The latest revelations of the extent of sexual abuse in Catholic schools is a further cause for shame. It is hard just now to estimate the extent of the damage this will do to the Church, and much more significantly, to the faith. As I write, the news and the media generally, are still dominated by reaction to what has emerged, and it largely consists of condemnation of Catholicism and all that it stands for.
The Root and Branch conference in Leeds
Last weekend I attended the conference organised by Root and Branch in Leeds, entitled Empowering Ourselves. In the past fifteen years I have attended a great many Church Reform gatherings in different parts of the world, and they all, in their own way, had a lot to offer.
But I can say that I was particularly impressed by the group of people I spent the weekend with in Leeds, the Root and Branch movement.
I was sanctioned for speaking in favour of female priests and changing the church’s teaching on sexuality. I remain suspended 12 years on
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Fr Tony Flannery says he was not given the benefit of due process by church authorities. Photograph: Alan Betson
Fr Tony Flannery
Sun Aug 25
Following the Misneach TG4 programme, produced by Midas Productions and broadcast last autumn but given a repeat airing recently, which dealt with my relationship with church authorities, I got considerable response from viewers.
