The Bishop of Kerry, Dr William Murphy, has expressed his concern that his predecessor, the late Dr Diarmuid O Suilleabhain, knew about allegations concerning sex abuse of young people by one of his priests as far back as 1989, but failed to act on the matter.
In an episcopal letter read to all Masses in Co Kerry yesterday, Dr Murphy said he wished to express his deep sadness at the grave wrongdoing which led to the conviction of a priest of the diocese earlier last week.
John Brosnan (48), received a four-year sentence at the Circuit Court in Kerry when he pleaded guilty to 13 charges of sexual abuse against children, involving four girls and a boy, between 1977 and 1985.
The offences, the court was told, occurred when he was attached to a school and involved in sporting activity at Causeway, Co Kerry. The case came to light earlier last year and was reported to Dr Murphy last April. The priest was then a curate in Dingle. Within three days of hearing about the allegations, Dr Murphy removed him from his duties.
One victim told the court she had approached Dr Murphy's predecessor to tell him of her experiences. She felt let down when the bishop failed to act.
"I again want to express my sincere sympathy to the young people offended against and to their families. It is a matter of great anguish to me that a priest breached the trust placed in him by children, by families and by the church.
"I am especially affected and pained by the descriptions of what occurred, which were given by these young people. The diocese has now in place a structure to ensure a prompt and appropriate response to any complaint of child sexual abuse against a priest of the diocese. It is hoped that the greater openness which now surrounds this issue will mean than people who have suffered abuse, but kept it secret, may now feel enabled to come forward.
"It has been confirmed to me that about late 1989, my predecessor, Bishop Diarmuid O Suilleabhain, received information about a disclosure by one young person concerning this priest. It would appear that the full nature and extent of what occurred was not understood or ascertained by him.
"From my knowledge of Bishop O Suilleabhain, I know that were he here today to listen to the harrowing accounts of what in fact happened, he would be deeply shocked and would have responded accordingly. I ask you to pray that the God of hope and consolation will bring healing and peace to all those hurt by these events.
"The priest concerned and his family also need our prayers. We must then entrust ourselves anew to the grace of Christ, the divine healer," Dr Murphy's pastoral letter said.