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  Former Bishop of Limerick Addresses the Diocese for One Final Time

By Limerick Leader
Nick Rabbitts
December 20, 2009

http://www.limerickleader.ie/news/Former-Bishop-of-Limerick-addresses.5926660.jp

FORMER Bishop of Limerick Dr Donal Murray has addressed massgoers in the diocese for one final time.

In an open letter, which was read at Churches across Limerick this Sunday, Dr Murray - who on Thursday stood down as Bishop after the Murphy Commission reported that he failed to act on allegations of abuse during his time in the Dublin Archdiocese - explained the process he went through before arriving at his decision to resign.

"I took some time to study the Murphy Report after its publication ... I informed the Vicars General of the Diocese on the afternoon of Tuesday, December 1 of my decision to offer my resignation. On Wednesday 2 December, I contacted the Apostolic Nuncio asking him to set about arranging a meeting with the congregation of Bishops in Rome. This took place on Monday, December 7. Cardinal Re agreed to present my letter of resignation to the Pope on Saturday 12 at his weekly meeting with Pope Benedict," Dr Murray wrote.

He also apologised to mass goers in the diocese about the delay between the publication of the Murphy Report and his resignation.

"I very much regret you were left in a kind of limbo for the last couple of weeks, but it would not have been right to announce my intentions before they were presented to the Holy Father and he had an opportunity to respond."

 
 

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