Pope Francis has taken on board what the ACP stands for

The forthcoming AGM of the Association of Catholic Priests is an opportune
moment to reflect on the importance of the Association in the life of the
Irish Church and their contribution to the wider Church at a time of
profound questioning and change of direction now spearheaded by Pope Francis
himself. The founding of the Association was inspirational and, with
hindsight, providential. It stepped into a leadership vacuum when ordinary
people and priests were floundering in uncertainties, besieged on all sides
by unspeakable problems from the past and the necessity of pastoral
adaptation to the new realities of modern Ireland. Every human crisis brings
new solutions and new leadership. The Association stepped into the breach
and for that we are all very thankful. It can only be the work of the Holy
Spirit fulfilling the promise of Jesus that He would always be with us, in
His own time and in His own way. Brendan Hoban and his team have given hope
when there was little hope, given answers when there were no answers
forthcoming and gave direction when people were lost in a fog of distrust,
even self-doubt. Were it not for them Fr. Kevin Reynolds would have had his
head spiked on the castle gate, abandoned and without any possibility of
clearing his good name. That was a watershed moment, a turning point in the
witch hunt that has taken possession of the media. They showed competence
and agility when both were needed. Most of all they were able to read the
signs of the times and interpret the mood of people on all sides of the many
divides.
In retrospect their role is now so very clear in preparing Ireland for the
changes that were coming down the line, as radical as they were unexpected.
Vatican 2, with all that that implies, is back on track. Everything the
Association stood for and defended in the face of official opposition, very
often not too subtle, has now been taken on board by Pope Francis and his
new team. I hope we will never again see the word ‘dissenter’ used to
denigrate people who simply want more dialogue in our Church.
We must all thank the Association for finally exploding a long established
myth that has not always helped the ordinary priest in his pastoral
endeavours, namely that the lower clergy were in the inner circle and that
only the laity were out in the cold. People are now aware, as never before,
that the lower clergy were regarded as ‘nobodies’ and that decision-making
was the prerogative of the crony club, which operated at various levels.
Finally I feel very proud to be a member of the Association and follow at a
distance their contribution to the Church we love, especially now in the new
dispensation. I feel equally blessed to have been ordained a priest 50 years
ago in the pontificate of John XXIII and to have helped a little over the
last 44 years to build up this Church in Latin America that has given us
Pope Francis.
Tony Conry (Brazil)