ROME
Vatican Insider
Ireland’s Prime Minister , who attacked the Vatican in a July 2011 speech over its failure to protect children, attended a papal audience but the pope did not greet him or any other leader present
Gerard O’Connell
Rome
Ireland’s Prime Minister (Taoiseach), Enda Kenny, attended a papal audience with other European political leaders linked to the internationalCentrist Democratic movement at the papal summer residence in Castel Gandolfo this morning, September 22, but the Pope did not greet him or any of the other political leaders present.
Pope Benedict spoke to group of some 100 political leaders from across the globe on the need for ethics in economics, and the importance of defending human life -from conception to natural death, and marriage.
The Italian politician, Ferdinando Casini, greeted the Pope on behalf of the whole group, and presented him with a book.
Given the group’s size, nobody had imagined that Benedict XVI would greet them all individually, but it had been expected that he would shake hands with the European Prime Ministers, including Ireland’s Enda Kenny, who was seated on the front row alongside the Greek Prime Minister. This did not happen.
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