The decision of Irish comedians to visit the Vatican for a private audience with the Pope has been lambasted as “absurd”. 

RTÉ stars Tommy Tiernan and Patrick Kielty will be among the international group which Church officials describe as aiming to “establish a link between the Catholic Church and comic artists.”

Speaking on The Hard Shoulder, Newstalk journalist Simon Tierney said it made him miss Sinéad O’Connor. 

“I think we’ve travelled a long way since the early 90s when another eminent figure from the world of Irish entertainment famously tore up an image of a previous Pope on live television,” he said. 

“I think what the Vatican is trying to do tomorrow with this comedy symposium is to try and burnish its image, to try and clean its image by using celebrities from the world of entertainment. 

“I think this is absurd; the Catholic Church - for me and for many people - is an organisation that carried out or facilitated crimes in this country and others over many decades. 

“I don’t understand why anyone would want to participate in an attempt to offer that organisation validation.” 

Pope Francis. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

Simon said the Catholic Church has caused a “huge amount of suffering” over the years and still does not act in accordance with modern notions of equality. 

“Pope Francis is also the head of an organisation which acts with impunity,” he said. 

“We don’t hold that organisation to the same level of account which we do other organisations.”

 'Not just gay people' 

Earlier this week, Pope Francis was reported once again to have controversially used an offensive Italian slur ‘frociaggine’ to refer to gay men. 

A Church in Dublin also cancelled a performance by the Gay Men's Chorus on the grounds it was "not compatible with our mission as a Roman Catholic Parish Church".

Referencing this decision, Simon said it remains the case the Catholic Church is “actively marginalising certain groups”. 

“Not just gay people, but also women,” he said. 

“This is an organisation where you can’t achieve any level of prominence as a woman. 

“If we held the Catholic Church to the same degree of account as we do a private company, then would we give these comedians who are attending this event tomorrow a free pass? 

“I don’t think we would.” 

In the last census, 69% of Irish people ticked a box indicating they are Catholic.

Main image: Pope Francis blesses crowds in The Vatican. Image: Linda Schaefer / Alamy