A YEAR after Bishop Jim Moriarty offered his resignation, the
Vatican has yet to appoint his successor to the diocese of Kildare and
Leighlin.
The former bishop of Kildare and Leighlin tendered his
resignation to Bishop Diarmuid Martin on 23 December last year amid a
storm of controversy, after it emerged that he had failed to act in
relation to allegations of clerical child sex abuse when he was an
auxiliary bishop in the Dublin diocese during the 1990s.
Four months later, Pope Benedict accepted Bishop Moriarity’s
resignation.
In the absence of a bishop, Mgr Brendan Byrne, parish
priest of Tullow, is currently acting as diocesan administrator.
A spokesperson for the diocese of Kildare and Leighlin, Fr Micheál
Murphy, said: “The process of appointing Bishop Moriarty’s successor is
currently with the Vatican. The papal nuncio is constantly in
consultation with the people and senior officials in the diocese.
“We are currently awaiting news of an appointment from the Vatican,
but we are now looking at the New Year before an announcement will be
made.”
According to Fr Micheál, the former bishop is no longer residing in
the Bishop’s House in Carlow and is currently living in the Clontarf
area of Dublin, where he is carrying out pastoral duties in whatever
capacity he is asked to.
Fr Micheál added that Mgr Byrne will continue to be administrator of the diocese until the appointment of a new bishop.
SIC: KN/IE