On this blog on Monday September 14th, we did state that a high ranking cleric belonging to the Kiltegan Fathers was alleged to have been somewhat under the limelight for alleged abuse.Now, we can confirm the following for you:
* Archbishop Richard Burke, native of Fethard, Clonmel, County Tipperary is the person at the centre of this issue;
* Affair began when the alleged victim, Ms Dolores Atwood was 14 years old, continuing for 20 years, even after alleged victim was married;
* Only after complaint was submitted via Gardaí to Nigerian police did the Archbishop step down from his position;
* This means he remained in office for 6 months which is contrary to the Vaticans own policies in such matters;
* Archbishop Burke currently in USA;
* Alleged abuse began in 1983 right through to 2003, beginning when she was a hospital patient;
* Formal complaint filed in 2008 with Kiltegan Fathers and with Rome, meeting with two (2) Kiltegan Fr's (Marren & Howley) in Nova Scotia;
* Archbishop Burke pleaded with Ms Atwood to withdraw allegations in London, even writing the notice of withdrawal for her to submit;
* report into the matter completed on 4th. January 2009, with formal credibility assigned to the complaints of abuse issued by letter on 11th January 2009 by Fr Séamus O'Neill;
* October 2009 - Ms Atwood advised that the file in relation to her allegations had been requested by Rome (Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith) who were seeking total oversight of the matter;
* files were sent to Rome, being received only early last week in the Congregation on Wednesday 21st October, 2009.
Any and all further details in relation to this matter shall be noted here as they become available and confirmed.
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