Irish Redemptorist Fr. Tony Flannery takes a hike

You may remember the strange tales of Irish Redemptorist (not-quite-former-yet) Fr. Tony Flannery, founder of the Ass. of Catholic Priests.

Here is some news for the Fishwrappers and their fellow travelers.

Take note of this piece in The Irish Times about dear heretical Tony.  The fact that he is “going his own way” is neither a surprise nor the big news.  Take note of something he dropped in:

Fr Tony Flannery has said he will begin a new chapter in his life today, after learning the Vatican has no plans to allow him to practise as a priest again.

Fr Flannery (67) also said he has decided to stay away from premises owned by the church during his upcoming tour to avoid any “embarrassment” of further fallout with the church hierarchy. But he said he is determined to push for reform in the church in his upcoming lectures, which begin tonight in the Clayton hotel in Galway.

The outspoken Redemptorist was first censured nearly two years ago over his liberal stance on such issues as women priests and contraception.

Fr Flannery, from Athenry, Co Galway, said “informed sources” have told him that there is no prospect of a change to his ban on public ministry.

However, Fr Flannery, who founded the Association of Catholic Priests, said he is looking forward to his series of lectures across Ireland and abroad about church reform. He said: “The information I’m getting is that while Pope Francis is shaking things up, the CDF [Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith] is just the same [Get that?] and there is no indication whatsoever of a change in my position in the short or medium term. My choice is to either wait around or go my own way – and so I’ve decided to go my own way.”

Hasta la vista, Tony!

The CDF remains the CDF, which is perhaps the only Roman dicastery that really functions as it ought.  If liberals out there think that they can get away things now, just because Pope Fluffy, the most wonderfullest Pope ehvur, they are sorry mistaken.

My hope is that when he gives his next little talk somewhere, the Just-The-Same Congregation will excommunicate him.

My other hope is that he will say he is sorry and get his act together before he dies… and he is a lot closer to the end than to the beginning.

About Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Fr. Z is the guy who runs this blog. o{]:¬)
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10 Comments

  1. cdet1997 says:

    “Fr Flannery, from Athenry, Co Galway, said “informed sources” have told him that there is no prospect of a change to his ban on public ministry.”

    Looooow liiiiiiie the fields of Athenry
    Where once we watched the small free birds fly (Hail Mary, let the free birds fly)
    Our love was on the wing
    We had dreams and songs to sing
    It’s so lonely ’round the fields of Athenry

  2. Joseph-Mary says:

    He need to review about the sin against the Holy Spirit perhaps.
    How many souls have followed him over the years???

  3. Priam1184 says:

    Just sad. And emblematic of an entire generation who either cannot, will not, don’t care to, or just refuse to see the horrendous damage that the ideologies they have championed from their youth have done to so many people and the train of tens of millions of wrecked lives that have followed in their wake. Father is right, this man and many others are in desperate need of repentance.

  4. Iacobus M says:

    Too many Catholics on the “left” side of things seem really to worship politics. I think it’s because they believe that if only they can impose their own clever ideas, which are much better than anything the Church has come up with (despite the Deposit of Revelation, the Inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and the careful examination and preservation of thousands of years of human experience) . . . well, you get the picture. If only that stubborn old Church would just listen . . .

    Iacobus M
    http://vitafamiliariscatholica.blogspot.com/

  5. Supertradmum says:

    Thank God he has been disciplined for the sake of his soul and others.

  6. jaykay says:

    On Twitter he claims (and no reason to doubt him, unfortunately) that 90 people attended his first gig, in Galway city on 23rd. Forthcoming ones over the next week include one city (Limerick) and two small-enough towns. All in the west of Ireland. So not exactly a nationwide barnstorming adulatory tour then, although I’m sure that our even-handed media will continue to hype him for what (they think) he’s worth in pursuit of their agenda.

    I’d love to be able to say “You’ve had your three minutes, Tone, now shuffle off already” but unfortuately he may be too useful for propaganda purposes to be let go of.

  7. JamesM says:

    “My choice is to either wait around or go my own way – and so I’ve decided to go my own way.”

    – There is a third choice for Fr. Flannery, he could, maybe, perhaps, accept he might be even a little bit wrong.

    Hubris is a dangerous thing.

  8. marypatricia says:

    I know two hard working Irish diocesan priests who are about the same age as Fr. Flannery.
    They are not in good health and have large parishes to look after on their own with just the help of retired elderly priests. They cannot get a full week off even for their retreat and more often than not they lose their day off due to a funeral or other pastoral duty.
    They don’t have the luxury of amusing themselves running round the country spreading dissent and leading souls astray.
    Fr. Flannery would be of more use to the Church if he would volunteer to give these men a decent break.
    Whether they would welcome him into their parishes or not is another matter!

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