Bishop understands Brady resignation calls

Bishop Willie Walsh has admitted that he can understand the reasons why people, particularly victims of sexual abuse conducted by Fr Brendan Smyth, are supporting calls for Primate of Ireland, Cardinal Seán Brady’s resignation.
“I can understand the reasoning behind people’s anger and if I was one of the victims of Brendan Smyth’s, I would be angry and would call for his resignation,” Bishop Walsh said.
However, Bishop Walsh has confirmed that Catholic bishops in Ireland are supporting Cardinal Brady’s decision to remain at the helm, despite revelations about his involvement in a 1975 canonical inquiry into child sex abuser Fr Smyth.
Cardinal Brady has defended his role at the meeting where a boy (10) and a girl (14), who were abused by Smyth, were forced to take a vow of silence. He denied he helped to cover up cases of alleged sex abuse of children in the diocese of Kilmore and insisted he would not resign.
Bishop Walsh stated, “Cardinal Brady was just following the instructions of his bishop. With the benefit of hindsight, lots of us would do things differently. Since Cardinal Brady was a student, he has put an enormous amount of energy and devotion to ensure the safeguarding of children.
“At the moment, there seems to be a tendency to place all the blame on him. He was just one of many people who had knowledge of abuse by Brendan Smyth who didn’t report it to the gardaí.”
Meanwhile, Bishop Walsh has stated that Pope Benedict’s letter, which was read out at masses through Clare over the weekend, would have been more complete if there was a direct acknowledgement by the Vatican of its role in the whole culture of secrecy.
Bishop Walsh said he shared the Pope’s dismay and sense of betrayal that so many people have experienced on learning of the acts and the way that Church authorities in Ireland dealt with them.
“In addressing victims of abuse, the Pope openly expresses his shame, remorse and sorrow for their suffering and his understanding of their deep pain. He knows that many of them find it almost impossible to even enter the doors of a Church but appeals to them not to lose hope in the healing power of Christ.
“He reminds us as bishops that we have been responsible for grave errors of judgement and failures of leadership, which has seriously undermined our credibility.
“He appeals to all of us to join in prayer, fasting and reading of the scriptures over the next year for the grace of healing and renewal in our Church,” Bishop Walsh concluded.