Star Over the Bay

John Buckley was born on November 2 1939 in Inchigeela (Uibh Laoire parish) in west County Cork. He studied for the priesthood at St Patrick's College, Maynooth, and was ordained in 1965.

He taught on the staff of St. Finbarr's College, Farranferris, until he became its President in 1975. He worked for one year as parish priest of Turner's Cross Parish, Cork. He was ordained Titular Bishop of Leptis Magna and Auxiliary Bishop of Cork and Ross in 1984. On 19 December 1997, the Holy See announced the appointment of Bishop John Buckley as Bishop of Cork and Ross. He was the Diocesan Administrator since the death of Bishop Michael Murphy in October 1996.

Bishop Buckley was installed as Bishop of Cork and Ross at the Cathedral of St. Mary and St. Anne, Cork, on 8 February, 1998.

Styles of John Buckley
Reference style	The Most Reverend
Spoken style	Your Grace
Religious style	Bishop
Posthumous style	none

Vatican condemnatory decree of Bishop Buckley's judgement

The Vatican Congregation of the Clergy, on 18 August 2006 issued a decree concerning a decision by Bishop Buckley to remove a priest of his diocese, Fr James Davern from ministry in 2003 for alleged psychological infirmity. Fr Davern had been serving in the parish of Glenville/Watergrasshill until 1998 when his income from the Church was stopped.

The decree states, in clear and uncompromising terms, that Bishop Buckley's decision is "null and void, lacking basis in law or in fact" and demanded that he restore Fr Davern's income immediately and pay him all money due from January 1988 when his income was stopped by Bishop Buckley.

Fr Davern wrote to Pope John Paul II in 2003 and 2004 detailing his suspension by the bishop. An investigation was undertaken by the Vatican's Congregation for Clergy who dismissed Bishop Buckley's July 2003 claim of psychological infirmity concerning Fr Davern, and described the diagnosis as "an arbitrary one made by the ordinary ". The referred to findings of a psychiatrist following examinations of Fr Davern, which stated "I find no evidence of any psychiatric/ psychological condition in him, and have to conclude that he is in full health." The congregation said Bishop Buckley had "not presented any medical evidence which would cause this diagnosis to be questioned".

It also said recent statements from Fr Davern's priest peers upheld the psychiatrist's view. It found Bishop Buckley's decree removing Fr Davern contravened canon law, and that he made "no attempt even at summarising the reasons which occasioned the decree". It concluded his decree was "therefore invalid and without any juridic effect as from a null act there are no consequences".

Response to decree

When this matter entered the public domain on 6 September 2006 Bishop Buckley initially refused to comment on matters which were confidential between the Vatican a priest and his bishop. However, other unrelated allegations about the bishop and the diocese led the bishop to issue a detailed statement.

Bishop Buckley stated that "he was concerned that the faithful of the diocese of Cork & Ross may be given a mistaken impression of his pastoral concerns for Fr James Davern, a priest of the diocese who was ordained in 1984 and has not held an appointment since June 1998". He mentioned that:

• Fr Davern took compassionate leave in 1997 to obtain medical care and that the bishop relieved him of his parish responsibilities at that time.

• There was 'a long list' of highly publicised incidents of conflict between Fr Davern and parishioners arose in successive parishes. These included a court conviction in 1999 for threatening use of a fire-arm against a member of the faithful. Bishop Buckley concluded at that time that Fr. Davern would benefit from a sabbattical from his ministry.

Following his discharge from hospital, Fr. Davern was unhappy with arrangements offered to him to allow him further time to recover and rest. Repeated attempts were made by Bishop Buckley to engage sensitively with him but these efforts were rebutted.

• Fr. Davern has for several years refused to meet with the bishop in an appropriate pastoral environment and instead has communicated with the bishop through the offices of nine different firms of solicitors.
• The diocese has also cooperated fully with and dedicated resources to responding to statutory and other agencies to whom Fr. Davern has had recourse.

• The diocese has not been party to other litigation by Fr Davern in his claims against the City of Cork and several media outlets. These are personal matters to Fr Davern.

• Fr. Davern alleges that he made a report to the diocese concerning child sexual abuse and that it was not properly dealt with. His allegation that his complaint was not properly dealt with is false and without basis in fact.

A number of years after Fr. Davern had ceased ministry, he complained to the Gardaí that he was physically assaulted when he was 18 years of age in a school owned by the diocese when he attended the school in the 1960s. This allegation was also made by him to the Laffoy Commission who did not entertain it. This complaint was investigated by the Gardaí and Bishop Buckley cooperated fully with this investigation. No prosecution followed. The allegation was fully assessed by the diocese and all related matters considered. Furthermore, after consulting his diocesan advisors and having considered the matter fully, the bishop judged that there was not a credible allegation of child sexual abuse. The priest accused by Fr. Davern remains a priest of the diocese and is in good standing. Like every other citizen, he is entitled to his good name and due process.

• Fr. Davern is not an employee of the diocese in Irish law and never has been. This fact was established by a Department of Social Welfare inquiry in 2003.

• Bishop Buckley assures the faithful in his diocese that he treats matters concerning the care of children most seriously. He is also fully committed to the policies and guidelines of the Catholic Church regarding complaints of this nature.

• Bishop Buckley states that he remains committed to finding a compassionate and just solution to Fr. Davern's situation..

However, the Vatican had full knowledge of Fr Davern's history before arriving at its decree but Bishop Buckley did not state that this is so in his own comments, apparently for confidentiality reasons.

Compliance and justice or compassion and justice

Bishop Buckley is entitled to appeal to the Vatican against its colemn condemnatory decree but the ruling was so strongly in favour of Fr James Davern that any appeal is likely to be unsuccessful and there is speculation that the bishop may feel morally obliged to offer his resignation to Rome. The ruling against Bishop Buckley in the case of Fr Davern will ensure that the all Irish bishops will come under close questioning by Pope Benedict about the effectiveness of their recently revised national child protection measures