Five Irish dioceses are now awaiting the appointment of a new bishop
since Bishop Christopher Jones of Elphin submitted his resignation to
the Vatican last week on reaching the mandatory retirement age of
75.
The Diocese of Limerick has been without a bishop since Dr Donal
Murray resigned on December 17, 2009 following criticism in the Murphy
Report.
Kildare and Leighlin is also vacant since Bishop Jim Moriarty's
resignation was accepted almost a year ago in April 2010.
Bishop
Moriarty, though not criticised in the Murphy Report, resigned saying he
had failed to sufficiently challenge the culture of cover-up in the
Dublin archdiocese.
Bishop John Magee stepped aside in Cloyne in 2009 after criticism of
his handling of allegations of child abuse.
However, the diocese did not
become vacant until almost a year later when he formally resigned as
bishop in March 2010.
Bishop Colm O'Reilly of Ardagh and Clonmacnois tendered his
resignation to Pope Benedict XVI last January and is awaiting news of a
successor.
Bishop Jones's resignation last week brings to five the number of
appointments pending.
However, in June Bishop Bill Murphy of Kerry will
also turn 75 and is obliged to offer his resignation to the Vatican
giving the Pope an extra space to fill.
Appointments are unlikely to be made until after the conclusion of
the Apostolic Visitation and the publication of the Cloyne Report.