An Irish theologian who studied under the former Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger has said that Cardinal Sean Brady should resign "for the good of the Church", reports The Tablet.
Fr Vincent Twomey, a retired professor of moral theology and a member of Benedict XVI's Students' Circle, said the cardinal should go after a BBC documentary produced new evidence of his role in the cover-up surrounding the case of a notorious paedophile priest, Brendan Smyth, in the 1970s.
"I think for the good of the Church I think it is really tragic ... but I'm afraid I'm of the opinion that he should resign," Fr Twomey told RTÉ's Prime Time program.
He said the cardinal, who is Primate of All Ireland, had lost his moral credibility" because of the repercussions of "the damage that was done by that awful man, Brendan Smyth".
On Wednesday Cardinal Brady released a statement saying he had had no authority over Smyth and, that he simply recorded answers to questions in the inquiry and passed all the information he had obtained to his bishop.
FULL STORY Vincent Twomey calls for Cardinal Brady to resign (Tablet)