THE diplomat appointed by Pope Benedict to represent the interests of the Holy See in Ireland presented his credentials yesterday to President Mary McAleese at Aras an Uachtarain. Archbishop Giuseppe Leanza ( 65), from Sicily, will take up his duties as Apostolic Nuncio after being formally welcomed to Ireland by the Archbishop of Dublin, Dr Diarmuid Martin, at a special Mass in Dublin's Pro-Cathedral on Saturday, May 10.
At this Mass, known as "a Liturgical Reception", Archbishop Leanza will deliver his first homily in Ireland.
This speech will be read carefully by both the Church and the Episcopal Conference for clues about Pope Benedict's possible visit here, as well as the Pope's attitude to the referendum on the EU Lisbon Reform Treaty.
Under protocol rules, Archbishop Leanza automatically becomes the doyen or senior member of the resident diplomatic corps accredited to Ireland.
He succeeds Archbishop Giuseppe Lazzarotto, who was appointed to Australia by Pope Benedict XVI to prepare for his visit to World Youth Day in Sydney in July.
In addition to reporting directly to Pope Benedict and the Roman Curia on church and political developments in the Republic, Archbishop Leanza will monitor the peace process in the North.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
No responsibility or liability shall attach itself to either myself or to the blogspot ‘Clerical Whispers’ for any or all of the articles placed here.
The placing of an article hereupon does not necessarily imply that I agree or accept the contents of the article as being necessarily factual in theology, dogma or otherwise.
Sotto Voce