More than 200 Catholics staged a silent vigil outside the Papal Nunciature in Dublin last Sunday in protest at the Vatican’s silencing of several Irish priests.
The large crowd, who braved icy conditions outside the Vatican’s embassy on the Navan Road also expressed their support for priests like Fr Brian D’Arcy as well as others who have not yet been publicly identified as being censured by Rome.
Many of the protesters, largely elderly people, wore symbolic gags over the mouths in the yellow and white colours of the Vatican during the hour-long demonstration.
The protest, which was organised by the We Are Church, included a number of priests and members of religious orders.
We Are Church spokesman Brendan Butler said the group, which consists of Catholics opposed to the current direction of the Church under Pope Benedict XVI, wanted to show solidarity with the clerics who had been silenced or censured by the Vatican.
"So many Irish Catholics are expressing their anger at this heavy-handedness by the Vatican against Seán Fagan, Tony Flannery, Gerry Moloney, Owen O’Sullivan and Brian D’Arcy — all outstanding priests of the Irish Church," he remarked.
Mr Butler said it was regrettable that Vocations Sunday, which took place yesterday, would not see young people joining a priesthood where they are not respected.
The group handed a letter of protest into the Papal Nunciature in which they claimed the censured priests were articulating the views of the majority of Irish Catholics.
It stated: "We call for the revocation of these silences by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, which punished these men without due process and through secretive procedures with no right of appeal."
The group requested a meeting with the Papal Nuncio, Archbishop Charles Brown, to discuss the recommendation of the 1971 World Synod of Bishops to recognise everyone’s right to freedom of expression and thought.
Mr Butler said the censured priests had been invited to participate in the vigil, but he understood why they had not attended. He also claimed there were at least four other priests, not yet publicly identified, who have had censorship imposed on them by the Vatican.
In addition, Mr Butler expressed disappointment that the Irish bishops had so far refused to comment on the issue.
Many of the protesters, largely elderly people, wore symbolic gags over the mouths in the yellow and white colours of the Vatican during the hour-long demonstration.
The protest, which was organised by the We Are Church, included a number of priests and members of religious orders.
We Are Church spokesman Brendan Butler said the group, which consists of Catholics opposed to the current direction of the Church under Pope Benedict XVI, wanted to show solidarity with the clerics who had been silenced or censured by the Vatican.
"So many Irish Catholics are expressing their anger at this heavy-handedness by the Vatican against Seán Fagan, Tony Flannery, Gerry Moloney, Owen O’Sullivan and Brian D’Arcy — all outstanding priests of the Irish Church," he remarked.
Mr Butler said it was regrettable that Vocations Sunday, which took place yesterday, would not see young people joining a priesthood where they are not respected.
The group handed a letter of protest into the Papal Nunciature in which they claimed the censured priests were articulating the views of the majority of Irish Catholics.
It stated: "We call for the revocation of these silences by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, which punished these men without due process and through secretive procedures with no right of appeal."
The group requested a meeting with the Papal Nuncio, Archbishop Charles Brown, to discuss the recommendation of the 1971 World Synod of Bishops to recognise everyone’s right to freedom of expression and thought.
Mr Butler said the censured priests had been invited to participate in the vigil, but he understood why they had not attended. He also claimed there were at least four other priests, not yet publicly identified, who have had censorship imposed on them by the Vatican.
In addition, Mr Butler expressed disappointment that the Irish bishops had so far refused to comment on the issue.
However, Mr Butler he was not surprised at the silence of the Hierarchy given how most were "completely obedient" to Vatican teaching.