Sir, – Further to “Vatican denies change in abuse reporting policy” (February 12th), any truly Christian church should not only unequivocally practise mandatory reporting of clerical sexual abuse to civic authorities, but should campaign for it worldwide. Diarmuid Martin might institute a mission to the Vatican to that end. – Yours, etc,
MICHELE SAVAGE,
Dublin 12.
Sir, – Marie Collins's remarks that the Roman Curia is blocking reforms approved by Pope Francis confirms our worst fears in the Catholic Church ("Roman Curia 'not co-operating' with child abuse commission", February 15th). This concentration of ecclesiastical power in the hands of a select Vatican elite has produced a Leviathan that threatens anyone who dares confronts its sprawling influence. Pope Benedict tried to curtail its power but it consumed him in the process.
On his election, Pope Francis knew the enormity of the challenge facing him, and one of his first actions was to create a counter-force of a council of nine cardinals, with six from outside the Vatican, to help him to reform the curia. It has just completed its 13th meeting, and one can only imagine the Machiavellian machinations behind the scenes.
Pope Francis cannot afford to allow this impasse to continue .
He is the boss at the end of the day, and it is up to him to act and reform these curia structures to make them be the servants of the people of God, not their lords. – Yours, etc,
BRENDAN BUTLER,
Malahide,
Co Dublin.