The Irish Central website reports today (February 26, 2012) that Cardinal Francis George, 74, of Chicago has turned down an invitation to the Irish Fellowship Club's St. Patrick Day dinner, apparently because Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny is the main speaker.
Kenny lashed out at the Vatican in a widely reported attack last year over its refusal to cooperate in the inquiry into child sexual abuse in the diocese of Cloyne in Cork, Ireland.
Then -- late last year -- the Irish government closed down its Vatican Embassy in a move seen as related to the strong criticism of the Vatican role in the sex abuse scandals.
Now, Cardinal George -- a conservative who is very close to Pope Benedict -- has refused an invitation to the prestigious St. Patrick's eve event on March 16th run by an organization with deep Catholic roots and a major donor to Catholic charities.
