There is still no indication from the
Vatican as to when it will appoint successors for two local bishops who
have reached retirement age.
It is over a year now since Bishop Colm
O'Reilly of the Ardagh and Clonmacnois diocese tendered his resignation to Pope
Benedict XVI in Rome, having reached the obligatory retirement age of
75.
After his resignation was accepted, he agreed to stay on working in
the diocese where he has been bishop since 1983, until his replacement
is announced.
Meanwhile, on reaching his 75th birthday last
March, the Bishop of Elphin Christopher Jones also offered his
resignation to the pontiff.
The bishop, who has served in the position
for 17 years, stated at the time that he would be remaining in his post
until a successor was appointed.
A spokesperson for the Catholic
Communications Office said this week that they have no insight into when
the Vatican will make an announcement on replacements for bishops to
six dioceses, currently without a leading cleric or for whose serving
bishop has reached retirement age.
It's not unusual for bishops who reach 75 to
stay on for up to two years before a replacement is appointed, the
spokesperson added.
Nineteen months on and there is also no sign
of when successors will be appointed for two prominent bishops who
resigned in the wake of the horrific Murphy report into child abuse.
Dr
Donal Murray in Limerick and Jim Moriarty in Kildare and Leighlin gave
their resignations to the Pope back in December 2009 after coming under
intense pressure in light of severe criticism of their role in a number
of child abuse cases.
The seat at the head of the diocese of Cloyne
also remains vacant in the wake of Bishop John Magee's resignation
after the National Board on Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church
found that Cloyne's mishandling of clerical child abuse complaints had
effectively left youngsters in danger and the subsequent report
contained strong criticism of his handling of cases in the diocese over
many years.
The Papal Nuncio, the Pope's representative
in Ireland, has not signalled when bishops will be appointed to any of
Ireland's dioceses awaiting replacements.