A Co Derry-based curate admitted yesterday that he was the priest at the centre of a sex abuse case for which he paid an out-of-court settlement to his 18-year-old victim.
Father Andrew McCloskey, a curate of St Patrick's parish in Dungiven, told parishioners at all weekend Masses that he was the unnamed priest referred to in recent media reports.
Father McCloskey (55), who is now on leave of absence, said he had "made a mistake for which I have paid very dearly".
It was reported in Friday's issue of the Derry Journal that an unnamed priest had paid a five-figure sum of compensation to his victim, who is now in his thirties. The out-of-court settlement was paid earlier this month.
The Bishop of Derry, Dr Seamus Hegarty, in a statement, confirmed that he was aware of the case and of the payment.
Bishop Hegarty said that following discussions with his advisers, and taking other circumstances including the priest's character into account, he had decided to permit him to continue his parish ministry and other wider diocesan duties.
However, the fact that Father McCloskey was not named in media reports angered many of the priests in the diocese who felt they were all under suspicion. Many parishioners also openly questioned the decision to allow the priest to continue with his duties.
The abuse incident took place in the parochial house of St Mary's Church in Derry's Creggan estate in 1992.
At the time Father McCloskey was the parish administrator, but soon afterwards was transferred as curate to the rural parish of Drumsurn. Bishop Edward Daly was the then bishop of Derry.
Father McCloskey did not celebrate any of the weekend Masses in Dungiven. He admitted to parishioners to having had an alcohol problem but said he had not taken any alcohol since 1992. He said he would be asking the bishop for a leave of absence and he apologised to parish priest Father Kevin McKenna and the parishioners.
Father McKenna said the curate had been "clapped to the rafters at every Mass following his statement". He said the incident involving Father McCloskey "was at the lowest point of the scale in terms of abuse - there was no exposure, there was no removal of clothes, it was a one-off touch that should not have happened".