Sir, – Once again, I am appalled by the stance of the Irish bishops, who apparently own the Veritas shops, in not allowing the sale of Fr Flannery's A Question of Conscience ("New book by Fr Tony Flannery not available in Veritas bookshops", Home News, September 12th). However they are now ensuring that many more will look to buy it! It is important that we all email our respective bishops and let them know in numbers how we feel on this issue. I would like to think that we would also ask our bishops to keep us informed as to what exactly they are doing to have our silenced priests– Fr Gerard Moloney, Fr Iggy O'Donovan, Fr Seán Fagan and Fr Brian D'Arcy – unsilenced. – Yours, etc,
DEL O’SULLIVAN,
Woodford,
Listowel,
Co Kerry.
A chara, – Is not the “silencing” of Fr Flannery getting a tad surreal? His constant media presence surely makes this the most vocal silence in recorded history. Not to mention his supporters, who loudly and publicly proclaim that they have been “cowed into servility” and silence by the “oppressive” structures of the church (September 16th).
On this evidence, either those in the structures were absent the day they were giving the “how best to oppress” class in the seminary, or those doing all the shouting have an exaggerated notion of their own oppression. – Is mise,
Rev PATRICK G BURKE,
Castlecomer,
Co Kilkenny.
Sir, – I was lucky enough to be educated by Marist Sisters who encouraged us to take nothing at face value, to question everything and to make up our own minds when we had gathered our facts.
An organisation that responds to criticism by using every means at its disposal to silence its critics would certainly make me wonder what they are so afraid of.
Certainly the Catholic Church bears little or no resemblance to the words and teachings of Jesus in the Bible. It has built for itself a cosy, smug, male hierarchy that allows no questions, brooks no criticism and declares its teachings to be infallible. Jesus wept.
While they sojourn in their ivory towers, it seems to me the time is coming when they shall reap what they have sown. I agree with Sr Eileen Linehan (September 12th) that “hundreds (if not thousands) of earnest Irish Catholics remain silent for fear of the repercussions of speaking their truth”. How sad is this. The Catholic Church still thinks it can rule by fear. How far removed they have come from the simple message of “love one another as I have loved you”. It is hard to consider it a living church. It does not address the needs of its people; it doesn’t even want to listen to them.
Silencing good men like Fr Flannery will only serve to hasten its decline. – Yours, etc,
SHEELAGH SHORTALL,
Ashfield Park,
Terenure,
Dublin 6W.
Sir, – As a financially contributing and intellectually convinced member of the Catholic Church, I expect its pastors to believe in and preach that which they signed up to – the core teachings of the church as laid out by the Magisterium. In this context it’s extremely disconcerting to turn on the radio virtually every day and hear a long interview with a “silenced” priest, enunciating half-baked views on various aspects of Catholic teaching. The church authorities obviously are not very adept at silencing dissent. Perhaps they might avail of the services of the ruthless silencing abilities of the present Taoiseach. He has been the subject of much praise from many political commentators for his firmness in dealing with the anti-abortion members of his party. Bishops, please copy. – Yours, etc,
ERIC CONWAY,
Balreask Village,
Navan,
Co Meath.