BishopAccountability.org
	Challenge to Magee from Abuse Victims By Carl O'Brien and Barry Roche Irish Times August 23, 2011 http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/frontpage/2011/0823/1224302862331.html [Bishop Magee's statement] FORMER BISHOP of Cloyne John Magee has apologised "unreservedly" to victims of child sexual abuse in his former diocese and says he is willing to meet them and their families privately if they wish. However, victims last night criticised the bishop for failing to speak out publicly until now and challenged him to hold a press conference to deal fully with all the issues highlighted in the Cloyne report. In a statement yesterday through a public relations company, Bishop Magee referred to his earlier comments on the day the report was published in which he accepted "full responsibility for the failure of the diocese to effectively manage allegations on child sexual abuse". "I also want to say that I feel there is nothing I can say now which will ease the pain and distress for victims," he added. "I fully understand why they are angry – I let them down, by not fully implementing the guidelines which were available to me. "I deeply, deeply regret not ensuring that the guidelines, which were my responsibility to implement, were not complied with and I ask for forgiveness for the way in which I have carried out this critically important aspect of my work." Bishop Magee had not been seen in public since the publication of the Cloyne report five weeks ago until last weekend. It was reported on Sunday that he had returned to his parish house in Mitchelstown, Co Cork. The Cloyne report found Bishop Magee misled the Minister for Children by claiming church guidelines for handling abuse cases were fully complied with. It also found he falsely told the Health Service Executive abuse allegations were being reported to the Garda. Yesterday, the bishop said he was "very willing" to meet with victims and their families privately, if they felt this could help in any way. This, he said, could be arranged through the diocesan office. Bishop Magee also said he had "let the many good priests of the diocese down" by not addressing the issues that confronted him. The statement said he had answered "all questions put to me by the commission of inquiry" and had nothing more to add.
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