Winds of change: Papal nuncio presents credentials

His predecessor left under a cloud of controversy, so it was left to the new papal nuncio to Ireland to promise to do “everything in my power to solidify and strengthen the relations between the Holy See and Ireland”.

Archbishop Charles John Brown made the pledge as he presented his credentials to President Michael D Higgins.

Last July, the man he replaces, Archbishop Guiseppe Leanza, was recalled to Rome after the publication of the Cloyne Report into the Church’s handling of abuse claims against 19 clerics in the diocese. It accused the Vatican of being “entirely unhelpful” to Irish bishops in their attempts to put proper child safeguarding procedures in place. When the investigating commission wrote to Archbishop Leanza during its inquiry, he replied that he was “unable to assist” it.