Irish bishop steps down 'to allow healing' in diocese

BY LUKE COPPEN
A PROMINENT Irish bishop announced his resignation on Monday, saying he had not done enough to prevent his clergy from abusing children.
Bishop Brendan Comiskey of Ferns said that if he remained in office he would be an "obstacle to healing" and reconciliation within his diocese, which covers the south-eastern tip of the Irish Republic.
He said he had submitted his resignation to the Pope last week and would be visiting the Vatican in early April to formalise it.
Speaking at a press conference in Wexford, the bishop said: "As bishop I should be a binding force among people and priests within the ministry of the Church.
"I had hoped that I could bring about reconciliation between the diocese and those who were abused. I now recognise that I am not the person who can best achieve these aims of unity and reconciliation. My continuation in office could indeed be an obstacle to healing."
Dr Comiskey had come under pressure to resign follow ing a BBC television documentary last month which was highly critical of his handling of the suspected paedophile, Fr Sean Fortune. Fr Fortune committed suicide in 1999 shortly before he was due to stand trial on charges of serious sexual abuse against young boys dating back to the early 1980s.
The bishop said that he had tried his best to prevent the priest from abusing children, but had not succeeded.
"In endeavouring to deal with the complexity and conflict which always surrounded Fr Fortune and already existed prior to my appointment as Bishop of Ferns in May 1984, I can only assure you that I did my best. Clearly this was not good enough. I found Fr Fortune virtually impossible to deal with," he said.
"Fr Fortune committed very grave wrongs and hurt many people. Despite the difficulties he presented in management terms, I should have adopted a more informed and more concerted approach in my dealings with him, and for this I ask forgiveness."
In a Joint statement, Archbishop Sean Brady of Armagh and Cardinal Desmond Connell of Dublin, president and vice president of the Irish bishops' conference, said they were "greatly saddened" by the bishop's decision to resign.
Mary Kenny — Page 6