The Passionist congregation has confirmed that 14 months ago the Vatican acted against Fr Brian D’Arcy on articles he had written.
Fr Pat Duffy, provincial superior of the Passionist congregation in Ireland said in a statement this afternoon that “last year concerns were expressed to Fr Ottaviano D’Egidio, C.P. – the Passionist Superior General (in Rome) – by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) about some aspects of Fr Brian D’Arcy’s writings”
He continued that “since then Fr Brian has been co-operating to ensure he can make a contribution to journalism in Ireland. Fr Brian remains a priest in good standing.”
Fr Duffy's statement follows an article in the current issue of the UK Catholic weekly the Tablet, which reported that Fr D’Arcy, a columnist with a popular Irish tabloid The Sunday World, a regular contributor to BBC Radio 2’s Pause for Thought, as well as to RTE and a best selling author “has been told he must submit his writings and broadcasts to an approved church censor.”
Fr Ottaviano D’Egidio, the Passionist Superior General in Rome was summoned to meet Cardinal William Levada, prefect of the CDF, 14 months ago for discussion on four articles written in the Sunday World newspaper by Fr D'Arcy in 2010.
“Some time ago the CDF was in touch with our General about some of Brian’s views and since then Brian has been co-operating to ensure that he can continue to make a contribution to the religious journalism that he is involved in,” Fr Pat Duffy told The Tablet.
Cardinal Levada conveyed his dissatisfaction with the articles written by Fr D’Arcy’s. It is believed that some of the Cardinal’s concerns also related to headlines on the articles, which would have been written by the newspaper’s editorial team.
Fr Duffy stressed that Fr D’Arcy (67) was complying fully with CDF advice and added: “He hasn’t been silenced. He is a priest in good standing."
