IRELAND
Irish Central
Nick Bramhill @IrishCentral January 08, 2017
One of Ireland’s most prominent ‘silenced’ priests has announced he will defy Church authorities when he turns 70 later this month by celebrating a public Mass in his local community center.
Fr. Tony Flannery, the outspoken founder of the Association of Catholic Priests, was banned from public ministry nearly five years ago by the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) for his liberal views on women priests, homosexuality and contraception.
Since the start of his censureship the respected Redemptorist, from Athenry, Co. Galway, has spoken of his heartache at being forced by Church leaders to turn down a number invitations to lead Mass in public places – including an occasion last March when he reluctantly declined an offer to conduct a service to dozens of cancer sufferers.
He has since accepted there is little chance of the Vatican leaders ever relaxing their ban on him, meaning a return to the priesthood is highly unlikely.
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