IRELAND
Irish Independent

By Greg Harkin

Saturday May 05 2012

CARDINAL Sean Brady was backed by his senior advisers when he offered to resign more than two years ago, the Irish Independent has learned.

The head of the Catholic Church in Ireland informed the Vatican of his “willingness to stand aside” as one of a range of possible options when his role in the Brendan Smyth controversy became public in 2010.

And his senior advisers backed the move — expressing concern that the Smyth controversy would damage the church.

The cardinal is now planning an alternative exit strategy.

Cardinal Brady had asked the Pope for ‘Episcopal help’ or an auxiliary bishop two years ago when the controversy first erupted, but the bishop was not appointed.