Group to speak out without fear on behalf of priests

A NEW organisation to represent ordinary priests claims it will speak out without fear on a range of issues affecting the Catholic Church in Ireland and wider Irish society.

The Association of Catholic Priests’ inaugural meeting in Portlaoise, Co Laois, yesterday was attended by around 300 clergy from all parts of the country.

The venue had to be switched from the parish centre in Portlaoise to a nearby hall due to the higher than expected turnout as the organisers had only anticipated an attendance of 80 priests.

The group claimed it had been established “out of an urgent need to give priests a voice in today’s Ireland and today’s Church”.

ACP spokesman Fr Brendan Hoban said support for the association since its formation was announced, combined with yesterday’s large turnout of clergy demonstrated that such a need was widely felt.

Fr Hoban acknowledged the organisation broadly supported a liberal agenda which would not find favour with all 4,000 priests in Ireland. “While we intend to be a voice for priests, we do not aim to represent all priests but rather those who are in broad agreement with the agenda that we have set out,” he remarked.

“We feel as priests that we’re very often left to cope by ourselves, often unfairly blamed for situations beyond our influence or control, often ridiculed by the media, patronised by our leaders and dumped on by different groups with different agendas who presume we have to accept their particular diagnosis because no one is articulating a pertinent and competent response on behalf of priests,” he told the large gathering.

Although there was no direct criticism of the Catholic Church’s hierarchy at the meeting yesterday, Fr Hoban said there was “unease” about the fact that many priests felt isolated and vulnerable. He claimed many priests felt afraid to convey opinions to bishops out of fear that they would be considered disloyal.

Fr Hoban said many priests also believe that colleagues who have faced accusations of child sexual abuse have not been supported by their religious superiors.

“We fully accept the child protection guidelines of the Catholic Church but are concerned about the priests who have been unfairly branded as paedophiles on the basis of a single allegation or those left in limbo situations denied of natural justice.”

Fr Hoban said the association’s agenda was rooted in the teaching of the second Vatican Council, which its members believe has never been fully implemented. “This means having a Church that is no longer governed by a clerical elite but that recognises the equality of all its members,” he added.

The ACP claimed that the position of women in the Catholic Church is also “in need of change”.

Fr Hoban stressed that the association was not a trade union but it would be vocal where the rights of ordinary priests were not being respected.

The ACP said it would request a meeting with the Pope’s delegation being sent to Ireland to examine clerical sex abuse scandals as well as regular discussion with the Irish Bishops’ Conference.