IRELAND
Irish Independent

By Colm Kelpie

Tuesday April 10 2012

A GROUP representing more than 800 priests has branded the silencing of a Redemptorist cleric over his liberal views as unfair.

The Association of Catholic Priests (ACP) said the intervention by the Vatican against Fr Tony Flannery was ill-advised and said it could exacerbate the perceived “disconnect” between the Irish church and Rome.

Fr Flannery, a founding member of the association established less than two years ago, has had his column with the religious magazine ‘Reality’ discontinued after the Vatican stepped in. In its statement, the ACP said it was “disturbed” Fr Flannery was “being silenced”.

“We affirm in the strongest possible terms our . . . solidarity with Fr Flannery and wish to make clear our view that this intervention is unfair, unwarranted and unwise.”