The Herald
September 6, 2011
http://www.herald.ie/news/the-vatican-has-come-all-guns-blazing-for-enda-but-for-me-he-spoke-the-truth-2867416.html
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| Enda Kenny |
SOMETIMES someone can catch the mood of a nation. They can be brave, they can be bold and they can be so angered that they forget their position and talk from the heart.
He has taken on the might of Rome, but has Enda Kenny taken on a fight that is so big, he will regret it for the rest of his life?
The Taoiseach directly criticised the Vatican in July, for what he felt was an obstruction of the investigation of the Cloyne Report. He told the people of Ireland that, "the historic relationship between church and state in Ireland could not be the same again".
admired
Many people admired this statement. Never before had a Taoiseach criticised the Vatican, not at this level.
But others felt Kenny had gone too far. David Quinn, the director of the Iona Institute, thought Kenny had overstepped the mark and felt: "the intention, quite obviously, was to inflict maximum damage on both the Vatican and the Pope regardless of the facts".
blazing
The Vatican has come out with all guns blazing and rejects Taoiseach Kenny's speech. In a 25-page document relating to the Cloyne Report, it dismissed all of Kenny's accusations and it took huge umbrage at the suggestion it attempted to fiddle with the inquiry.
We have to remember that the Vatican goes after anyone who criticises it, especially in relation to child abuse. It probably has the slickest collection of lawyers who will attack anyone who accuses Pope Benedict of not doing enough to deal with the tsunami of child abuse scandals or of having any personal responsibility for failing to deal with cases.
One of my favourite defences used by Rome when it has been said that Pope Benedict has not done enough was " ... it's not Christ's fault if Judas betrayed him. It's not a bishop's fault if one of his priests is stained by grave wrongdoing. And certainly the pontiff is not responsible".
hate
Rome is obsessed that there is a hate campaign against the Catholic Church, and they would see Enda Kenny now as spearheading one.
What they do not realise is the respect and admiration we all felt, well -- most of us, that someone who was in a position that had traditionally been so closely connected with the Church, stood up and spoke out.
Kenny publicly made it clear that this devious institution does not frighten Ireland and we want to break the toxic connection that has scarred so many.
The Vatican will refuse to accept how we feel about them, and Enda Kenny will no doubt pay for his passionate tirade.
But you spoke for me Enda, and I am grateful.
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