Martin: don't delate priests to Rome

Archbishop Diarmuid Martin of Dublin has said the Vatican's censuring of five Irish priests, among them Fr Tony Flannery, a spokesman for the pro-reform Association of Catholic Priests, should have been dealt with by the Irish Church instead of Rome.

Speaking on RTE Radio he appeared to agree with Pope Francis, who in an interview with the Italian Jesuit paper, Civiltà Cattolica, criticised the practice of denouncing allegedly dissident priests and theologians to Rome.

The Pope said such matters should be handled by local bishops' conferences rather than the Curia.

Archbishop Martin said the bishops had a responsibility to foster a dialogue in which the contentious issues that had led to priests being investigated by the Vatican could be dealt with. It was only when that dialogue failed that Rome should become involved to help, he said.

"The local theological community, religious leadership and bishops all have their responsibilities not to go out condemning or excommunicating", he stated.