Archbishop Diarmuid Martin has asked priests of the Dublin Diocese to prepare their own pastoral response to the Murphy abuse inquiry which is due to report next year. The inquiry, under the Chairpersonship of Ms Justice Yvonne Murphy, is investigating the handling of a ''representative sample'' of allegations of abuse by priests of the archdiocese from 1940 made between January 1975 and May 2004.
Archbishop Martin was speaking at a series of meetings organised by the diocese to prepare priests for the fallout from the Inquiry report. Dr Martin told the priests that there would not be a letter from Archbishop's House to be read at all Masses about the report. Instead, individual priests should prepare their own response for their parishioners, Dr Martin told the meetings.
Priests at the meetings were also briefed by diocesan lawyers about the ongoing investigation. The Irish Catholic understands that Ms Justice Murphy's report will be sent to the Cabinet and relevant Government departments before the end of January. Government departments and other State agencies such as the HSE will then have 90 days in which to respond to the contents of the report before the final report is published.
The Irish Catholic also understands that the role of Canon Law, and the potential for conflict between the Church's law and civil law in handling allegations of sexual abuse, will figure significantly in the final report.
The Commission to Investigate was established in November 2005 and was due to report within eighteen months. However, the Department of Justice has granted several extensions to the Commission.
Last month, The Irish Catholic published details of a confidential letter sent by Archbishop Martin to priests of the Dublin Diocese describing the scale of abuse as ''staggering''.
The Ryan Commission into allegations of sexual abuse by priests and religious in industrial schools is also due to be published early next year.
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(Source: IC)