Vatican recalls Irish papal envoy after Cloyne report

[Gerald]

The Vatican has recalled its special envoy in Ireland after a damning report on the Catholic Church's handling of child abuse by priests.

Vatican radio has reported that Papal Nuncio Giuseppe Leanza is being called back to Rome to discuss the impact of the recent Cloyne Report.

It showed how allegations of sex abuse by priests in Cork had been covered up.

The report led to angry condemnation of the Vatican by Prime Minister Enda Kenny in the Irish Parliament.

In a blistering attack, Mr Kenny accused the Church of putting its reputation ahead of child rape victims.

He told the Irish parliament that the report into how allegations of sex abuse by priests in Cork had been covered up showed change was urgently needed.

"The rape and torture of children were downplayed or 'managed' to uphold instead the primacy of the institution, its power, standing and 'reputation'," the taoiseach said last Wednesday.

At the weekend, the prime minster said he had received thousands of messages of support from around the world - many were from the clergy, he said.

He said this reflected the way people felt about the Catholic Church's role on clerical child abuse.

He told an audience at an annual cultural event in County Donegal at the weekend that the messages showed how people felt.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-14272988


Note: 25 July 2011 Last updated at 09:42 GMT