Vatican releases internal files in lawsuit

THE Vatican has taken the unprecedented step of releasing internal files about an Irish priest who was removed from the priesthood in the 1960s after allegedly molesting children both here and in the US.

The files, which are published on the website of the Vatican Radio, are part of documentation the Vatican plans to turn over to US lawyers representing a man who claims he was abused by an Irish Catholic priest Fr Andrew Ronan.

It is the first time the Holy See has had to hand over documentation in relation to an abuse case.