Talks aimed at reconciling a leading Irish advocate of church reform with Rome were due to be held in Dublin this week.
Redemptorist priest Fr Tony Flannery, who has been banned from ministry by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, was due to meet the Rome-based leader of his order, Fr Michael Brehl, on Friday along with the newly elected Redemptorist provincial in Ireland, Fr Dan Baragry. Fr Sean McDonagh of the Association of Catholic Priests, founded by Fr Flannery, was also due to attend the talks.
They come following a request from Fr Flannery’s Redemptorist confrères at their recent chapter meeting that fresh efforts be made to resolve the impasse between Fr Flannery and the CDF. The priest was ordered to step down from public ministry by the Vatican in 2012 following publication of his views questioning church teaching on contraception and the theology of priesthood.
One source told The Tablet that members of the order hope that the Redemptorist leadership might adopt a more conciliatory stance similar to the one taken by American nuns in their dealings with the Vatican.
Meanwhile, Fr Flannery is organising the biggest gathering of church reform leaders. Delegates from domestic priest and lay groups, as well as those in the United Kingdom, the United States, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Australia and India have already confirmed they will come to Ireland in April for the event, whose aim and purpose is to be announced formally at the end of February.
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