Bishop Willie Walsh, who undertook pilgrimage to apologise to Church's abuse victims, dies aged 90

BISHOP EMERITUS WILLIE Walsh has died at the age of 90.

He was widely viewed as a progressive figure within the Catholic Church and the current Bishop of Killaloe said there is a “profound sadness” at his passing.

Walsh died last night and funeral arrangements will follow later.

He served as the Bishop of the Killaloe Diocese for 16 years, before submitting his resignation to Pope Benedict XVI upon reaching the retirement age of 75 in 2010.

Walsh was ordained a priest in 1959 and also taught in St Flannan’s in Ennis.

Walsh made headlines in 1999 when he embarked on a three-week “Pilgrimage of Reconciliation” which involved him walking to each church in his diocese to apologise for child sexual abuse scandals within the Church.

The Killaloe Diocese said Walsh “undertook to walk across the Diocese from Loop Head to Kinnity as a sign of solidarity and repentance to all who had been hurt”.

And in 2015, Walsh hit out at the Vatican for claiming that the passing of the marriage equality referendum in Ireland was a “defeat for humanity”.

These remarks were made by the Vatican’s Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin, who said: “I think that you cannot just talk of a defeat for Christian principles, but of a defeat for humanity.”

Walsh told RTÉ Radio that this was an “inappropriate statement” and he added that it was “not one I think that represents the mind of Pope Francis despite it coming from a very senior Church figure”.

Walsh added that Parolin’s comments made him “uncomfortable” and said: “There has been lots of disasters in the world but I certainly would not support the belief that the referendum was among them.”

Meanwhile, Walsh also voiced support for Catholic priests to be able to marry.

In a 2005 interview with the now defunct Sunday Tribune, Walsh said that there was “room for both priests who are married and celibate priests in our Church”.

He also voiced concern in the interview that the Catholic Church was losing “some very fine priests” who had left the priesthood due to the need to remain celibate.

“Unless in some way celibacy is a generous gift to others and to God, it is meaningless,” said Walsh.

“If we see celibacy simply as abstaining from sexual intimacy, then it is negative, not life-giving.”

There are some married priests within the Catholic Church, though the number is very small.

This is the result of a policy change made by Pope John Paul II in 1980, which offered a path for married Episcopal and Anglican priests to continue their ministry after converting to Catholicism.

In a statement today, the current Bishop of Killaloe, Bishop Fintan Monahan, remarked that there is a “profound sadness” in the diocese following Walsh’s death.

“He was dearly loved by the many whose lives he touched in his extraordinary pastoral ministry,” said Monahan.

Monahan remarked that Walsh’s motto was the “Gentleness of Christ” and that his ministry “radiated that in his care for the poor, pastoral support to survivors of abuse, to anyone who was in trouble, and anyone struggling in life”. 

Archbishop Eamon Martin meanwhile remarked upon Bishop Walsh’s “steadfast commitment in support of sacramental marriage”.

Walsh was the president of the Catholic marriage care agency, Accord.  

“Bishop Willie’s leadership in the area of marriage preparation, and counselling, was characterised by his support for all entering into Catholic marriage,” said Martin.

He added that Walsh had a “sincere compassion and outreach for those experiencing difficulties in their marriages and relationships, something which continues to inspire the work of Accord to this day”.