BISHOP of Limerick Donal Murray was on the brink of resigning last night as a senior minister condemned Pope Benedict for his silence on the Murphy report.Foreign Affairs Minister Micheal Martin launched an unprecedented attack on the Pope, saying he was "deeply disappointed" the Pontiff had not given a detailed response to the damning abuse report.
As pressure intensified for Bishop Murray to stand aside before the Conference of Bishops gathers in Maynooth, Co Kildare, on Wednesday, speculation was growing that the prelate planned to travel to Rome to submit his resignation to the Pope.
Cardinal Sean Brady and Dublin Archbishop Diarmuid Martin will attempt to personally engage Pope Benedict to resolve the crisis when they travel to Rome later this week.
They are expected to meet the Pontiff and heads of the Vatican Curia on Friday.
Mr Martin's comments marked an eruption of tensions between Church and State not seen since the mid-1980s, when both sides clashed over contraception, divorce and abortion.
The Foreign Affairs Minister's attitude to the Vatican has been far more critical than that of Taoiseach Brian Cowen, who last week defended its failure to respond directly to requests for information from the Murphy Commission.
Speaking on RTE's 'The Week in Politics', the minister outlined what he wanted to get from his meeting with the Papal Nuncio Giuseppe Leanza in the Department of Foreign Affairs headquarters in Iveagh House, Dublin, tomorrow.
"I think we will be pointing out that we need a substantive response and it is the view of the Irish Government that there has to be co-operation, not just with the investigation into Dublin but also the Cloyne Diocese," he said.
"I am deeply disappointed that we have not had a comprehensive statement from the Vatican and, indeed, from the Pope. The Pope has not responded yet to the appalling revelations of the Murphy inquiry," he said.
Church sources said last night they expected Bishop Murray would no longer be in office by Wednesday when the Irish Bishops' Conference gathers in Maynooth to respond to what Cardinal Brady has called "a crisis" for the Church.
Untenable
Bishop Murray's position became untenable at the weekend when Cardinal Brady intervened publicly to say that they had been in contact last week and Bishop Murray would do the right thing.
Cardinal Brady, the Primate of All Ireland and Archbishop of Armagh, said that if he were found responsible for causing harm to children, he would resign.
"Bishop Donal Murray had been in contact with me. He is considering his position and hopes to be in a position to comment soon, and I am confident that Bishop Donal will do the right thing," he said.
Cardinal Brady also supported Archbishop Martin's call for stronger leadership and accountability.
He said: "I am convinced now is the time for action, some people would like to let the dust settle down and get back to business as normal but there is no way that can happen." He admitted it was the greatest challenge he had ever faced but voiced confidence that if the Church reacted with humility then it would face the challenge.
In a letter read out at Masses across Bishop Murray's Limerick diocese yesterday, the bishop told parishioners he was "reflecting" on his decision. Bishop Murray said he was "acutely aware" of the pain and anguish that has been experienced since the publication of the Murphy report.
In St Joseph's Church in Limerick, where Bishop Murray celebrated Mass last Sunday week, the Bishop's secretary Fr Paul Finnerty read out the statement at 10am Mass.
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