THE HOLY See’s formal response to the Government regarding the Cloyne report is likely to be released shortly, perhaps early next week, according to Vatican sources.
Although Vatican senior spokesman Fr Federico Lombardi was unable to indicate a precise date, the Vatican Insider website yesterday suggested a 15-page report had been finished and its release was “imminent”.
There are a number of indications pointing to the report’s publication in the coming days.
When Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore demanded a Vatican response to the findings of the Cloyne report in a meeting on July 14th with the papal nuncio, Archbishop Giuseppe Leanza, the Holy See’s initial reaction was to suggest the formal reply would be made by the end of August.
Originally it had been hoped to have the document prepared even sooner, but that plan was changed after the Taoiseach’s outspoken and unprecedented attack on the Vatican on July 20th.
In the Dáil speech, Enda Kenny spoke of “the dysfunction, disconnection, elitism – and the narcissism – that dominate the culture of the Vatican to this day”.
Taken aback by that vehement attack, the Holy See decided it would not rush into a response but would await the end of the August holiday period so all relevant parties could be consulted.
The repose has required contributions from four Vatican departments: the Congregations of the Doctrine of the Faith, of Bishops, of Clergy and of the Institutes of Consecrated Life. It has also required contributions from Archbishop Leanza and the Secretariat of State.
The nuncio has returned to Dublin in order to consign the response to the Government.
This is expected to be his last formal function as nuncio to Ireland, as he has already been appointed papal nuncio to the Czech Republic.
There have been no advance indications as to what precisely the reply will contain.
However, based on previous Vatican documents such as the pope’s letter to the Irish people last year, it is almost certain the Holy See will reject the Taoiseach’s criticisms, arguing that the Irish clerical sex abuse crisis owes much more to Irish episcopal mismanagement and incompetence than to Vatican interference.