Leading Irish prelate retires

September 08, 2014

Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Cardinal Seán Brady as Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland for reasons of age.

Cardinal Brady was installed as Archbishop of Armagh in 1996. In recent years he had come under heavy criticism because of revelations that as a young priest he had encouraged a sex-abuse victim not to make his complaints public. The cardinal declined suggestions that he should resign, but asked the Vatican to appoint a coadjutor archbishop who would replace him when he reached the ordinary retirement age of 75-- a landmark that he passed in August.

Archbishop Eamon Martin, who was installed last year as coadjutor of the Armagh archdiocese, now becomes the 115th successor of St. Patrick. As he assumed his new duties, the archbishop said: "I I am certain that a humble renewal in the Church in Ireland will only come about as our lay people exercise their specific vocation and mission to hand on the faith and to insert the Gospel into the reality of their daily lives and work."

 

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Further information:

• Rinunce e nomine (Holy See Press Office)
• Pope Francis accepts Cardinal Brady’s resignation and Archbishop Eamon Martin becomes Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland (Irish Bishops' Conference)