By Cathal Dervan
Irish Central
August 18, 2011
http://www.irishcentral.com/news/Vatican-publishes-details-of-abuse-claims-against-Irish-priest-in-Oregon-127999158.html
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| The Vatican has published details of an internal report into abuse allegations against an Irish priest in America |
The Vatican has published details of an internal report into abuse allegations against an Irish priest in America – and denied it is at loggerheads with Enda Kenny's government.
The Holy See has taken the steps in response to a US court claim taken by a victim of deceased Armagh born priest Rev. Andrew Ronan.
The files relating to alleged abuse by Ronan were released on the Vatican Radio website after an Oregon judge ordered it to turn over documentation relating to the case.
The Catholic Church is trying to prove it has no culpalibility in the case relating to Ronan who was accused of sexually assaulting an altar boy in Ireland in the 50s before he moved to America and re-offended in the 60s.
Lawyers for the Church believe their move proves that it was unaware of the suspected abuse of the claimant, named John V Doe in court documents, by Fr Ronan until after it had taken place.
In a statement accompanying the documents, Vatican lawyer Jeffrey Lena said that the unusual step would: "calm down those people who are too quick to make sensational and unfair comments without taking the time to get an adequate understanding of the facts."
He has since confirmed to the Irish Independent that the remarks were not a criticism of the Irish government or its leader Enda Kenny after his recent criticism of the Vatican and the Catholic Church in the wake of the Cloyne Report.
"My comments were not directed personally at him," Lena told the paper. "It was a reference to both lawyers and politicians but not a direct reference to Mr Kenny."
But he added: "Mr Kenny's speech to the Dail seemed intemperate."
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