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Vatican, Irish bishops finish sex abuse talks
Last Updated: Tuesday, February 16, 2010 Comments32Recommend21
The Associated Press
Pope Benedict XVI meets with Irish bishops at the Vatican on Monday. (Osservatore Romano/Associated Press) Ireland's bishops and Pope Benedict XVI wrapped up talks at the Vatican Tuesday aimed at regaining the trust of Catholics shaken by revelations of clergy sex abuse and coverup, as new anger flared over the refusal of the papal representative to Ireland to testify before lawmakers there.
A second day of an extraordinary meeting between Pope Benedict and 24 diocesan bishops was held behind closed doors in the Apostolic Palace.
The Vatican promised to comment on the crisis after the summit ends in the early afternoon, and some bishops have agreed to speak at a news conference later in the day.
Vatican diplomat criticized
The Holy See did not immediately react Tuesday to what appeared to be a new obstacle to regaining Irish Catholic confidence. Irish lawmakers denounced the refusal of Pope Benedict's diplomat in Ireland to testify to a parliamentary panel probing church co-operation with investigations into the abuse coverup.
The papal nuncio to Ireland, Cardinal Giuseppe Leanza, who was among the summit's participants, told lawmakers in a letter published Monday he would not answer questions from the Parliament's foreign affairs committee.
"I wish to inform that it is not the practice of the Holy See that apostolic nuncios appear before parliamentary commissions," he wrote in the letter dated Feb. 12.
Leanza has faced heavy criticism in Ireland for ignoring letters from two state-ordered investigations into how the church for decades suppressed reports of child abuse by parish priests and in Catholic-run residences for poor children.
Irish activists seek apology
The papal nuncio to Ireland, Cardinal Giuseppe Leanza, who was among the summit's participants, told lawmakers in a letter published Monday he would not answer questions from the Parliament's foreign affairs committee.
"I wish to inform that it is not the practice of the Holy See that apostolic nuncios appear before parliamentary commissions," he wrote in the letter dated Feb. 12.
Leanza has faced heavy criticism in Ireland for ignoring letters from two state-ordered investigations into how the church for decades suppressed reports of child abuse by parish priests and in Catholic-run residences for poor children.
Irish activists seek apology
Benedict's top aide, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, welcomed the bishops to the Vatican on Monday with a stern call for sinners among their ranks to own up to blame in the fullness of truth.
The summit was also called to help the pontiff prepare a special letter to the Irish people apologizing for church failures to protect thousands of children.
Irish activists are demanding much more, including resignations of all bishops who failed to inform police about reports of pedophile priests. They also demand that the Pope accept in full the findings of the Irish investigations, which some church officials in Ireland have criticized as unfair.
The summit was also called to help the pontiff prepare a special letter to the Irish people apologizing for church failures to protect thousands of children.
Irish activists are demanding much more, including resignations of all bishops who failed to inform police about reports of pedophile priests. They also demand that the Pope accept in full the findings of the Irish investigations, which some church officials in Ireland have criticized as unfair.
