TAOISEACH ENDA Kenny has been likened to Adolf Hitler in a newsletter distributed to Massgoers in a Co Louth parish, following his criticism of the Vatican.

The newsletter, which was in the Church of St Columcille in Togher on Sunday, carried an article about Mr Kenny’s Dáil speech of last week under the headline: “Heil Herr Kenny”.

Referring to Mr Kenny’s criticisms of the Vatican’s handling of clerical sex abuse, the article stated: “The last European leader to make such a blistering attack on the Pope was the ruthless German dictator Adolf Hitler”.

Parish priest of Togher Fr Thomas Daly was not available yesterday to comment on the article.

One local man said: “Everybody in the area is talking about it. It is a bit much comparing the leader of Ireland to Hitler – the article went too far.”

The newsletter article stated: “Perhaps he [Enda Kenny] might also keep in mind that the profile of Knock was hugely raised by the visit of a former Pope [John Paul II] to the shrine in 1979.

“If history teaches us one lesson, it must surely be a call to be careful about the canonisation of political leaders.

“Even Hitler had to face that reality. A cautionary tale.”

In the special Dáil debate on the Cloyne report, Mr Kenny said the report exposed an attempt by the Holy See to frustrate an inquiry into abuse just three years ago.

The Togher parish bulletin also referred to the positive response to the Taoiseach’s comments. “His Dáil speech was greeted with shouts of jubilation by almost every journalist and TV pundit in the country.

“Is this the new Ireland? Is this the fulfilment of the dreams of the founding fathers? ‘No Pope here’. Is this the way forward for a new and better Ireland?”