After watching the interview of the Papal Nuncio, Archbishop Charles Brown, by Gay Byrne in the Meaning of Life programme of November 20, I wrote the following letter to the Nuncio:
November 21, 2016
Archbishop Charles Browne
The Apostolic Nunctiature
183, Navan Rd, Dublin 7
Re: Would You Believe Programme, November 20, 2016, RTE
Dear Archbishop,
When you appeared on the above programme you stated that I had been asked by my superiors not to celebrate Mass publicly. This implied that my superiors did so due to some misdemeanour on my part. In fact, my superiors were instructed by the CDF to instruct me to desist from public priestly ministry. I have the relevant documentation to substantiate what I say. It is a disappointment that someone of the stature of a Papal Nuncio would mislead people in this way. Please correct your statement publicly as soon as possible through the medium of RTE.
Yours sincerely,
________________________________-
Tony Flannery, CSsR
The following reply came from Archbishop Brown, dated November 29:
Dear Father Flannery,
Thank you for your letter of 21 November 2016 regarding an interview with I gave to Gay Byrne and which was broadcast on 20 November 2016.
I profoundly disagree with your characterisation of my comments in that interview. The truth is that the involvement of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in your case was made absolutely clear. Indeed, it formed the basis of Gay Byrne’s initial question to me regarding priests whose writings have come to the attention of the Congregation.
Fortunately, the interview in its entirety can still be viewed on the RTE website by means of the RTE Player, so that people who wish to see what was actually said may easily do so.
With kind regards and prayerful good wishes,
Yours sincerely in Christ,
Archbishop Charles J. Brown
Apostolic Nuncio
