Tony Flannery

My colleague, Gerry Moloney, is a good example of how the CDF treats people. He is one of the signatories of the statement that came out today. (20th)
Gerry’s reaction to the censure by the Vatican was different to mine, in that he remained silent, and kept it secret for a long time. Just now, in his blog, he has written about it. I reproduce his account here:

heartbreak at the hands of medieval Vatican practices

My life changed forever on a sunny afternoon in late May 2011.

Catholics decry modern-day inquisition

An international group of Catholic sisters, priests and lay people, all of whom have been ‘delated’ (i.e. reported) and subjected to ‘examination’ by the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF), formerly known as the Holy Office of the Roman Inquisition, have said that this body “doesn’t reflect the gospel values of justice, truth, integrity and mercy that the Catholic Church professes to uphold” and that are called for by Pope Francis.

In relation to a critique of the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith which I and some others have been working on for the past few months, and about which we will be going public later this week, I have had some communication, indirect as usual I’m afraid, from the CDF. The communication consisted in a copy of a booklet entitled ‘To promote and safeguard the Faith’, which is the CDF’s explanation of their existence and purpose.