The Pope has accepted the resignation of Seamus Hegarty as Bishopf of Derry, the Vatican announced today.
Dr Hegarty offered his resignation two weeks ago as bishop, citing an unspecified “irreversible” illness as the reason.
The 71-year-old Donegal native is also expected to feature in an forthcoming church-authorised investigation into the cover-up of clerical child abuse in his previous diocese, Raphoe.
Earlier this year senior Catholic officials visited Ireland to investigate how church structures should be reformed following a series of such scandals. Merging dioceses and eliminating bishops’ posts is one option.
