Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Fine Gael Mayor forced to defend his visit to meet Pope

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.