Priest scathing of Rome's `begrudgery'

Rome seems to be under the illusion "that they are still dealing with illiterate peasants rather than with highly educated, deeply committed Catholics", the president of the National Conference of Priests of Ireland (NCPI), Father Jim Stanley, said last night.

At the NCPI conference in Dublin, he said: "Curial officials seem to be more concerned with exercising control than with providing anything in the way of inspiration or leadership."

"Like the Pharisees of old they seem to be preoccupied with legalistic restrictive regulations around the sacrament of reconciliation (confession). They have the begrudging attitude of the elder brother in the parable of the Prodigal son, rather than the unconditional forgiveness of God the loving Father."

They show the same attitude in wanting to restrict access to Holy Communion for people in second relationships, he said. "Jesus criticised the Pharisees for loading heavy burdens on people and not lifting a finger to help them," he said. So doing "they damage the institution, do a disservice to the church and alienate intelligent people. It makes you wonder what is going on there, and who is really in charge." Repeating his call of last year, he urged the (Irish) bishops to mark jubilee year "with some gracious gesture of amnesty and forgiveness". He suggested "that priests seeking laicisation should be granted it without further delay; that couples in second unions should have their marriages validated and after due process, be allowed to receive Holy Communion; and that a general absolution from all sins be offered to all people who desire it".

On contemporary Ireland, he said that "low standards in high places seem to be the rule rather than the exception. Politicians and businessmen, bankers, builders and blood bank officials, accountants, judges, and gardai are all under investigation". Bishops, priests and religious would like to be able to hold their heads high "but alas we can't. We too have failed. How the mighty have fallen," he said.

In the church many would prefer to be living at a different, less troubled time. "What matters is how we deal with the situation in which we find ourselves," he said.

He called on the Government to bring "an equally dynamic entrepreneurial spirit" to resolving the housing crisis as it had to attracting foreign businesses. It should buy up building land - "God knows they have the money" - and "free up and speed up the planning process," he said.