When Will The Cardinal Quit?

In today's post-Ryan and Murphy investigations into paedophile clerics, the new 'hidden Ireland' is the Irish Hierarchy, pace the reformist Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin.

Cardinal Seán Brady, the Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland, has lost his voice after deciding to stay put in his lofty post in the wake of the public outrage at disclosures that as a young priest and expert in Canon law, he swore to secrecy 2 innocent children who were raped by the notorious monk, Brendany Smyth.

The revealation of Brady's secret which was hidden for 35 years has left him bereft of moral authority. His sin of omission in failing to report Smyth's crimes to the Gardaí has already cost the Irish Church over a quarter of a million euro in a legal settlement with Marie McCormack, a childhood victim of the fiendish Smyth.

And more of Smyth's victims are lining up at the Four Courts to sue Brady, leader of the Irish CHurch, in his personal capacity.

No wonder, then, that the Speechless Seánie refuses to be drawn by nedia hacks, claiming he has the support of devout Catholics to stay on as 'a wounded healer', in spite of a recent Irish Times poll showing a whopping 83% of Irish people believe he should resign.

The reality is that the Vatican would not countenancethe falling on his crozier of Ireland's senior churchman. Rome is tightening its vice-grip on errant bishops (and dioceses) who are in trepidation at this autumn's forthcoming probe of Apostolic Visitors, ordered by Pope Benny, to be led by the lofty Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, the former archbishop of Westminster.

Little wonder, then, Irish bishops this summer have gone underground and are making themselves scarce with the media. They are afraid of Rome. They are now so nervous about the impending inquisition from Rome that they are zealously competing with one another to urge their flocks back to confession and traditional pious devotions. No wonder that the visitation to dioceses of coveted relics and bones of saints have become the one growth area in an ecclesiastical body that has been mortally wounded by the Sins Of The Fathers.

In the absence of hard news, speculation is rife that Cardinal Brady's days in Armagh's Ara Coeli are numbered and that sooner or later, he will announce his retirement on health grounds. Already, he has petitioned Rome for a Co-Adjutor Archbishop with rights of succession to help him carry his heavy burden. Rome has so far stalled on this request but may grant him a second auxiliary bishop.

According to Clerical Errors, Brady is personally pushing the credentials of his speech writer and right-hand man, Fr. Tim Bartlett, a Belfast priest attached to the Diocese of Down and Connor.

But Goldhawk has learned that a recent attempt by Brady to have Bartlett appointed Bishop of Down and Connor was thwarted by none other than Diarmuid Martin.

Behind the closed corridors of the Vatican known only too well by the diplomatic Martin, the Dub successfully pressed the case of Noel Treanor, a Monaghan man, who like himself, had spent years in elite church circles abroad.

Privately, Martin believes that Brady's position is untenable.

The man, known as St Martin of Tours on account of his travel bug, still wants to get back to a top job in the Vatican and become a cardinal. He is due a reward from Pope Benny for his deft handling of the Murphy investigation into the archdiocese of Dublin.

But, so far, Benny prefers to keep him in Dublin. The prospect of being promoted to Armagh, which he regards as a provincial backwater compared with Dublin is not a pleasant one for Dermo.

To head off this unattractive posting amongst the Irish peasantry, he is discreetly supporting Treanor's promotion to Armagh, a move that would also thwart Brady's backing of Bartlett.

SIC: Phoenix