Acta Apostolicae Sedis - Commentarium Officiale682

frustrate an Inquiry in a sovereign, democratic republic as little as three years

ago, not three decades ago. And in doing so, the Cloyne Report excavates the

dysfunction, disconnection, elitism ... the narcissism that dominates the culture

of the Vatican to this day." Commenting on the meeting between the Apostolic

Nuncio and the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Kenny stated: "The Tánaiste

left the Archbishop clear on two things: the gravity of the actions and attitude of

the Holy See. And Ireland's complete rejection and abhorrence of same."

Subsequently, a motion on the Cloyne Report was passed in which, among

other things, Dáil Éireann "deplores the Vatican's intervention which contri-

buted to the undermining of the child protection framework and guidelines of the

Irish State and the Irish Bishops". The same motion was passed by Seanad

Éireann on 27 July 2011.

On 25 July 2011, the Press Office of the Holy See published the decision

taken by the Secretariat of State to recall the Apostolic Nuncio for

consultations.

Response of the Holy See

The Holy See has received and carefully examined the Report of the

Commission of Inquiry into the manner in which allegations of child sexual

abuse committed by clerics in the Diocese of Cloyne were handled by the

relevant authorities between 1996 and 2009 (henceforth referred to as the

Cloyne Report). This Report has brought to light very serious and disturbing

failings in the handling of accusations of sexual abuse of children and young

people by clerics in the Diocese of Cloyne.

At the outset, the Holy See wishes to state its abhorrence for the crimes of

sexual abuse which took place in that Diocese, and indeed in other Irish

Dioceses. The Holy See is sorry and ashamed for the terrible sufferings which

the victims of abuse and their families have had to endure within the Church

of Jesus Christ, a place where this should never happen. It appreciates how

difficult it must have been for them to approach the authorities and speak of

their appalling and traumatic experiences, which continue to blight their

lives, and hopes that the sharing of these experiences will go some way

towards healing their wounds and allowing them to know inner peace and

serenity.