THE Fine Gael Mayor of Castlebar joined in a private audience with
Pope Benedict in Rome on Tuesday despite his party leader
Taoiseach Enda Kenny’s vehement attack on the Vatican for covering up
clerical child sex abuse cases.
Councillor Eugene McCormack said while he concurred with the
hard-hitting views of Deputy Kenny, his visit to meet the Holy Father at
Castle Gandolfo was ‘a separate issue entirely’.
The audience with Pope Benedict was organised by Dean Kemmer, the
parish priest of the German town of Hoechstadt which is twinning with
Castlebar.
Delegations representing both towns were in attendance at
the Pope’s summer residence.
Accompanying Councillor McCormack was Independent Councillor Michael
Kilcoyne, Seamus Granahan, town manager, and Nora Coyne, acting town
clerk.
The four-day trip, which will also involve meetings with potential investors, is expected to cost over €3,500.
When contacted by The Connaught Telegraph, the Mayor said he did not think there was any problem with his visit from a political perspective.
Said Councillor McCormack: “The arrangements were made by our friends
in Hoechstadt for a number of months. They were made in advance of the
Taoiseach making his comments. In any event, I don’t believe the two
issues should be linked."
“On a personal level, I regard it as an honour to get the opportunity
of meeting Pope Benedict. Furthermore, it would have been wrong for
Castlebar Town Council not to have accepted the invitation from our twin
town on such an occasion.”
However, Councillor McCormack’s predecessor in the post, Councillor Ger Deere, opted not to travel.
Councillor Deere, who is employed as Deputy Kenny’s constituency
assistant in Castlebar, said the trip to Rome clashed with a holiday
vacation he had arranged.
“I am happy with the decision I made, particularly as I am an employee of the Taoiseach,” he explained
Councillor Deere was aware that Deputy Kenny was due to make his
attack on the Vatican before reaching his decision not to join the
Castlebar delegation on the trip.
The reference in Deputy Kenny’s speech to the Vatican ‘managing’ the
rape of children to uphold its own power and reputation is clearly
pointed at the highest levels of the church hierarchy.
Another member of the Fine Gael party on Castlebar Town Council,
Councillor Noreen Hestor, had voiced her opposition to the trip on
financial grounds a number of months ago.