Catholic Church hits back angrily at BBC documentary

The Catholic Church has hit back angrily at a BBC documentary accusing the Pope of covering up child abuse.

The Panorama documentary was presented by the Irish child abuse campaigner Colm O'Gorman.

It examined a document which the One in Four founder claims actively encourages secrecy and the protection of priests who abuse children.

Mr O'Gorman claims Pope Benedict was the man responsible for the worldwide cover-up while he was a cardinal.

However, a senior church lawyer in Maynooth responded last night by describing the claims as false, misleading and a thinly veiled effort to malign the Pope.

Dr Michael Mullaney said the directive at the centre of the programme did not deal specifically with child abuse, but with the misuse of the confessional.

One of the victims interviewed in the Panorama programme was Aidan Doyle, who told how he was sexually assaulted by a priest at an Irish school.

He claims the seal of confession was invoked when he reported the abuse to another priest.