Priest asked to take time to Reflect

Posted on 12. Apr, 2012, in Celibacy/Sexuality, Church Teachings, Feminism/Women in the Church1 Comment

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Redemptorist Priest Fr. Tony Flannery was recently asked to take time to reflect by the Vatican for his views on contraception, celibacy and women’s ordination. He was advised to “pray and reflect” on his situation so that he could “think with the Church”. The Association of Catholic Priests, of whom Fr. Tony Flannery is one of the founders, has been a voice for a full “implementation of the vision and teaching of the Second Vatican Council” including a discussion and rethink on these matters.

The priests have forcefully defended Fr. Flannery on their website, associationofcatholicpriests.ie. The site also contains many articles praising Fr. Flannery’s work and speaking out against this sanction. It includes one from Peter McVerry SJ, well known for his work with homeless men, who sees the intervention as a sign of fear and sees links between Fr. Flannery and Jesus who was also sanctioned for speaking out against Church rulings. He expressed his feelings on the matter to Miriam Gormally.