Redemptorist priest Fr. Tony Flannery
As Cardinal Roger M. Mahony, who covered up the sexual abuse of children by priests, enjoys his retirement and looks forward to picking the next pope (and btw, how much do cardinals make per year?), Fr. Tony Flannery, co-founder of the Association of Catholic Priests, is threatened with excommunication by the Vatican if he won't recant his beliefs on women's ordination and other issues (read more about this at Pray Tell). He has written in the Irish Times that recanting is too high a price to pay. Here's just a bit of the article ...
Vatican's demand for silence is too high a price
[...] I either put my name to a document that would be a lie, and would impugn my integrity and my conscience, or I face the reality of never again ministering as a priest. I have always believed in the church as the community of believers and as an essential element in promoting and nourishing the faith. I have enjoyed my years of preaching, the main work of Redemptorists, and never had any doubt that Christ’s message was one worth proclaiming. But to give up on freedom of thought, freedom of speech and most especially freedom of conscience is too high a price for me to pay to be allowed minister in today’s church.
And so the Vatican will dump Flannery and will pamper Mahony. Just business as usual :(
Vatican's demand for silence is too high a price
[...] I either put my name to a document that would be a lie, and would impugn my integrity and my conscience, or I face the reality of never again ministering as a priest. I have always believed in the church as the community of believers and as an essential element in promoting and nourishing the faith. I have enjoyed my years of preaching, the main work of Redemptorists, and never had any doubt that Christ’s message was one worth proclaiming. But to give up on freedom of thought, freedom of speech and most especially freedom of conscience is too high a price for me to pay to be allowed minister in today’s church.
And so the Vatican will dump Flannery and will pamper Mahony. Just business as usual :(
posted by crystal | 3:27 PM
8 Comments:
Just saw this today. It's the final straw for me. The only way I can think of to force the Church's hand is to withdraw my financial and spiritual support. Fr. Tony is right; it's the Inquisition all over again.
I don't actually go to church anymore and don't contribute myself, so I think I understand where you're coming from.
Hi Anonymous,
I wish that would indeed force the Church's hand. However, I think it's even immune to that.
I do still contribute; however, last year the Seattle Archdiocese made a strong and public stance against gay marriage (which lost BIG at the polls). That caused a lot of people to sit on their hands when it came time for the Annual Catholic Appeal.
A high number of Catholics saw things differently from their Archbishop -- that gay marriage was a civil rights issue.
Hi Denny,
Are you back to blogging?
I do still give money to charity but just pick them myself now.
He sounds such a reasonable man.
I have stopped going because of the sex scandals and the churches 'management' of it.
I emailed the vatican about 18 months ago to ask about Peters Pence - could I have a statement, get knowledge of what/where the money was spent ..... I have been greeted by silence
I wonder why? Surely they must produce an annual statement and funds must be tracked otherwise corruption could creep in .... oh! :)
Good luck to you and Father Flannery.
The Vatican budget - now there's a mysterious subject ;)
PS - but there was a recent article in The Economist on how the church in the US has been spending its money ... The Catholic church in America - Earthly concerns
Crystal
I forgot to mention that I have emailed them about 5 or 6 times since and will continue to do so until they answer or send someone to stop me.
I will read yr link later - thanks
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