By Mark Mullaney, Voice of the Faithful President

Is it just me, or is there is a growing feeling out there that we are about to witness history in the making? Could the power of God’s people finally overcome the defiance of the conservative Church hierarchy?

For those of you who are following what has been happening in Ireland, I believe you would agree that major changes are coming. More than 1,000 lay people turned out for the Irish Association of Catholic Priests conference, Towards an Assembly of the Irish Church, on May 7 in Dublin. This was an historic show of support for these priests who believe that if the Catholic church is to remain relevant, it must change. The ACP now counts about 850 priests as members, about 20% or Ireland’s Catholic priests.

Like the sisters’ Leadership Conference of Women Religious group in the United States, the Irish priest association is “being reviewed” by the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. Specifically under review is the ACP’s founder, Father Tony Flannery, and newsletter, Reality. The Vatican ordered Father Flannery to “stop writing articles” in the newsletter which questioned Church teachings.

At the heart of these actions is the Vatican’s intolerance for the open discussion of Church beliefs and practices. The ACP believes that “modern people” feel it is their right to question and discuss issues. And if the church continues to suppress these rights, it will soon become “obsolete.”

The Irish faithful are not alone in taking a stand. In Austria last month during a First-Communion mass, an entire congregation, told by their priest that they should not participate in the Eucharist unless they were in a ‘state of grace,’ sat in the pews rather than receive the Eucharist that day. In solidarity, they chose the example of Jesus — to welcome all — rather than the restrictive and narrow vision of their priest as to whom might be worthy of sharing in the Eucharistic meal.

We at VOTF find these inspiring stories to be a hopeful sign that Catholics everywhere are finally saying “No longer!” to the Vatican’s insistence that we obey without question, without the God-given right to discuss our beliefs.