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	Irish Cardinal Refuses to Quit over Abuse Cover-Up Despite Vatican Outrage By Michael McHugh Scotman March 28, 2010 http://news.scotsman.com/world/Irish-Cardinal-refuses-to-quit.6186226.jp IRELAND -- REPORTS that the Vatican intends to force the head of the Roman Catholic Church in Ireland to quit over the paedophile priests scandal have been dismissed by his spokesman. Cardinal Sean Brady has apologised for his role in the handling of sex abuse cases. But he insists he wants to work towards a just resolution of a case being raised against him by an abuse victim. The man claims he was abused by Father Brendan Smyth and alleges the Church failed to do enough to stop Smyth. The Northern Ireland Assembly is preparing to order an official investigation into child abuse after details emerged of more attacks on children by the clergy. It was reported only Cardinal Brady's resignation could diminish fury at the highest levels in Rome over his role. Brady's spokesman said yesterday: "This kind of headline on a story, I would not dignify with a response. We are entering Palm Sunday and Holy Week and the universal Church is focused on the celebration of the Resurrection and all that it means for the Church." Brady apologised last week for his role in a church tribunal on allegations made by a 14-year-old boy against Smyth, a priest whose case brought down the Irish Government in 1994. The victim was sworn to secrecy after the proceedings. But the view in Rome is reported to be that this has not gone far enough and there has been no popular groundswell of support for Brady in Ireland. The cardinal is in a legal battle with a man who claims he was abused by Smyth and faces calls to withdraw his defence by the victim's legal team to give "practical expression" to the cardinal's recent statements of remorse about clerical sexual abuse. The churchman has apologised to anyone who had been hurt by any failure on his part. Victims have called for Brady's resignation after it emerged he was present at two 1970s meetings when victims of Smyth were sworn to silence about what had happened. The information provided by the victims was not passed on to Irish police and Smyth went on to abuse many more children. Meanwhile, the Catholic Church was rocked by further damaging revelations yesterday when it emerged that a priest in a town south-east of Paris was hit with sexual assault and child porn charges. The French investigation was opened after the 22-year-old man told authorities he had been assaulted by the priest as an adult, the prosecutor in Troyes, Alex Perrin, said. Police searched the priest's home and found two or three pornographic photos of a child parishioner in Marcilly-le-Hayer, the prosecutor said. Perrin said the priest was detained on Wednesday for questioning. Preliminary charges of "sexual assault" and "illegal possession of images characteristic of child pornography" were issued on Friday, opening the way for a formal investigation. The priest was freed after questioning, but ordered to receive treatment and forbidden any contact with minors, Perrin said. Perrin was not authorised to name the priest because of the secrecy that covers such investigations in France. Such cases involving priests "are not something common in the L'Aube region" where Marcilly-le-Hayer is located, Perrin said, adding that this was the first time in his memory such an affair had come to light.
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