An African bishop, who a controversial Irish Mass cards salesman claims gives him permission to sell the cards, has been uncontactable for weeks. Thomas McNally of MCC is one of Ireland's largest distributors of pre-signed Mass cards and the plaintiff in a High Court action seeking to block a ban on unauthorised Mass cards.
Mr McNally, based in Longford, claims that the Bishop of Mpanda, Tanzania, Dr William Pascal Kikoti, has given him permission to distribute Mass cards.
However, several attempts to contact Bishop Kikoti by The Irish Catholic and missionary congregations have been unsuccessful.
Mr McNally is at the centre of a High Court case against the introduction of the 2009 Charities Act which bans the sale of Mass cards without the authority of a Catholic bishop or head of a religious order.
The Act was due to come into force on September 1, but MCC challenged the legislation on the grounds that it was unconstitutional.
The Diocese of Mpanda was created in 2000, and has just nine parishes with 12 serving priests.
Meanwhile, solicitors for Thomas McNally have written to the Convenience Stores and Newsagents Association (CSNA), demanding that they withdraw a warning to shopkeepers in their newsletter which outlines the new rules for the sale of Mass cards under the Charities Act, or face legal action.
The CEO of CSNA, Vincent Jennings, said he would have no problem going to court because there is ''no case to answer''.
''We have not withdrawn our statement as I believe that our suggestions were not inappropriate or incorrect. In our newsletter we set out quite clearly the requirements of the bill and we suggested that all responsible providers are aware of this and that retailers should make sure these providers can produce the relevant proof.
''Mr McNally says he is suffering loss of business and that he would take legal action, but he did not state what law we have breached, and I am not going to be dictated to for providing non-directional and truthful information.''
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