The Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin, Dr James Moriarty, is understood to be about to announce that he will be resigning. A statement is due to be issued this afternoon.
On Friday, Dr Moriarty, who is due to retire in two years time, said that if it was for the good of the Catholic Church he would step down earlier.
He also emphasised that he had not been criticised in the Murphy Report into clerical child abuse in the Dublin archdiocese.
Separately, a representative of victims of abuse has written an open letter to Pope Benedict XVI challenging him to come to Ireland to listen to them.
Christine Buckley, who represents victims of child abuse in Catholic institutions, has told Pope Benedict she is utterly dismayed at his 'apathetic approach' to heinous acts of depravity perpetrated on children by clergy and religious and covered up by Cardinal Desmond Connell and other bishops as revealed in the Murphy Report.
In the letter, she challenged the Pope to come to Ireland to listen to the pain of all victims of abuse.
Meanwhile, Cardinal Seán Brady has said Christmas brings fresh joy and hope to many who are greatly challenged by the recession, unprecedented flooding and the horrendous scandal of child abuse.
In his Christmas message Cardinal Brady says we all need to see a great light, especially when we find ourselves in the darkness of doom, gloom, despondency and despair, and that seeing the baby Jesus in the crib has strengthened people especially in bad times. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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SIC: RTÉ