Archbishop of Dublin Dermot Farrell and Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland Eamon Martin have paid tribute to the disgraced former Bishop of Ferns Brendan Comiskey.
Comiskey, who died yesterday at the age of 89, will be buried on Thursday, May 1, at 1pm in the Church of the Sacred Heart, St Johns Drive, Clondalkin, Dublin.
He died early Monday morning in the Louth County Hospital, Dundalk, predeceased by his parents, two sisters and seven brothers.
Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland Eamon Martin said: "I wish to express my sadness at the death of Bishop Brendan Comiskey SS CC, Bishop Emeritus of Ferns, who served for over twenty years as a member of the Bishops Conference.”
He added: "I am deeply conscious that he chose to resign as Bishop of Ferns in April 2002 while recognising his failures in governance, and accepting that his continuation in office would ‘indeed be an obstacle to healing’ for victims and survivors of abuse.
"The safeguarding of children and vulnerable persons, and the prompt reporting of allegations of abuse, is of paramount importance in the Church today and must remain so.
"Bishop Comiskey’s death will rekindle memories of pain and suffering for many and I my thoughts and prayers at this time are also with all those who have been traumatised or let down by the awful sins and crimes and abuse perpetrated by members of the Church, or by the failure to appropriately and adequately follow up concerns that were brought to those in leadership.”
Archbishop of Dublin Dermot Farrell said Comiskey’s decision to resign as Bishop of Ferns following allegations of child abuse in the Diocese “necessitated both courage and strength”
Archbishop Farrell said: “His words communicated both his humility, and the painful discovery of the reality of abuse, and its long-lasting consequences. It brought him to the realisation that those who shepherd the Lord’s flock were to be more concerned about the survivors, the most vulnerable, than about themselves, their position in society, their reputation, or their status.
"I offer my personal sympathies and prayers to his family, to the members of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, priests, religious, friends, and to the many people whose lives he touched throughout his 64 years of priestly and episcopal ministry. We ask the Lord to grant him eternal rest.”