THE Catholic Church in Ireland is to privately honour disgraced former Bishop of Galway Eamonn Casey on his 80th birthday, even though he has not yet been cleared by Rome of sexual abuse allegations.The Irish Independent has learned that a special Mass for Bishop Casey will be held in University Church in St Stephen's Green, Dublin, at 5pm on May 8.
It is to be attended by a select number of invited guests.
This will be followed by a reception and presentation in Newman House to mark Bishop Casey's contribution to the work of Trocaire and the Third World.
Yesterday Bishop Casey, who will be 80 next Tuesday, confirmed that he has agreed to the presentation organised by Trocaire, the Irish Bishops' Third World development agency.
Invitation
But speaking from his home yesterday in the south Galway parish of Beagh in the townland of Shanaglish, Bishop Casey said he had not yet received a formal invitation to the event.
Bishop Casey said he knew "some kind of presentation is to be made to me in recognition of my work with Trocaire and for the Third World".
But he did not know that the presentation will be preceded by a Mass at which he is to be the guest of honour. "I will be there," Bishop Casey said, declining to give an interview.
Bishop Casey was chairman of Trocaire from its foundation in 1973 until his resignation and exile in 1992 after it became public that he had fathered a child during an affair in the 1970s with American divorcee Annie Murphy.
After spending six years as a missionary in Ecuador, he was admitted to the diocese of Brighton and Arundel as a curate before his return to Ireland last year. His return and rehabilitation, however, has been clouded by the sexual charges made against him by an unnamed woman.
But last night confusion hung over whether Bishop Casey will be permitted to concelebrate the Dublin Mass which will be said by the Bishop of Clonfert, Dr John Kirby, who is chairman of Trocaire.
Pending the public outcome of the canonical inquiry, Bishop Casey is barred from celebrating Mass in public by the Bishop of Galway, Dr Martin Drennan, under whose jurisdiction he is as a retired priest.
Late last year, Bishop Casey was told by the Director of Public Prosecutions that his office was not proceeding with an investigation into 13 allegations of sexual abuse made against him by a middle-aged woman when she was a child 30 years ago.
But in accordance with Roman canon law, it was announced by the church authorities in Galway, through the Catholic Media Office in Maynooth, that Bishop Casey would not be readmitted to public ministry until the Irish Church has conducted its own investigation into the case.
Last night, a church source in Galway said a decision had not been made, but that "a letter from Rome could arrive any day".
The special Dublin event is to be held in private in Dublin on May 8, according to the Director of Trocaire, Justin Kilcullen, with the guest list confined to associates of the Catholic bishops' development agency since its foundation.
The media has not been invited.
"The arrangements were made by Bishop Kirby, and Bishop Casey was delighted to accept. He will be at the Mass as well as the presentation," Mr Kilcullen said.
Disclose
Mr Kilcullen would not disclose if Archbishop of Dublin Dr Diarmuid Martin knew of the event, or had been invited as it wouldbe taking place in hisdiocese.
Under church protocol, it is the practice for a bishop attending public functions in another diocese to inform his colleague of that event.
"This is not an issue, because Trocaire is a national body," Mr Kilcullen said.
Last night, a spokesperson for Dr Martin said that the Archbishop was due to celebrate an Anniversary Mass for the Loreto nuns in Balbriggan, Co Dublin, on the evening of May 8.
A spokesman for Bishop Drennan said he had not been invited to the Trocaire event. "This is not a diocesan occasion."
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Disclaimer
No responsibility or liability shall attach itself to either myself or to the blogspot ‘Clerical Whispers’ for any or all of the articles placed here.
The placing of an article hereupon does not necessarily imply that I agree or accept the contents of the article as being necessarily factual in theology, dogma or otherwise.
Sotto Voce
Disclaimer
No responsibility or liability shall attach itself to either myself or to the blogspot ‘Clerical Whispers’ for any or all of the articles placed here.
The placing of an article hereupon does not necessarily imply that I agree or accept the contents of the article as being necessarily factual in theology, dogma or otherwise.
Sotto Voce