A woman who was sexually abused from the age of 13 by a Cloyne priest has called on the Pope to sack Bishop John Magee if he will not go voluntarily.Her call has been backed by the lay Catholic organisation, Voice of the Faithful.
In a statement calling on the "holy father, his holiness Pope Benedict XVI to exercise his supreme authority to request the resignation of Dr Magee."
The victim also wants Children's Minister Barry Andrews to resign, or be sacked, on foot of the Cloyne Report published last Friday.
Meanwhile, the Sunday Tribune has learned that, during the six months while the church and the state were suppressing the damning report, civil proceedings were activated over a complaint made two years ago but never referred to the bishop.
It brings to four the number of religious in the diocese who are the subjects of civil writs.
The new complaint relates to a member of a religious order in Cloyne. The alleged abuse was committed against a schoolboy by a teaching brother who is still alive.
The alleged victim informed Bishop Magee by letter dated 28 October that he had handed the matter over to his solicitors, having informed Monsignor Denis O'Callaghan of his allegations two years ago.
Magee replied to the victim by letter dated 30 October that this was the first he had heard of the complaint.
The report, written by Ian Elliott, chief executive of the church's National Board for Safeguarding Children, published last Friday after a cover-up going on since June, squarely points the finger at Magee as the one responsible for what is described as "inadequate and, in some respects, dangerous" child protection practice in the diocese.
"He holds the authority and the responsibility to ensure that actions are taken and children are protected," the report states. "In these cases, this did not happen in the way that it should have."
In a statement issued to the media, Magee, a former private secretary to three popes, asserted that Elliott's findings "are not proven and this report makes no determination as to that veracity."
The woman who has called for him to be sacked is one of five people who notified the diocese as early as 10 years ago of serious sexual abuse they suffered from a priest.
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(Source: ST)