Embattled Cardinal Sean Brady‘s campaign to stay on as head of the Catholic Church in Ireland could be decided today when he holds talks in Armagh with victims of child clerical abuse.
Last night, John Kelly of Survivors of Child Abuse (SOCA) Ireland said he would tell Cardinal Brady that he needed to be “open” about his future.
Mr Kelly said his charity group would ask the Archbishop of Armagh: “When can we expect his eminence to bring to an end the speculation about his future as cardinal and Primate of All Ireland?”
The pressure on Dr Brady to offer his resignation to Pope Benedict has been intense for a fortnight after he admitted that in 1975, when he was a priest in Co Cavan, he swore two children to secrecy about their brutal abuse by paedophile priest, Brendan Smyth.
Dr Brady has asked for forgiveness and said he was ashamed, but added he would only resign if asked by Pope Benedict. He has also asked to remain as cardinal, as “a wounded healer” to implement fully child protection measures in the church across Ireland.
Read more via Brady to meet survivors – National News, Frontpage – Independent.ie.
