ONCE again, the public -- and the congregation of the Catholic diocese of Dublin in particular -- are left wondering what's going on behind the scenes.The refusal by Pope Benedict XVl to accept the resignations of two Dublin auxiliary bishops appears to be a rejection of the views of the Archbishop of Dublin, Dr Diarmuid Martin.
As usual, no clear explanations are on offer.
The two bishops tendered their resignations last Christmas in the wake of the Murphy Report into clerical child abuse.
Dr Martin made the brief announcement that Bishop Eamonn Walsh and Bishop Raymond Field would be remaining in situ in a letter to his priests that concerned itself mainly with the logistics of administering the sacraments of baptism and confirmation.
Although no reasons were given, it could be assumed the Pope refused to accept the resignations because neither Dr Walsh nor Bishop Field were heavily criticised in the Murphy Report.
The Murphy Commission was not happy with Dr Walsh's handling of complaints against a 'Fr Dante'. Similarly, Bishop Field did not come in for personal criticism, although he was involved in a number of cases in which priests were accused of abuse.
But it appears the Vatican did not deem these conclusions sufficient grounds for resignation.
However, when Dr Martin expressed his views in a Holy Thursday homily last March, he insisted that church leaders should accept responsibility, full stop.
He seemed to call for resignations, although not in so many words.
And he made particular reference to Dublin.
He said: "The credibility of the church in this diocese of Dublin will only be regained when we honestly recognise the failures of the past, whatever our share of responsibility for them. There can be no rewriting history."
Whatever our share of responsibility.
His comments were interpreted by victims as a call on auxiliary bishops Walsh and Field to resign, along with Bishop of Galway Martin Drennan, a former auxiliary bishop of Dublin.
In May, the sense that more goes on than meets the eye intensified when Dr Martin told the Knights of St Columbanus, in an address, that "strong forces" in the Catholic Church wanted the truth about clerical sex abuse scandals to remain hidden.
The Archbishop of Dublin confided then that he had never felt so disheartened and dejected since assuming the post six years ago.
It is unlikely that he has had reason to cheer up in the past day or two.
SIC: II