Speculation that Dr Diarmuid Martin is to resign as the Archbishop of Dublin, just five years after his appointment, has been denied by his office.
A spokesperson told Metro Éireann that rumours that Dr Martin – who succeeded Cardinal Desmond Connell as Archbishop of Dublin on 26 April 2004 – has discussed his resignation with Pope Benedict XVI, telling of his dismay running the archdiocese, were unfounded.
“It’ll be very, very unusual for an archbishop to resign. I have not heard of that,” the spokesperson said.
As Archbishop of Dublin, Dr Martin presides over a sizeable multinational Cath-olic community that has been rejuvenated over the last number of years with the influx of migrants from Poland, Lithuania, Nigeria, Brazil and the Philippines.
It is widely suspected among leaders and priests in some communities that Dr Martin will be quitting his position.
Some who spoke with Metro Éireann believe that this decision may not be unconnected to the ongoing child abuse cases that have become a huge embarrassment and a distraction to his work.
In particular, they mentioned the disturbing contents of the 10,000-page child abuse report in the Archdiocese of Dublin, which is due for publication next month.
“The Archbishop is very troubled by the document, which makes Ryan [the report of the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse, released last May] read ‘like Cinderella’,” a source told Metro Éireann.
At the publication of the Ryan report last month, Dr Martin described the stories as “horrible abuse” which are “in many cases stomach turning”. He urged religious groups mentioned in the report to seriously re-examine their position in society.
A Dublin-based priest also alleged Archbishop Martin’s imminent departure. “What we heard is that the Archbishop will be taking up another assignment in Rome before the end of the year,” he explained.
However, the archdiocese has played down such speculation, its spokesperson saying that “there is no question” of the 64-year-old priest returning to Rome at this time.
“What you are hearing are rumours that have been in circulation for some time and have not been substantiated,” the spokesperson added.
