A cleric may retire to Ireland following ministry in another jurisdiction where he was incardinated or is a member of a religious order who do not have a presence in Ireland.
Retired clerics who have no public ministry
If a cleric is retired and has no public ministry there are no requirements for him to be vetted, undergo child safeguarding training or sign up to the child safeguarding policy and standards of the Catholic Church.
Retired clerics who have or assist with public ministry
If the retired cleric assists with public ministry, in advance of allowing any ministry the receiving Church authority should follow the visiting priest guidance (1.15) and obtain a reference from the cleric’s Church authority to ensure that the cleric is in good standing and that there are no concerns of a child safeguarding nature. The cleric’s Church authority should continue to issue a celebret or letter of good standing annually.
The cleric must agree to follow all safeguarding requirements of the Church body in which he ministers. This includes:
- Vetting
- Agreeing to following the safeguarding policy and standards
- Attending full day awareness training every three years
- Informing the Church authority in Ireland if any concerns, suspicions or allegations are made against him.