Ireland: Bishop John Magee has resigned

Bishop John Magee

The Vatican has announced the resignation of Bishop John Magee Bishop of Cloyne. In response to the announcement today that the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, has accepted the resignation of Bishop John Magee as Bishop of Cloyne, Archbishop Dermot Clifford, Archbishop of Cashel and Emly and Apostolic Administrator to the Diocese of Cloyne issued the following statement:
 
'I would like to thank Bishop John Magee for the cooperation he has given me since my appointment as Apostolic Administrator to the Diocese of Cloyne on 7 March 2009. I wish him all God's blessings in his retirement. I ask for the continued prayers and support of the lay faithful, priests and religious of the Diocese of Cloyne for all those who have suffered abuse.
 
An Apostolic Administrator is appointed to temporarily govern a diocese when special or very serious circumstances warrant such an appointment. He governs in the name of the Holy Father and has all the powers and duties of a diocesan bishop.'

Bishop John Magee was born on 24 September 1936 in Newry, Co Down. He attended Primary School at CBS Newry and Secondary School at St Colman's College, Newry. He entered the Missionary Society of St. Patrick (Kiltegan Fathers) in 1954 and took his B.A. Degree at UCC and was conferred with an STL from the Lateran University in Rome in 1962.

John Magee was ordained priest for the Kiltegan Fathers on 17th March 1962 in St John Lateran Basilica, the Cathedral of Rome.

He spent six years in Africa before returning to Rome in 1968 as Procurator General of the Kiltegans and from 1969 to 1975 was a member of the Congregation for the propagation of the Faith. He was appointed Private Secretary in succession to Pope Paul VI, Pope John Paul I and Pope John Paul II until 1982 when he was appointed Master of Pontifical Ceremonies.

Mgr John Magee was appointed Bishop of Cloyne by Pope John Paul on 17th. February 1987 and was ordained Bishop on March 17th. From July 1994 to March 1996 he also acted as Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Limerick.

From 1992 to 1997 Bishop Magee served as a member of the Congregation for Bishops. He was Chairman of the Irish Episcopal Commission for Liturgy.

In the wake of several child abuses cases in the diocese he stepped aside from his post on 7 March. He has also been suffering from ill health for some time.

Source: Irish Catholic Media Office/ Diocese of Cloyne