You can’t pretend to be something you are not
I believe they spoke from the heart with their feet on the ground.
Fr T Flannery spends his life travelling around the country spreading God’s love through the Gospel. He is in constant touch with people and their ups and downs of life and faith. He knows more than most what is happening at a human level. In my opinion Rome should be consulting with Fr Flannery, not silencing him. He is the man on the ground.