New sex scandal hits Catholic Church in US

The day after an Irish bishop resigned over failing to report cases of sex abuse in his diocese to the police, a new scandal has hit the Catholic Church in Wisconsin. This and other stories in today’s international press review. THURSDAY, 25th MARCH, 2010

IN THE PAPERS

By James CREEDON

The New York Times reports that Pope Benedict XVI failed to defrock an abusive priest in Wisconsin despite being informed by American bishops that he had abused up to 200 deaf boys between 1950 and 1974.

At the time that the abuse became known, the Pope was at the head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith which has the power to defrock priests. The paper says that the then Cardinal Ratzinger chose to keep the abuse quiet. His priority was to protect the Church and civilian authorities were not informed.

The priest in question, Rev. Lawrence Murphy was simply moved elsewhere and died in 1998 having worked for years afterwards in contact with children.

Meanwhile the Daily Telegraph reports that an Irish bishop, John Magee resigned yesterday. Magee was the Bishop of Cloyne in the south of Ireland. He was informed in 1995 of two priests in his diocese accused of sexual abuse but never informed the police. Magee’s resignation is particularly embarrassing for the Vatican as he had served as private secretary to three successive popes.

In today’s Los Angeles Times, Irish singer Sinéad O’ Connor says that there should be a full criminal investigation of the Pope. O’ Connor became infamous in 1992 for tearing up a photo of Pope John Paul II on Saturday Night Live, an American TV show, this as she criticized the Church for failing to protect children affected by child abuse.

As for the Pope’s letter to the Irish faithful sent out this past weekend, O’Connor said, “It’s a study in the fine art of lying and actually betraying your own people.”

Other stories in today’s international papers:

The Hindu: Disputed isle in Bay of Bengal disappears

Times of India (New Delhi edition): “New Moore isle no more, expert blames warming”

The Huffington Post: Biden on “Big F---ing Deal”: Obama Loved It

Daily Mail: Who needs a Space Shuttle? Amazing pictures of Earth captured by one man, a balloon and his compact camera

10/02/2010 - FRENCH PRESS REVIEW

Portrait of Sarkozy painted by his father could sell for €14,000

Is Pal Sarkozy capitalising on his son’s fame?! The father of the French President has painted his son and his daughter-in-law, Carla Bruni and their paintings are included in an exhibition of the First Father’s work in his home city of Budapest.

09/02/2010 - INTERNATIONAL PRESS REVIEW

“France’s greatest thinker fooled by Kant hoax”

The Times’ Paris correspondent Charles Bremner is in gleeful mood this morning recounting the woes of famous French philosopher Bernard-Herni Lévy. “BHL” as he is known is “the laughing stock of the Left Bank” having referenced a philosopher who does not exist in his latest book.

09/02/2010 - FRENCH PRESS REVIEW

French debate on national identity was a “fiasco”

Libération’s editorial this morning is entitled “rabbit fart” – not exactly a flattering summing up of Immigration Minister Eric Besson’s three-month debate on French national identity. Le Figaro is also critical saying that the Government’s proposals at the conclusion of the national identity debate “fall far short of expectations”.

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