AFP
July 25, 2011
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gB7qA2mdtQPSRPiyDfWah98_wKuA?docId=CNG.13de1470a74fc4ecf33d0be2aa407f92.191
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| The Vatican has been rocked by sex abuse scandals in Europe and North America (AFP, Peter Muhly) |
VATICAN CITY — The Vatican said Monday it was recalling its representative in Ireland following a damning report on the Catholic Church's handling of cases of child abuse by priests that has sparked widespread anger.
"Apostolic Nuncio Giuseppe Leanza has been recalled for consultations" after the publication of the judicial report into the abuses in the diocese of Cloyne "and in particular due to the reactions to it," the Vatican said in a statement.
The publication of the Cloyne Report earlier this month triggered a blistering attack on the Vatican by Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny that was widely hailed.
In a debate in the lower house of parliament in predominantly Catholic Ireland, the premier said the Church's inability to deal with the cases showed a culture of "dysfunction, disconnection, elitism and narcissism" at the Vatican.
He also slammed the Catholic Church's behaviour as "absolutely disgraceful."
The report condemned the Church's handling of abuse claims against 19 clerics in Cloyne in southern Ireland between 1996 and 2009, saying it was "inadequate and inappropriate".
The Vatican said last week that it would respond to the report at "an appropriate moment" and appealed for "objectivity".
On Monday, a Vatican official said there had been "some excessive reactions."
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