Photo ~ Ireland's clergy and the paedophilia scandal

Bishops’ Resignations Continue in Ireland
After the paedophilia scandal, seven dioceses are awaiting a leader: a sign of the Pope’s desired “zero tolerance” towards bishops who covered-up abuse cases

There are now seven bishops who have handed in their resignations in Ireland. Seamus Hegarty, the Bishop of Derry, has left his post, bringing the number of Catholic dioceses in Ireland awaiting a leader, to seven.

The paedophilia scandal has engulfed the national Church like a cyclone, and now, more than a quarter of Ireland’s dioceses are waiting for the Vatican to appoint new bishops.

The "zero tolerance" rule imposed by Benedict XVI came down like an ax in areas of the episcopate, which for years had covered up cases of child abuse and covered for paedophile priests.

Last summer, the sensational news emerged, according to which Benedict XVI was supposedly close to dismissing all of the Irish bishops to rebuild, from scratch, a church which no longer had credibility.

This did not happen, but the fact that seven dioceses are still without a new bishop shows that the Irish Church is in “reset” mode.

Read more at the Vatican Insider.