Diocese of Achonry: Priest ‘allowed’ to remain in ministry despite allegation

IRELAND
Irish Independent

Achonry

10 DECEMBER 2013

CONCERNS about a priest who was recently convicted of abusing 18 boys in five counties over two decades were not passed onto the civil authorities when it became known in the early 1980s.

A review of the Diocese of Achonry highlighted three cases of “problematic” management of priests and religious from outside the diocese.

In 1981 a priest arrived in the diocese to provide cover for a colleague, unbeknown to the bishop. Priest P spent five months in the diocese and returned the following year when he sexually abused a boy.

The review found evidence that information about Fr P’s abuse of this young boy was made available to a priest of the diocese “at an early stage”, but had not been passed on by the diocese to the civil authorities.

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