IRELAND
Belfast Telegraph
08 SEPTEMBER 2014
Cardinal Sean Brady, the leader of the Catholic Church in Ireland, has apologised and asked for forgiveness as his retirement was confirmed by the Vatican.
The cleric, whose final years at the head of the clergy were dogged by abuse scandals, handed in his resignation on age grounds last month after turning 75, as required under canon law.
Archbishop Eamon Martin will take over as Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland – the 116th man to fill the role.
In the last few years, Cardinal Brady faced repeated calls from clerical sex abuse survivors to quit over his involvement in the Brendan Smyth case.
The teacher and canon lawyer swore two victims of the notorious paedophile priest to secrecy during an internal church inquiry in 1975 into the abuse of two children.
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