Monsignor Charles Brown, an Irish American from New York has been appointed the new Papal Nuncio to Ireland by Pope Benedict XVI.
It is a highly unusual appointment as Brown does not come from the Vatican diplomatic corps. His ability to speak English and his closeness to the current pope are seen as the major reasons that he was appointed.
Monsignor Charles Brown, in his mid fifties is a priest of the Archdiocese of New York who has been working for the Holy See since 1994 in the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the Vatican department that also dealt with the child abuse scandals.
In this capacity he worked closely with future pope Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger. His appointment will be seen as a major effort by the Vatican to patch up relationships with the Irish government which have fallen on hard times after the furore over the Cloyne diocese sexual abuse story when the Vatican was accused by the Irish government of interfering in the inquiry.
Msgr. Brown graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 1981, where he majored in History. He holds graduate degrees from Oxford University, the University of Toronto, and the Pontifical Athenaeum Sant’Anselmo in Rome. He is a visiting scholar at Notre Dame also.
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Vatican insiders praised the appointment to the Irish Times stating that Brown was a “savvy communicator” who is seen as “intelligent, lucid and clear”.
Ireland announced the closure of its Vatican Embassy recently and the previous Vatican envoy to Dublin had departed his job leading to speculation that he might not be replaced either.
Brown will have a tough task ahead seeking to repair relationship that has been badly soured over the child sex abuse issue in Ireland.
He has a close relationship with Pope Benedict and was once quoted as saying; The pope is “A humble, very private person who is very smart and remembers anything he reads. He likes to study, read and pray.” A man of great faithfulness who has given his life to the church.”
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.snakehips | Nov 28, 2011, 04:49 PM EST
Who cares, These guys are in such a mess that it really doesn't matter to the world what these idiots do or do not do.
BrendanDunphy | Nov 28, 2011, 10:16 AM EST
Charlie Brown??
EamonnDublin | Nov 25, 2011, 04:02 PM EST
Hi "CaptainCon"! Your first phrase ("Religion is anti-human") tells us a lot about your state of mind. I'll say a little prayer for you - seriously! Éamonn.
Collette2 | Nov 25, 2011, 12:51 PM EST
Imagine how better we could get our message across if we could afford to be trained to be media savvy. It's all in the grooming, not in conscience, we at least have that.
casualMBA | Nov 25, 2011, 10:28 AM EST
If the Irish government does not adopt a martyrdom complex, allowing not only Merkozy review but interference in Ireland's budget, it may yet represent the Irish people. Treating Captain Con's "cult" as passe, without adherents in Ireland, is a formula for moral implosion rather than moral re-forging. Representing the Irish people does not entail moral (or budgetary) implosion. Nor does it entail unreservedly applauding a possible Curia spoof. Stability is not sustained with the wholesale mockery of institutions. Try a field grade view, Captain.
barneyjo | Nov 25, 2011, 10:18 AM EST
@oldboreen - "Rabid anti-catholic"?? not at all; just left incredibly disillusioned by the cynical action (inaction) taken by MY church to "manage" the damage done by its own failings. If you look at the content of this article, you will see that the Monsignor has been working in the Congregation for the doctrine of the faith since 1994; therefore he is "cut from the same cloth as the Holy Father. All credit to the Holy Sea if this is a genuine attempt to mend fences, but.........!!
oldboreen | Nov 25, 2011, 09:54 AM EST
Usual bunch of rabid anti-Catholic bigots to the fore again I see! What a miserable lot you are. Get a life guys for God's sake!
eiriamach | Nov 25, 2011, 09:12 AM EST
"Good Grief, Charlie Brown!"
IrelandNorth | Nov 25, 2011, 06:14 AM EST
Pretty savvy appointment, don't ya think? I see Benny has gone for a JFK lookalike to tap in on some residual Irish-American Kennedyphilia. Hope the new Nucio's flirtation with the Congregation (ex-Inquisition) doesn't mean that Benny sees latter day Irish as a bunch of heretic in need of a Dominican manicure. Ouch Mea culpa, mea maxima culpa!!
CaptainCon | Nov 25, 2011, 04:55 AM EST
Religion is anti-human and catholicism is a partiuclarly virulent brand of that antihumanism. That cult had to make suicide a 'mortal sin' to prevent various loons from topping themselves in order to obtain the free harp lessons on cloud nine. The Catholic Church is the world's first globalised corporation and you only have to look at which way the money flows to spot that. Like any corporation given near absolute power in society and a free pass on the law it has disintegrated into degeneracy and corruption. That is what this little ambassador on his painted horse is appointed to do- prop up what remains of that disgraced cult in Ireland. Spying on Irish politics and inserting himself into the diplomatic set-up. I don't believe his credentials should be accepted. For the mooing morons who can't get through life taking any responsibility for their lives themselves and for lives around them- your day is done. And you can thank the degenerate and corrupt priests of the catholic hirearchy for that so put the blame where it lies instead of wandering through life with your martyrdom complex.
EamonnDublin | Nov 25, 2011, 03:46 AM EST
I see we have a generous sprinkling of rabid anti-Catholic bigots on the board. They must lead miserable lives, consumed by hatred and spitting venom. One of the major differences between humans and animals is that humans have the power of reason. It appears that some outwardly apparent humans are sadly lacking on the reasoning front.
casualMBA | Nov 24, 2011, 11:32 PM EST
Despite our "enhanced" (non-) Nicene Creed (tenets since 342?A.D.) while all other things Catholic (to include Teilhard de Chardin)remain intransigent, the appointment of Monsignor Brown may hardly be seen as "...a major effort by the Vatican to patch up relationships with the Irish government..." The Irish government has already demonstrated the will of the Irish people to put -- and keep -- the CC in Ireland under constraints... With sufficient headway on child abuse, perhaps the Irish government (on behalf of the Irish people) will then correct the abuse of the FitzGeralds, O'Neills, and O'Donnells for once defending the Catholic faith in Ireland only to have their lands confiscated...-And, I might note, divided by a Sir Valentin Brown(in the case of the Fitzgeralds) who promptly set aside 12,000 acres of Kerry for his namesakes...may the Monsignor spearhead "fair recompense" to the Fitzgeralds.
katieherk | Nov 24, 2011, 10:17 PM EST
Most (note I said most) of you people are idiots! Statistics have shown that Priests abusing kids is small compared to the Prod ministers but you never hear anything about them. Catholic bashing is the new world sport. This information I got from a very upstanding Protestant in Ireland. He said he was ashamed of the beating the Catholics Priests are taking when their own are doing the same thing with no media to bash them.
stanJames | Nov 24, 2011, 09:10 PM EST
Nothing the church does will undo the damage of the church not just molesting kids, but even worse hiding these crimes for decades if not centuries.........The church claims to speak for God, the Pope is the Vicar of Christ on earth........Reminds me of the old saying - power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.............ONe statement that in many ways explains the dark ages, the christian(cath) "holocaust" of the arabs, the inquisition, the concordants with fascists like hitler, Mussolini, and Franco................
stanJames | Nov 24, 2011, 09:06 PM EST
Why did the pope appoint this man? No difference then why he appointed all sorts of extremist hardliners to the Curia.........He's trying to insure the church remains in the dark ages for another thousand years after RATZI leaves the scene
CaptainCon | Nov 24, 2011, 04:04 PM EST
There must be no question of making this man head of the Diplomatic Corps in Dublin as was the practice with previous amabassadors from that dodgy little fake state in Rome. To be quite honest when he presents his credentials at Aras an Uachtarann I'd like them to be returned without acceptance by the President. 'Persona non grata' is a bit of Latin that rotten church could do with hearing.
like2tweet | Nov 24, 2011, 03:13 PM EST
I think he'a a great choice
CitizenWhy | Nov 24, 2011, 11:34 AM EST
Before being pope Benedict did try to do something about the child abuses, but was blocked by John Paul II, the future saint, an example of "heroic" virtue. Anyone who works in the Vatican puts "the church" above the Gospels.
SeamusMor | Nov 24, 2011, 11:18 AM EST
PhlutiePhan is a chowder head.There is no discontent in South Bend, especially after beating Boston College Saturday. Say three Hail Marys!
PhoenixZouave | Nov 24, 2011, 11:14 AM EST
Hitler Youth? What a joke. He deserted from Dietrisch's Panzer diviison --after the battle of the Bulge!
joan1954 | Nov 24, 2011, 11:13 AM EST
At least he is an English language speaker and not a Roman.
PhlutiePhan | Nov 24, 2011, 11:09 AM EST
Another one of those Fighting Irish. He probably should have been appointed the Papal Nuncio to Notre Dame. Discontent at ND probably parallels what is going on in Ireland.
RockNReel | Nov 24, 2011, 10:23 AM EST
He will need more than a close relationship with the pope to repair the damage already done in Ireland. I wish him well but he will be fighting a losing battle due to the way the Vatican handled the sex abuse scandals perpetrated by priests in Ireland
EamonnDublin | Nov 24, 2011, 10:10 AM EST
Céad Míle Fáilte, Monsignor Brown! Éamonn, Dublin.
cillowen | Nov 24, 2011, 09:54 AM EST
oxford - selection fittingly chosen within the now Saxon world.
oldboreen | Nov 24, 2011, 09:45 AM EST
Sounds like a man not easily bamboozled! Msgr Brown has one hell of a task ahead! Let's hope he's up to the job.