Second Irish bishop resigns over abuse

DUBLIN, Ireland, Dec. 23 (UPI) -- A second bishop accused of covering up sexual child abuse in the Dublin, Ireland, archdiocese offered his resignation to Pope Benedict, authorities say.

The tender of resignation from James Moriarty, bishop of Kildare and Leighlin, came only six days after Bishop Donal Murray stepped down after being named in the "Murphy Report" identifying clerics who allegedly covered up sexual abuse of children, the Irish Independent reported Wednesday.

Bishop Moriarty said in a statement he should have "challenged the prevailing culture."

"I know that any action now on my part does not take away the suffering that people have endured. I again apologize to all the survivors and their families."

The scandal that has rocked mostly Catholic Ireland is forcing the church to cast an eye on other prelates suspected in the alleged coverup. Bishops who were named by the Murphy Commission have been urged by Archbishop Diarmuid Martin to reconsider their current situations, the Web site CatholicCulture.org said.