Irish bishops urged to act for censored priests

The Tablet (UK)
March 5, 2013

The Association of Catholic Priests has unanimously backed a motion demanding that the Irish bishops make representations to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) over the recent cases of priests it has censured.

The resolution, which was passed at a meeting attended by 250 members of the association in Athlone, has been sent to the Irish hierarchy in a letter signed by over 130 priests.

At least seven Irish priests have been silenced by Rome. These include high-profile media priest Fr Brian D'Arcy and Fr Tony Flannery, a leading figure in the ACP, who was asked by the CDF to sign a document recanting his views on issues such as priesthood and contraception.

Fr Sean McDonagh, who proposed the motion, told The Tablet: "We are asking the Irish bishops to stand up to this kind of petty bullying from the curia."