Cardinal Brady Confirms He Has Offered Resignation to Pope Francis

Derry Journal
August 15, 2014

http://www.derryjournal.com/news/cardinal-brady-confirms-he-has-offered-resignation-to-pope-francis-1-6242047

Cardinal Sean Brady ordains Archbishop Eamon Martin Ordination of Monsignor Eamon Martin as Coadjutor Archbishop of Armagh St.Patrick's Cathedral, Armagh, . 21 April 2013 CREDIT: LiamMcArdle.com

All Ireland Primate Cardinal Sean Brady has confirmed he has offered his resignation to Pope Francis.

The resignation of Cardinal Brady will lead to the elevation of Derry’s Eamon Martin, currently Coadjutor Archbishop of Armagh, to the cardinalship.

In a statement issued this morning, Cardinal Brady said: “Last month I offered my resignation to Pope Francis in accordance with the requirement of Canon Law. I did so in anticipation of my seventy-fifth birthday which I will celebrate tomorrow.

He added: “I look forward to the day when my resignation will be accepted and when Archbishop Eamon will take over as Archbishop, a position for which, I believe, he is excellently prepared.”

Under canon law, a diocesan bishop is required to offer his resignation after his 75th birthday but, in many cases, the Pope decides to allow them to continue in their position.

There have been calls from victims of clerical sexual abuse for Pope Francis to accept Cardinal Brady’s resignation with immediate effect.

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