The gathering on Saturday of the National Synodal Assembly. Photo: John Mc Elroy. Fr Brendan Hoban accuses traditionalist groups of trying to ‘control’ National Assembly
A prominent west of Ireland priest has sparked fury by suggesting that some conservative groups at the recent National Synodal Assembly may not have had a legitimate right to be there as Catholics.
In an extraordinary broadside, Fr Brendan Hoban, a co-founder of the Association of Catholic Priests (ACP), wrote that the Meath gathering “saw the emergence of a flush of groups and entities – mainly conservative Catholics attempting to control or manage the synodal way – some of whose legitimate attendance as Catholics may be open to question”.
The remarks, published in the Western People, will infuriate the faithful lay Catholics who travelled to the CityNorth Hotel in Gormanston to take part in what organisers billed as an open and listening process for all.
Sinéad Strong of Catholic Mothers, who attended the Assembly, hit back, accusing Fr Hoban of preaching listening while ridiculing those who disagree with him.
“Fr Hoban insists that ‘respect for divergent views was honoured’, yet much of his article is devoted to ridiculing those very divergent views,” she told The Irish Catholic.
“If synodality truly means listening, then surely Catholics who are cautious about change deserve to be heard respectfully rather than caricatured.”
She pointed to his description of those resistant to change as “clinging to the wreckage”, and to his questioning of conservatives’ presence at the gathering.
“One is left wondering whether he genuinely wants synodality, with all the disagreement and discernment that entails, or simply a process that arrives at the conclusions he already favours,” she said.
“Authentic synodality cannot mean that everyone is welcome at the table only until they disagree with the prevailing narrative.”
But Fr Hoban’s upbeat verdict is also flatly contradicted by his own ACP co-founder.
Fr Tony Flannery, who represented the ACP at the previous assemblies in Athlone and Kilkenny, pulled out of the Meath gathering.
Writing on his blog on October 4, Fr Flannery said his decision was partly down to age, but more because “I am generally fairly pessimistic about the process”.
Far from enjoying the bishops’ “full support”, he wrote, synodality was being quietly sidelined by them. “My belief is that many of the middle-ranked bishops don’t really believe in a synodal church, so they are saying and doing as little as they can.”
He also warned there “seems to be very little happening on the ground in parishes and dioceses”, adding: “Many people have told me that they haven’t heard one word about synodality in their church at any stage of the process.”