Catholic World News News Feature

Irish primate reportedly asked cardinal to drop legal appeal February 12, 2008

Cardinal Desmond Connell decided to drop a legal effort to block release of documents relating to sex-abuse policy in the Dublin archdiocese after a visit from Cardinal Sean Brady, the Primate of All Ireland, the Irish Times reports.

Cardinal Connell, the former Archbishop of Dublin, had filed a High Court appeal to stop the release of some documents to the Dublin Archdiocese Commission of Investigation. But on February 11 his lawyer withdrew the appeal, allowing the commission to examine the documents. Neither Cardinal Connell nor his representatives offered any public explanation for the change.

The Irish Times reports that Cardinal Brady met with Cardinal Connell on February 9, at the nursing home where the retired cardinal now lives. The older cardinal—who is recovering from injuries sustained when he fell in January—also received a visit from his successor in Dublin, Archbishop Diarmuid Martin.

Archbishop Martin, who had authorized release of the disputed documents, welcomed Cardinal Connell’s decision to forego a legal appeal. The case in High Court threatened to create a rare legal situation in which one Catholic archbishop was contesting his successor's right to release documents.