Apostolic nuncio mum on Cloyne Roport

Ireland, July 2011 —

Audio of Kenny speech

The Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Enda Kenny addressed the Irish parliament, castigating the Holy See about the Cloyne Report and rather acidly requesting that the Vatican answer its findings.

"Historical" and "unprecedented" are two words floating around a bit.

The Holy See (Sancta Sedes or "holy seat") is the diocese, or church jurisdiction, in which the Vatican is the walled city-state. It is the "Rome" that speaks when Rome speaks in an ecclesiastical sense. And when "Roma locuta est; causa finita est." That's been customary for centuries until recently.

The Vatican recalled its ambassador, or "Apostolic Nuncio" Archbishop Giuseppe Leanza. They said he was going to Rome for "consultations" — implying that he's going someplace instead of gettin' away from someplace. Its an "unusual" diplomatic move — to put it diplomatically.

Taoiseach Kenny said that the Cloyne Report was the first government report on child sexual abuse that "exposes an attempt by the Holy See to frustrate an inquiry in a sovereign, democratic republic."