Bishop Donal Murray is expected to offer his resignation to Pope Benedict XVI within the next three days.Cardinal Sean Brady yesterday heaped further pressure on the Bishop of Limerick over his handling of child sexual abuse complaints while he worked in Dublin.
The Catholic Primate of All Ireland and Archbishop of Armagh said he had been in contact with Dr Murray and was confident that the bishop would "do the right thing".
Following that contact, Dr Murray last night released a letter to be read at all weekend masses in which he stated that his intention was to reflect on the decision that he now has to make.
Asking for the continued prayers of mass-goers, he said he was acutely aware of the pain and anguish that had been experienced following the publication of the Murphy report.
The pressure on Dr Murray to stand aside intensified considerably after Cardinal Sean Brady publicly expressed his unease over the contents of the report, and the controversy surrounding individuals criticised in it.
Asked what he would have done if he had discovered that his actions had in any way led to the abuse of a child, Cardinal Brady said: "If I found myself in a situation where I was aware that my failure to act had allowed or meant that other children were abused, then I think I would resign."
Cardinal Brady will travel to Rome this week with Archbishop Diarmuid Martin to discuss the findings of the Murphy report with the Pope.
The report into child abuse in the Dublin Archdiocese, first revealed in the Sunday Independent three weeks ago, described Dr Murray's behaviour as "inexcusable".
The report also said that he was aware for many years of complaints and/or suspicions of clerical child sexual abuse, that he dealt badly with a number of complaints, and that he did not deal properly with the suspicions and concerns that were expressed to him. Dr Murray came under intense scrutiny in the days after the report was published.
Last week Dr Murray said he would be guided by the priests and the people of his diocese as to whether he would resign.
Asked if he could be forced out, Dr Murray said: "I have no idea... If I felt my ministry was not the best, was not good, for the Diocese of Limerick, I wouldn't have to be forced."
Dr Murray has no public engagements in his diocese this weekend.
Asked if the bishop had gone to Rome to tender his resignation to the Pope, Fr Paul Finnerty of the Limerick Diocesan Office told the Sunday Independent: "He has not gone to Rome, he is still very much in Limerick."
In an interview on RTE yesterday, Cardinal Brady said that very many people were "very angry with their Church and with their bishops -- and rightly so".
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