Taoiseach Enda Kenny’s blistering attack on the Catholic Church should be a wake-up call for dishonest and immoral clergymen, it has been warned.

The Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin has issued an apology after an inquiry revealed today that the Vatican wanted paedophile priest Tony Walsh to serve 10 years in a monastery rather than force him out of the Catholic Church.

The Vatican wanted a dangerous Irish paedophile priest to serve 10 years in a monastery rather than force him out of the Catholic Church, an inquiry revealed today.

THE brother of a man abused at an industrial school is planning an altar protest during communion at one of the biggest Catholic churches in the country on the most important day in the church’s calendar.

THE Bishop of Galway, Martin Drennan, is coming under increased pressure to reverse his decision not to resign due to the findings of the Murphy report into cleric child sex abuse in Dublin.

A QUARTER of a century after he first warned the Catholic Church authorities that Fr Thomas Naughton was sexually abusing local children, former garda John Brennan could allow himself a sense of vindication as the paedophile priest was sent to prison for a second time yesterday.

THE hierarchy who were quick to condemn ordinary mortals as sinners have finally been forced to admit grievous wrong doing by many of their clergy, Irish Survivors of Child Abuse (SOCA) said yesterday.

Pressure was mounting tonight for the resignation of senior clerics who shielded paedophile priests to protect the reputation of the Catholic Church.

The Garda Commissioner has revealed tonight that officers are examining a sickening report which found paedophile priests were shielded by peers and officials to protect the Catholic Church.

The Catholic Church’s ’don’t ask, don’t tell’ cover-up culture exposed in a damning clerical abuse report is dead and gone, a senior cleric said today.

A CONCEPT known as “mental reservation” was used by the diocesan leaders to mislead the media about its dealings with abuse victims in a manner they believed did not involve telling lies, the report finds.

Cardinal Desmond Connell tonight asked for forgiveness from child sex abuse victims who suffered at the hands of paedophile priests under his control.

The Murphy report into the rape and molestation of 320 children by 46 priests in the Dublin Archdiocese has found the Church and a former Garda Commissioner covered up abuse.

Paedophile priests escaped the consequences of the law because senior gardaí believed clerics were untouchable, it was revealed today.

Thousands of children were abused by Catholic priests in Ireland over a 30-year period, a shocking report on clerical sex abuse is set to reveal.

Many people believe there is no smoke without fire and what he’s up to is one hell of a smokescreen.

A LAST attempt by an ecclesiastical dinosaur to block full accountability by the Catholic Church on sex abuse cases was abandoned yesterday, but it would be premature to think that a new era is beginning.

A national charity that supports women and men who have experienced sexual violence, today welcomed the move by former Archbishop of Dublin, Cardinal Desmond Connell to withdraw his court action against the commission investigating clerical sexual abuse in the Dublin Archdiocese.

A potentially bitter court battle involving two of Ireland’s most senior clerics in a dispute over the release of secret church files was withdrawn today.

Cardinal Desmond Connell is prepared to go to prison rather than hand over certain documents relating to child abuse, according to the Irish Catholic newspaper.

THE legal battle over documents between Cardinal Desmond Connell and the commission investigating his handling of child abuse complaints is expected to be the subject of a full High Court hearing next month.

A hearing on whether Catholic Church documents can be examined by an inquiry into the sexual abuse of children was delayed today for legal teams to prepare for the case.

CARDINAL Desmond Connell’s celebration of his 82nd birthday next month could be marred by his legal wrangle with the man who succeeded him as Archbishop of Dublin.

MANY parents who complained to Catholic Church authorities because priests were abusing their children were betrayed by the inadequate, cowardly and morally reprehensible response of the Church.

A leading support group for child sex abuse victims said today that it is deeply disturbed by the former Archbishop of Dublin's legal bid to prevent a government inquiry from examining church documents.

A senior Catholic clergyman was tonight locked in a legal wrangle with a commission investigating the legacy of clerical child sexual abuse.

The Catholic Primate and Archbishop of Armagh Dr Sean Brady is tonight preparing to be made a Cardinal in the Vatican.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern will represent the Government when Archbishop of Armagh Dr Sean Brady is made a cardinal in Rome later this month.

ARCHBISHOP Seán Brady said yesterday he was “humbled” after the Vatican announced he was to be made cardinal.

The Pope's elevation of the head of the Catholic Church in Ireland to cardinal was an expression of the pontiff's desire to see the peace process continue to succeed and become a model for the rest of the world, Archbishop Sean Brady said today.

A south inner city man who falsely alleged he was buggered by a priest giving him prayer tuition for his First Holy Communion has been remanded in custody for sentence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

The relics of the 17th century French Jesuit who promoted the Sacred Heart of Jesus are to arrive in Dublin later today.

CHARLES J Haughey was small in stature but massive in achievements, his removal service at Donnycarney Church heard yesterday.

ALTHOUGH I must have written about 250,000 words since starting this column over four years ago, I’ve never had occasion to use the Irish word “lúdramán”. Perhaps I shouldn’t use it now either in this, my last column.

ALTHOUGH I must have written about 250,000 words since starting this column over four years ago, I’ve never had occasion to use the Irish word “lúdramán”.

AS history shows, few issues have greater potential to cause division and strife among the people of the world than the vexed question of religion.

FORMER Bishop of Galway, the disgraced Dr Eamon Casey, returned from a 14 year exile last evening.

Hundreds of people are expected to turn out later today for the funeral of Bishop of Kilmore Francis McKiernan.

Senior clergy, politicians and lay people gathered today for the funeral of the former Bishop of Galway Dr James McLoughlin.

THE Church does not always have to penalise paedophile priests because they may be acting on urges and impulses “beyond their control”, a commentary on Canon law advises.

A VICTIM of clerical abuse has criticised Taoiseach Bertie Ahern for being “populist” in his rush to recommend a nationwide investigation into child sex abuse by priests.

Two thousand Catholics from Ireland are among an estimated one million young people taking part in the World Youth Day pilgrimage in Germany today.

Hundreds of young people set off from Dublin this morning, to join an estimated one million worshippers for a special Mass celebrated by Pope Benedict in Germany.