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From; svcsmartmfi
Sent: 2l26l2UAfiS3:29pM
To: SMARTCoTe
SUbJCCI SEX ABUSE SCANDAL STRATNS TRISH-VATICAN RELATIONS,
SHAKES UP IRTSH CHURCH, AND POSES
CHALLENGES FOR THE HOLY SEE

SECRET
Sens jtive

MRN: 10 VATICAN 33
Date/DTG: Feb 26, 2010
| 2616322 FEB 1 0
From: AMEMBASSY VATICAN
Action: WASHDC, SECSTATEpn rcRffY
E.O.: 1 2958
TAGS: PREL, PHUM, SOCI, KIRF, W, EI
Captions: SIPDIS
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Subject: SEX ABUSE SCANDAL STMINS IRISH-VATICAN RELATIONS, SHAKES UP
IRISH
CHURCH, AND POSES CHALLENGES FOR THE HOLY SEE

SECRETVATICANOOOO33

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 2/2612035

TAGS: PREL, PHUM, SOCI, K|RF, VT, El
SUBJECT: SEX ABUSE SCANDAL STRAINS IRISH-VATICAN RELATTONS, SHAKES UP
IRISH CHURCH, AND POSES CHALLENGES FOR THE HOLY SEE

CLASSIFIED BY: Julieta vails Noyes, DcM, ExEc, state.

REASON: 1,a (b)
1, (c) sumrnary: The November 2009 repoft of cover-up by focal
bishops of revelations of physical and sexual abuse of children
lrish cle appalled Catholics and others wortdwide.

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TII\ITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE

RE\rIEW AUTHORITY: THEODORE SELLIN
DATE/CASE ID:
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Origin of a $candal: Horrific and Endemic

2. {U) The lrish scandal broke in the 1990s, following a series

of criminal cases and lrish government enquiries that
established that hundreds of lay persons and priests had abused
thousands of children in lreland for decades. In 1999, lrish
Prime Minister Bertie Ahern announced a program to respond to
the abuse, including a compensation scheme into which the
government and various religious orders made contributions. In
announcing this program, Ahern was the first lrish official to
apologize to the victims. He also launched a study into abuse
at lrish institutions run by religious orders but over$een and
funded by lreland's Department of Education. After nine years
of investigation, the Ryan Commission issued a report in May
2009 that detailed horrific abuses, including 325 alleged cases
of abuse by priests, and concluded they were "endemic." With
the crisis unfolding, lrish Catholics and lrish investigators
turned to Rome for additional answer$.

Political Reaction: Inquiries Offend Vatican and lrish Public

3. (SBU) After release of the Ryan report, the lrish Government

ordered an investigation of the Ryan Commis$ion's allegations
against priests in the Archdiocese of Dublin, to be conducted by
the independent Murphy Commission. Sidestepping diplomatic
channels, the Murphy Commission sent a letter requesting further
information to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
(CDF), which follows issues relating to clerical misconduct and
crimes. The Commission also asked the Vatican Nuncio in lreland
trc answer questions. (Judge Murphy argued that the body did not
have to follow normal inter+tate procedures in making its
requests because the independent commission was not part of the
lrish government.)

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Pastoral Reaction: Meetings with Clerics and Messages to

Catholics

Meanwhile atican movedFl

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rnal Church ciisis.
ting with senior lrish clerical leaders
on December 11, 2009. lrish Cardinal $ean Brady and Archbishop
of Dublin Diarmuid Martin came to Rome and met with the Pontiff,
who was flanked by Cardinal Bertone (the Vatisan Prime Minster
equivalent), and four other Cardinals whose duties include
oversight over some aspect sf the lrish situation. At the end
of the meeting, the Vatican issued a statement saying that the
Pope shared the "outrage, betrayal, and $hame" of lrish

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Catholics over the deliberations, that he was praying for the

victims, and that the Church would take steps to prevent
recurrence$, Archbishop Martin told reporters afterwards that
he expected a major shake-up of the Church in lreland.

9. {SBU) The Vatican'$ next move was to call a broader, two-day

meeting with lrish bishops, Febru ary 15-1 0, to discuss the
crisis. There, the Pope urged the bishops to address the sexual
abuse with resolve and courage, to prevent any recilJrrences, and
to bring healing to the victims. Meeting participants examined
and discussed a draft otthe "Pa$toral Letter of the Holy Father
to the Catholics of lreland" that the Pope will issue by the end
of Marsh. A later Vatican statement said the abuses in lreland
were a "heinous crime and also a grave sin."

10. (U) At a pres$ conference on February 16, Vatican spokesman

Lombardi said the meeting wa$ aimed at dialogue and
direction-setting, and wa$ not intended to produce specific
policy decisions. The statement quoted the bishops' assuranc€s
that "significant mea$ures have now been taken to ensure the
safety of children and young people." The full text is
ava ilable at http:l 121 2.TT .1 .245lnew$
serui ceslb ul letin/news {251 54 ph p? in d ex=2 51 54 &po
.

date=1 6.02.20 1 0&lang=en

Public Reaction: Vatican Response Helps, but More Needed

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Gomment: $ome Lessons Learned, but Crisis Will Play Out for Years

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15. (U) Embassy Dublin contributed to and cleared this sable.

DIAZ

Signature: DIAZ

Classlfled By: Julleta Valls Noyes, DCM, EXEC, State,

Reason: 1.4 (b)
Declassify on: 42612435
INfO: USUN NEW YORK, USMISSIONPRIORIrr; GENEVA, USMISSIONPNIORITY:
vATlcAN, AMEMBASSYRoUnNE i EUROPEAN POLIT|CAL COLLECT|VERoUnNE ;
ZEN/AMCONSUL ALMAW; ZENIAMCONSUL ADANA; ZENIAMEMBASSY PODGORTCA;
ZEN/AMCONSUL THFSSALON rKr; ZEN/AMCONSUL STRASBOU RG;
ZEN/AMCONSUL VLAD IVOSTOK; ZENIAMEMBASSY M INSK;
ZEN/AMCONSUL DUSSELDORF; ZEN/AMCONSUL YEKATERINBURG;
ZEN/AMCONSUL LEIPZIG ; ZENIAMCONSUL ST PETER$BU RG
Atbchments: metadata.dat

Dissemination Rule: fuchive Copy

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