yet concluded.''
The issue has created tension in Armagh archdiocese.
A number of
priests who spoke to The Irish Catholic in April expressed a mixture of
''dismay'', ''disappointment'' and ''annoyance at the slowness of the
process''.