A Question of Conscience

In February 2012 Tony Flannery, founder member of the Association of Catholic Priests in Ireland, bestselling author and regular columnist with "Reality" magazine, was informed that the Vatican watchdog, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF), was unhappy with some of his writings. He was summoned to Rome and told that until he revised his views he would not be allowed to minister as a priest or have any dealings with the media. He was to step down as leader of the ACP. Although he offered a statement of clarification and it seemed as if the matter were closed, a few months later the CDF made further, draconian demands, including a statement from him that he accepted all the moral teachings of the Church and that women could never be ordained priest. The CDF forbade him to return to priestly ministry, or be involved with the ACP, until he agreed to publish this statement. He was put under "formal precept of obedience not to attend the AGM of the ACP. (He did attend it.) D