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Kenny refuses to backtrack on criticism of church ahead of meeting with Pope

Irish Prime Minister set for brief chat with Pope Benedict

PATRICK COUNIHAN,

IrishCentral.com Staff Writer

Published Saturday, September 22, 2012, 8:14 AM

Updated Saturday, September 22, 2012, 8:14 AM

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Taoiseach Enda Kenny

Photo by REUTERS

Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny refused to back down on his criticism of the Vatican – ahead of a meeting with Pope Benedict in Rome on Saturday.

Kenny was set to sit down with the Pope at Castel Gandolfo just months after his attack on the Holy See over the child abuse scandal.

The Fine Gael leader was openly critical of the Catholic Church’s response to the clerical sex abuse crisis in Ireland.

Speaking in the Irish parliament, Kenny referred to the ‘dysfunction, disconnection, elitism and narcissism' that dominate the culture of the Vatican to this day.

He also claimed that the Holy See had responded to the sex abuse crisis with the ‘gimlet eye of a canon lawyer.'

The Irish Times reports that Kenny was unrepentant ahead of his meeting with the Pope.

Speaking to the paper in Rome, he denied suggestions he would be ‘uncomfortable’ at the meeting despite his comments last June.

Kenny said: “I think that the matter that I raised in the Dáil (parliament) in regard to the Catholic Church has been beneficial in the sense that it has brought about a new sense of reality.

“In my dealings with church authorities since then, there has been a realism and an understanding that the scars of the past have to be dealt with and dealt with fully and that we have to put in place foundations for the future which demonstrate the sense of values that we have for our country and for our people.

“All that is reflected in the decision I made on taking office in appointing a Minister for Children and also that this Government has also published and nominated a date for the referendum on child protection.

“It used to be that children were to be seen and not heard. Had they been heard and listened to, we might not have had many of the scars that I have referred to.”

The Irish Prime Minister is to meet the Pope as part of a group of delegates attending the Centrist Democrats International conference in Rome.

Asked by the paper if he would invite the Pope to Ireland, Kenny replied: “It is a matter for the church authorities to invite him to Ireland.”

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bunkerhill | Sep 25, 2012, 05:42 PM EDT

First of all as Americans, we like Enda Kenny as he presents as a highly intelligent, well educated, caring and informed Prime Minister of Ireland. If what we have been reading is correct, the tiny population of Irish citizens, and not the Vatican, paid for all the child abuse perpetrated by the RC clergy in Ireland. In the USA, the Roman Catholic Church and the Vatican paid for all the abuse of American children as they knew they would never get away with charging our government or citizens in this multi-denominational country. It may even be that they penalized the small country of Ireland to make up for their losses in the USA. If this is truly the case, apparently the RC church felt they had the Irish so under their thumbs that the Irish would willingly pay and allow Rome to keep it's enormous wealth. The Vatican should pay for every abused child in Ireland with a penalty with interest to pay back the Irish people for every cent they paid out for the Vatican scandal. I cannot believe their caginess. They knew they could not get away with this in the USA, so they passed the bill onto a tiny island nation that at one time believed in them. I should say at this time that this has nothing to do with a belief in God, but only with unscrupulous people who infiltrate organizations whether they be government or religion and use it for their own purposes.

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frlobo | Sep 23, 2012, 11:30 PM EDT

i fully agree with enda kenny that the culture of cover up and silence as if the catholic church and its clergy is above and beyond any wrongdoing has ruined the church appeal as holy, united and universal. the officials of catholic church are allergic to openness and accountability leave alone revolutionary restructuring. if they really give in to openness and restructuring many of them may have quit the offices for their culpability and quite a few may have to land up in jails.

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barneyjo | Sep 23, 2012, 06:42 PM EDT

@misneac - "Alleged culpability"?? Surely, like many others, you have heard the statements from the Irish Hierarchy who have acknowledged their faulure to protect vulnerable children from predator priests. One Bishop even went to the extent of resigning his post, which was accepted by the Holy See. These are Bishops and senior clerics who, on their own volition have acknowledged that they got things badly wrong, and that unspeakable things happend to children when they were in their care!! So if the Irish Church itself has acknowledged those failings, how can the associated culpability be merely "alledged" in your view??

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thennigan | Sep 23, 2012, 04:55 PM EDT

In my opinion Kenny owes Pope Bendict an apology for the disgraceful and patently false declaration he made in the National Parliament. A saying in Spanish states that to recognize one's errors is a sign of wisdom. He micquoted and misconstrued a text by then Cardinal Ratzinger, now Benedicto XVI, which is a very serious matter. If he had a tiny bit of greatness he would publicly acknowledge the fact and also apologize. The only way he can do "Catholics a service" is by recognizing the truth and his own mistakes. How can he give others a lesson otherwise. Besides he took aim at the wrong person, as nobody has done more for the protection of children than Pope Benedict. Getting down from his high horse would certainly be helpful for him and everyone else.

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Collette2 | Sep 22, 2012, 09:04 PM EDT

He has done Catholics a service by standing his ground on this. At least he won't have to hide his face on Judgement Day. Somethings are beyond the Confessional whether you believe it or not.

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misneac | Sep 22, 2012, 07:06 PM EDT

We have been subjected by an unceasing media barrage for years by the media regarding child abuse ,and the alledged culpability of the Catholic Church . The "dissappearance " of over 100 children in the care of the Government has not excited any journalists -amazing ! Where have these children gone ? Kenny jumped on a the Gilmore ,Quinn ,Shatter bandwagon with his unfounded criticism .They then copperfastened their prejudice with the closure of the Vatican Embassy ,all to the amazement of international diplomats . Ireland is now a leading "liberal " country !

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Searlit | Sep 22, 2012, 12:17 PM EDT

Thank-you Enda Kenny for standing strong on the protection of children in Ireland. May other countries follow your lead.

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Seanmor | Sep 22, 2012, 11:26 AM EDT

The last sentence in the above article reminds one of another issue. Since it is up to the Church authorities to invite the Pope to Irelnd and since the head of the Roman Church in Ireland resides in Armagh and his official title is Primate of All-Ireland, does that mean that Taioseach Kenny acknowledges the very obvious fact that Ireland is, at least in some ways, one single entity?

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