Irish Reform Groups Call for Vatican to End Suspension of Fr. Tony Flannery

Two Catholic reform groups in Ireland are advocating for a well-known Redemptorist priest there to be restored to ministry after more than ten years of suspension.

The Association of Catholic Priests (ACP) and Lay Catholic Group (LCG) argue that Fr. Tony Flannery, CSsR, who was suspended for his support of women’s ordination and LGBTQ+ rights, should be able to minister again. In a joint statement, the groups say:

“The Association of Catholic Priests and the Lay Catholic Group believe that a grave injustice has been perpetrated against Tony Flannery in that he has been denied standard prerequisites of a just and fair procedure.

“He was never informed who his accusers were, never given an opportunity to defend himself and never allowed to appeal the decision.

“The ACP and the LCG call on the church authorities and the Redemptorist authorities to restore Tony Flannery to ministry. To do so would give some credence to ‘the infinite tenderness of God’ of which Pope Francis speaks.”

Back in 2012, the Vatican suspended Flannery from public ministry after he expressed support for marriage equality and women ordination. The Redemptorist priest said that he was “writing thought-provoking articles and books for decades without hindrance,” which the then-Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith viewed as a violation of Catholic values. The Vatican stated that Flannery could only return to ministry if he signed a pledge promising to adhere to Catholic orthodoxy. Ultimately, Flannery did not sign the document because he believed that agreeing to present church teachings on the issues was a betrayal of himself and all the “fellow priests and lay Catholics who want[ed] change.”

Since his suspension, Flannery has advocated for reform through an op-ed in The Irish Times and several other publications. He has received support from many in the Catholic community, including religious groups who believe that silencing his ministry is unjust. Last year, Flannery called for an independent review of the initial ruling, since he believes that his “most basic of human rights” were ignored by the Vatican.

ACP and LCG agree that Flannery’s case must be reviewed, since the issues originally raised about Flannery are now “mainstream topics of debate within the church.” An independent review could potentially change not only the outcome of Flannery’s suspension but also restore his reputation, which has been presented in a “totally unfair, unjust and, above all, false light.” The groups’ statement points out:

“In the wake of the Synodal Pathway how can the church accept the decision against Tony Flannery? The issues he wrote about which resulted in his removal from priestly ministry are now healthily being discussed in the public forums of the Catholic Church.”

Fr. Flannery, who is a longtime friend and supporter of New Ways Ministry, is greatly admired by many people globally. He continues to stand up against the hierarchical systems that continue to oppress women and LGBTQ+ people. New Ways Ministry joins with ACP and LCG in calling for Fr. Flannery’s ministry to be restored.

—Sarah Cassidy (she/her), New Ways Ministry, March 23, 2023