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Association of Catholic Priests

Church’s income is in free-fall warns Co Mayo priest

Some parishes are in financial difficulty, especially those who have no savings to call on or who have been caught in the middle of a parish building programme - Fr Brendan Hoban.

2020.09.05.

Joy at Church reopening tinged with disappointment at 50 worshiper limitation

"We will now be in the dreadful position of having to turn some people away from Mass once 50 people are already present,” said Fr Tim Hazelwood of the Association of Catholic Priests.

2020.06.21.

Online church plate collections introduced as priests denied COVID-19 social welfare payment

“Our Church cannot function effectively without income. Please support in whatever way you can,” said a statement issued by one Dublin parish.

2020.04.06.

‘The Church needs to build a bridge with Fr Tony Flannery’

The treatment of the Redemptorist "is scandalous to most Catholics in Ireland" and "destroys people’s faith and confidence", according to Fr Roy Donovan of the Association of Catholic Priests.

2020.02.11.

Group meets Redemptorists over plight of Fr Tony Flannery

Some of those involved in his “withdrawal” have been “shown up to be a lot less white than they presented themselves, and some of them have become more oppositional, even ‘heretical’, than I or my censored colleagues in the Irish Church ever were”.

2020.01.07.

Taoiseach and ACP express support for Fr Oliver O’Reilly

Cavan parish priest offered "moral leadership in a difficult time” through his homily following the kidnapping and assault on Kevin Lunney, a director of Quinn Industrial Holdings.

2019.11.19.

ACP leader hits out at the “demonisation of Catholicism” by Leo Varadkar

“Priests in Ireland have more than most borne the heat of the day.”

2019.07.17.

Amazon Synod to discuss the possibility of ordaining married men

“While affirming that celibacy is a gift for the Church, it is asked that for the most remote areas of the region, the possibility of priestly ordination of elders ... even those who already have stable and consolidated families, be studied in order to ensure the sacraments to accompany and sustain Christian life.”

2019.06.18.

Church cash crisis as donations dwindle

Congregation numbers are declining and the value of donations are falling as a result.

2019.02.23.

ACP priest says new style of leadership is needed for Irish Church

Bishops need courage not to keep looking over their shoulders to Rome and to confront – respectfully but robustly – those who want to lead us back to the nineteenth century.

2019.02.06.

German cardinal says Church needs to be open to change on celibacy

“I believe the hour has come to deeply commit ourselves to open the way of the Church to renewal and reform.”

2019.01.08.

A grave matter: Church funerals denied to priests accused of abuse, says ACP

Is it contrary to Canon Law to insist that funerals of priests accused of abuse must take place in private chapels?

2018.12.01.

ACP appeals to bishops to dialogue over crisis in Irish Church

“This is not a time for wringing our hands in frustration or for sitting on our hands in despair. We need to talk. We need to work together. We need to stop deferring decisions that need to be made now.”

2018.11.20.

Care and consistency needed around the retirement of priests

“Each bishop can act as he sees fit, with the result that priests have no certainty about their retirement. Priests have no rights in this matter and depend on the goodwill of individual bishops.”

2018.10.15.

Island communities show what parish life will be like with fewer priests

"The pastoral councils on both islands are vital to the life of the parish. In many ways they are an example of what we are now trying to do on the mainland – lay-led ministry." – Fr Patrick Burke

2018.06.18.

Mary McAleese stands by her trenchant criticisms of the Church

"It is not part of the culture of the Church to turn a spotlight on itself.”

2018.03.13.

Traditionalists could set up a schismatic church, warns theologian

“I am convinced that they are doing serious harm to the Catholic Church by their emphasis on rules and regulations and sacramental punishments” – Fr Gabriel Daly OSA.

2018.01.23.

Bishop Cullinan apologises for HPV vaccine comments

“I was not fully informed about the vaccination programme and I can see now how HPV vaccines can contribute greatly to lowering the rate of cervical cancer.”

2017.10.03.

World is now living with the reality of climate change, warns eco theologian

We need to stop talking about the threat of climate change and realise it is no longer a threat but an occurrence taking place right now.

2017.09.19.

ACP welcomes Pope’s new law on liturgical translations

The motu proprio ‘Magnum Principium’ comes into effect on 1 October 2017. It decentralises the process for approving translations of liturgical texts, and returns responsibility back to national bishops’ conferences.

2017.09.12.

ACP backing for priest’s stance over male-only diaconate

Call for every diocese in the country to hold off on the introduction of the permanent diaconate until the Vatican’s commission on women deacons has made its report.

2017.08.12.

“Priests are terrified” of being falsely accused of abuse

Fr Tim Hazelwood joined the Association of Catholic Priests after he was falsely accused of child abuse and got no support from church officials.

2017.08.02.

“Let’s get to work together” urges censured priest

The visit of Pope Francis to Ireland next year is an opportunity for members of the Irish hierarchy to reach out to those who think differently – Fr Tony Flannery.

2017.07.05.

Significant reduction in number of allegations reported to NBSCCCI

Bulk of 86 new allegations relate to the period from the 1950s up to the 1990s, with a sharp drop in numbers after the year 2000.

2017.05.24.

Catholic Church in Ireland must move away from ‘service station’ model

Theologian argues that ACP’s proposals to alleviate the shortage and ageing profile of priests are “predicated on the same traditional model, namely providing the requisite pastoral services to the people, as in a service station”.

2017.04.26.

Horror and sadness at Tuam baby revelations

“I can only begin to imagine the huge emotional wrench which the mothers suffered in giving up their babies for adoption or by witnessing their death,” says Archbishop of Tuam.

2017.03.06.

ACP gathering is deadly serious about plight of priests

How can the last priests in Ireland survive the final years of their lives with comfort, esteem and affection?

2016.11.18.

‘Treating adults like children is no preparation for priesthood’

In an article questioning what lessons have learned from the Maynooth fiasco, Fr Brendan Hoban is highly critical of Irish bishops who accept unsuitable candidates.

2016.09.11.

ACP slates “unfair” attention towards Maynooth

Former trainee priest who alleges he was harassed by a member of staff while studying in Maynooth files complaint with Gardaí’s sexual assault unit.

2016.08.03.

Little institutional support for intellectual debate in the Church

ACP founder responds to Archbishop's criticism over the lack of catholic intellectuals by warning "there’s little if any acceptance in the leadership of our Church for the free flow of ideas".

2016.06.16.
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