"The rape and torture of children were downplayed or managed to uphold instead the primacy of the institution, its power, standing and reputation," he told the Dáil in July last year,accusing Rome of trying to bury the issue of child abuse to protect the institution of the Church.
Far from feeling uncomfortable when he meets the Pope today, Mr Kenny said he believed his criticism had been beneficial for the Church and had brought about a new sense of reality.
Mr Kenny said the Government would be very welcoming if the Pope were to visit Ireland.
"From my dealings with the Church authorities since then, there has been a realism and understanding that the scars of the past have to be dealt with and dealt with fully," he said.
It had helped to put in place foundations for thefuture that demonstrate the values that we have for our country and for our people, said Mr Kenny.
This was reflected in his decision to appoint a children’s minister to organise a referendum on children’s rights, he said.
Mr Kenny is one of a group of 20 national leaders and politicians who has an audience with the Pope in Castel Gandolfo today following a meeting of the Centrist Democratic International leaders meeting in Rome. Fine Gael is a member of CDI.
There will be no opportunity for any in-depth conversation during the meeting, Mr Kenny said. It will be little more than shaking hands.
Mr Kenny’s speech to the Dáil followed the publication of the report into the handling of child abuse cases by the Diocese of Cloyne. The report based much of its accusations on a 1997 letter from the Holy See’s representative in Ireland in which he said he had serious reservations about the Church’s new policy requiring bishops to report abuse to gardaí.
The Cloyne report said the letter "effectively gave individual Irish bishops the freedom to ignore the procedures they had agreed", supporting instead those who disagreed with official Church policy.
The Vatican furiously described the criticisms as "unfounded" in its response, which arrived in September and which the Government described as "technical and legalistic".
The Vatican contradicted Mr Kenny’s accusations and said that at "no stage did it seek to interfere with the Irish civil law or impede the civil authority in the exercise of its duties".
Asked if he would invite the Pope to Ireland, the Taoiseach said it was a matter for the Irish Church authorities but if he were invited, "the Government will be fully supportive and reflect his stature and his position."