VATICAN REACTION:THE HOLY See confirmed the resignation of Bishop Donal Murray with a typically curt Vatican statement: "The Holy Father has accepted the resignation from the pastoral governance of the diocese of Limerick, presented by Monsignor Donal Brendan Murray, in conformity with article 401,2 of Code of Canon Law."
Article 401.2 of canon law, as promulgated by John Paul II in 1984, states: “A diocesan bishop who has become less able to fulfil his office because of ill health or some other grave cause is earnestly required to present his resignation from office.”
Asked about the "other grave cause" that prompted the bishop's resignation, senior Vatican spokesman Fr Federico Lombardi told The Irish Times: "That seems to me obvious, given the situation that had been created by the publication of the report and given that he was one of the people involved in the events dealt with by the report.
“For that reason and for the good of the church, for a greater serenity, he spontaneously presented his resignation.”
Asked if Bishop Murray had met the pope while in Rome last week, Fr Lombardi said: “I don’t believe he did. I have no information in regard to that, as far as I know the normal procedure was followed and that would mean that Bishop Murray discussed his situation with Cardinal Re at the congregation of bishops. Then the cardinal will have informed the Holy Father.”
Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re is the prefect of the congregation of bishops, the Vatican body that oversees not only the appointments but also the resignations of Catholic bishops. Pope Benedict made space in a busy schedule last Saturday, the day following his Vatican meeting with Cardinal Seán Brady and with Archbishop Diarmuid Martin, to meet Cardinal Re.
It is believed that Bishop Murray’s position was discussed on that occasion.
The bishop originally presented his resignation to the congregation of bishops on Monday, December 7th. Given that the pope was due to meet Cardinal Brady and Archbishop Martin last Friday, the Holy See opted to delay any decision about the bishop until after that meeting.
Vatican spokesman Fr Lombardi conceded that the resignation had come as no surprise in the Holy See: “This was not a surprise, he was in Rome a number of days ago and he presented his resignation off his own initiative and his own will. The diocese now remains vacant and a diocesan administrator will now be put in place until such time as a successor, a new bishop, is appointed, all in line with normal practice.”
Bishop Murray is just one of five serving bishops mentioned in the Murphy report, which also mentions Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin Jim Moriarty, Bishop of Galway Jim Drennan and Bishops Éamonn Walsh and Ray Field, both auxiliary bishops in the Dublin archdiocese.
Asked if the resignation of Bishop Murray might be merely the first of several resignations prompted by the fallout of the Murphy report, Fr Lombardi said: “I know there has been a lot of speculation about that and you can speculate as much as you want but I have no idea and I have nothing to say about that.”