Archbishop Meets Priests' Association to Discuss Concerns

By Patsy McGarry
Irish Times
February 4, 2013

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2013/0204/1224329605625.html

The Association of Catholic Priests (ACP) has met the Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin and members of the Council of Priests in the archdiocese.

Last October the Irish Episcopal Conference declined to meet the ACP leadership, saying any such engagement “would best take place at local level by using established structures such as the Council of Priests”.

Topics discussed, according to a report on the ACP website, included the crisis in priest numbers, the need for a more open church, the fear of false allegations against priests, the unjust treatment of priests like Fr Tony Flannery, the inadequacy of the method of appointing bishops and the reticence of bishops in addressing injustices resulting from the current economic situation.