Close friends of the former Bishop of Galway, Dr Eamonn Casey, have expressed concern that despite assurances he would be welcomed back to Ireland by the church authorities here nothing has been done to make this possible.
Last December, following a meeting in Maynooth, the standing committee of the Irish Bishops' Conference said they were "supportive" of Dr Casey's return to Ireland and that they would be actively pursuing the matter. They said they understood his desire to come home. They believed this might be possible by this summer. Since then little has happened. Church sources point out, however, that there is no impediment to Dr Casey returning to Ireland any time he wishes. "He is a free agent," one such source said. It is understood, however, that Dr Casey would prefer to return to Ireland to some position with the church, and with the blessing of his former colleagues.
His contract in Ecuador has ended. He arrived in the United States at the end of June and spent some time with friends and with his son Peter before going to Central America. He is believed to be still there, visiting missionary colleagues, and hoping to meet relatives of the late Archbishop Oscar Romero. It is unclear what he will do when his visit to Central America ends later this month, although it is understood his destination is Ireland.
Sources close to Dr Casey say he remains confident that he will be welcomed back to Ireland by the Irish Bishops' Conference and that he has been given no indication he should feel otherwise.
It is understood that Dr Casey is anxious to be actively involved in the work of the church when he returns. "He does not want to retire," said one friend, who added that Dr Casey, while looking forward to coming home, "would have felt better if he had a concrete offer - a position - to come back to. But he is returning to nothing."
It is believed that a number of the Irish bishops are concerned that Dr Casey's energy and personality will continue to be a focus for the sort of media attention they would abhor but about which they believe he might not necessarily feel the same.
Dr Casey himself is said to be anxious that he could be subpoenaed to appear in court should he be in Ireland in October. A libel action involving the Sunday In- dependent and the author Mr Gordon Thomas is listed for hearing then. It centres on an interview Mr Thomas says he conducted with Dr Casey in April 1993, but which is disputed by the newspaper.
At the request of Veronica Guerin, who interviewed him for the Sunday Tribune in November 1993, Dr Casey swore an affidavit supporting the Sunday Independent position on the interview. It is feared that should Dr Casey be in Ireland when the case is heard he could be subpoenaed by either party, leaving him exposed to extensive cross-examination. There are also fears that he might be called as a witness in a libel action involving Ms Dympna Kilbane. Ms Kilbane, a former flatmate of Ms Annie Murphy's, is suing Mr Peter de Rosa, who co-authored the book Forbidden Fruit with Ms Murphy, and the book's publishers.
Such anxieties fuelled speculation that Dr Casey would spend some years in London before returning to Ireland, allowing the cases to be heard without his being exposed to attention.
That possibility was effectively scuppered last June when, following a story in the Irish Catholic "confirming" that Dr Casey was to take up a post in London, this was vigorously denied. Cardinal Hume issued a statement saying there were "many reasons why it would be inappropriate for Bishop Casey to be in London".
Dr Casey is currently without a role or base of any kind. He is facing into more uncertainty than at any time in his 71 years.
