Irish priests' group decries Vatican move to silence dissident cleric
April 09, 2012
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A group of dissident Irish priests has announced that it is “disturbed” by news that the Vatican has silenced its founder.
The Association of Catholic Priests said that it was “unfair, unwarranted, and unwise” for the Vatican to order the suspension of a regular monthly magazine column by Father Tony Flannery. That order, the group said, was “an extremely ill-advised intervention in the present pastoral context in Ireland.” The association claimed that the Vatican was reacting to pressure from “some reactionary fringe groups” that had unfairly depicted the Association of Catholic Priests as a radical organization.
Writing in Doctrine Life magazine another Irish priest, Father Gabriel Daly, complained that the Vatican “has established effective control over the whole Church,” and ignores the views of Catholics who disagree. He said that in the Church today, “one party is now in control and is presenting its views as the teachings of the Church.” Father Daly faulted the secular media for suggesting that the Vatican and the bishops represent the authoritative voice of the Catholic faith.
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Further information:
- Priests' association 'distured' by Vatican investigation of Fr Flannery (Irish Catholic)
- Priests warn Vatican over gag move (Belfast Telegraph)
- Theologian claims there is 'ominous divide' in church (Irish Times)
- Vatican moving against dissident Irish priest? (CWN, 4/5)
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Posted by: SentimentalGent -
Apr. 09, 2012 4:36 PM ET USA
What is wrong with these priests in Ireland and Austria? Do they even know what it is to be a good, faithful Catholic priest? Was their formation that bad in the seminary? It's beginning to sound like the Church needs to hold a Council of Trent II to deal with the situation.
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Posted by: Lucius49 -
Apr. 09, 2012 4:05 PM ET USA
Irony of ironies: priests complaining that the secular media is teaching the Catholic faith on the authority of Pope and bishops!
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Posted by: spledant7672 -
Apr. 09, 2012 3:47 PM ET USA
"Father Daly faulted the secular media for suggesting that the Vatican and the bishops represent the authoritative voice of the Catholic faith." Thanks for picking that one out. I'm not sure which part of that sentence is funnier, that anyone thinks that anyone other than the pope and his brother bishops authoritatively teach the faith or that the secular media got it right instead of them.
