THE FORMER bishop of Cloyne Dr John Magee may be called by the State
to give evidence in the case of a 74-year-old priest charged with a
number of sexual offences against a minor in the diocese.
Bishop
Magee, who was papal secretary to Pope Paul VI, Pope John Paul I and
John Paul II, retired as bishop of Cloyne last March, having earlier
stepped down from his diocesan duties.
He has since moved from the bishop’s palace in Cobh to live in a house in Mitchelstown.
Bishop
Magee (74), may be called by the State to give evidence for the
prosecution in the case against a priest of the diocese of Cloyne, Fr
Brendan Wrixon.
Fr Wrixon, with an address in Newmarket, Co Cork,
appeared at Mallow District Court on October 12th where he was charged
with three counts of gross indecency against a teenage boy contrary to
Section 11 of the Criminal Law Amendment Act 1885.
He was charged
with committing an act of gross indecency with the teenager, then aged
approximately 16 or 17, at the Convent of Mercy, Bathview, Mallow, on a
date unknown between October 16th, 1982, and February 15th, 1983.
He
was also charged with two other counts of committing an act of gross
indecency with the youth at Ballintlea, Doneraile, on a date between
June 16th, 1983 and October 15th, 1983 and at Christ the King Church,
Shanballymore on dates between February 16th, 1983 and June 15th, 1983.
Bishop
Magee made two statements to gardaí investigating the complaint and
both formed part of the file sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions
and were later included in a book of evidence served by gardaí on Fr
Wrixon.
The priest expressed shock when the charges were put to
him by investigating gardaí after he was arrested earlier last month and
taken to Mallow Garda station for the purpose of being charged.
“I
am shocked by it,” Fr Wrixon replied to the first charge, “Again, I am
stunned, shocked by it,” he replied to the second charge and “I am just
shocked by it,” he replied to the third charge, Mallow District Court
was told.
A book of evidence was served on Fr Wrixon by gardaí
prior to the court sitting and Judge Olann Kelleher returned him for
trial on the three charges to the next sitting of Cork Circuit Criminal
Court commencing on November 8th.
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