Rome annuls defrocking of cleric alleged to have abused man
A DECISION of an Irish Catholic Church court to defrock a priest because of an allegation of child abuse has been overturned by a court at the Vatican.
The civil authorities here had already decided not to charge the priest. The Archbishop of Tuam, Dr Michael Neary, is now obliged to 'restore him as a priest in good standing'. He has not yet done this, meaning he could yet have his hand forced by Rome if the priest takes further action.
The case, which was decided in April, is one of the only recent examples of Rome acquitting a cleric accused of child abuse, rather than convicting him.
The priest concerned was alleged by a man to have abused him in a series in incidents in the 1980s. The allegations did not come to light until 1997, when gardai probed the case.
Archbishop Neary decided to have the priest tried in a Church court in his diocese. The court heard evidence from a number of experts who treated the alleged victim. Partly on the basis of their evidence, the court decided in August 1999 to defrock the cleric. The priest decided in 2002 to appeal his case to Rome, which after investigation decided to acquit. Mgr Maurice Dooley, an expert in canon law, said the court in Rome based its decision on "a strict interpretation of the rule of canon law which operates according to the same principles as any court that is interested in the truth".
He said it was up to the Archbishop of Tuam "to implement the Roman decision by restoring the priest's good name. This could be done, for example, by announcing the Roman decision in his parish and amongst his fellow clergy."
The Archbishop of Tuam declined to comment.
David Quinn
Religious Correspondent
http://www.unison.ie/irish_independent/stories.php3?ca=9&si=1481170&issue_id=13089
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