The principal of Our Lady of Lourdes School in Cincinnati wrote in a letter that he had "no tolerance for any real, pretend, or imitated violence".

The boy's parents said their son was just imitating a "power ranger" in the playground during a recess.

Matthew Miele, the boy's father, said the three day suspension is such a severe punishment that it is difficult to make this a proper "teachable moment" for his son.

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Msgr Krzysztof Charamsa lost his job at the CDF after he made a public statement about his situation and he also criticised the Church for its approach to homosexuality.

His bishop in Pelpin diocese in Poland called on him to return to proper priestly behaviour.

But since there has been no sign of this, Msgr Charamsa has been suspended indefinitely.

The diocese said in a statement that the suspension can be reversed if Msgr Charamsa returns to the "true teaching of the Church and Christ's priesthood".

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Fr Tony Flannery was invited by the parish pastoral council in Killeagh in Cloyne diocese to give the opening address at Spiritfest 2015.

But Flannery's invitation was cancelled at the order of Bishop William Crean of Cloyne.

This came after meetings between the bishop and the parish priest, the Redemptorist provincial and a pastoral council subcommittee.

Bishop Crean stated that: "The reason being is that Flannery is currently out of ministry and the policy of the Diocese of Cloyne is that a priest who is out of ministry, for whatever reason, cannot exercise a public ministry."

In 2012, Flannery was suspended from public ministry by the Congregation of the Faith for his views on women priests, homosexuality and contraception.

In a statement on his website, Flannery said since his suspension he has given many talks in Ireland, England and the US.

"With one exception in the US, there had been no problem, and my talks mainly consisted of highlighting the message of Pope Francis," he said.

"To find an Irish bishop extending the notion of ‘silencing' to a talk in a community hall is very disappointing.

"How long and at what cost do these bishops imagine they can keep the lid on every boiling pot?"

He said Pope Francis has called for open discussion and respectful listening and asked how a bishop can justify extreme measures to silence people.

He said the incident was an example of a bishop using his episcopal authority to "lay down the law" to a group of committed lay people in a parish, and to "peremptorily overrule their decision".

"How can we seriously expect any lay person to put themselves forward for positions in the Church when they can so easily be brushed aside when the bishop does not like what they are doing?" he asked.

Flannery is scheduled to speak at the Women's Ordination Worldwide conference, in Philadelphia next month, just prior to Pope Francis's visit to the city.

Sources

• Tony Flannery blog
• Irish Times
• Irish Examiner
• Irish Times
• Image: Irish Independent

The decision to publish and distribute the "Don't Mess with Marriage" booklet in Catholic schools across Australia has angered Fr Terry Fitzpatrick.

"I feel angry and disappointed, but not surprised, that the hierarchy of the Catholic Church would chose such a desperate measure to influence the debate on marriage equality," he told the LGBTI publication the Star Observer.

"It is definitely a sign that they are becoming increasingly despairing and worried that they are on the losing side."

Fr Fitzpatrick incurred a suspension in Brisbane archdiocese in 2009, after his involvement with a breakaway parish.

This month, he condemned those in the Church responsible for the marriage letter for imposing their religious belief upon others and using children to disseminate their political message.

"They see the last vestiges of their power and influence rapidly disappearing into the sand," he said.

"They refuse to believe that we live in a secular state and not a religious one where one religion's laws apply to everyone regardless of their beliefs.

"They cling to the role of being the moral guardian of the nation when this serves neither society nor the Church."

Marriage equality advocates have described the letter as harmful to children, and have asked Catholic educators to let children hear both sides of the debate if they have already received the letter.

Through his work with a Brisbane charity to support the homeless, Fr Fitzpatrick has witnessed the harm suffered by the LGBTI community through discrimination.

Fr Fitzpatrick said organisations and bodies within the Christian faith have contributed significantly to sexual persecution and should respond to the issue of same-sex marriage with compassion, not further discrimination.

The priest said marriage has been an evolving as a civil and religious institution throughout history.

"It will continue to evolve and soon we will see in this country marriage laws that will include everyone."

Sources

• Star Observer
• Brisbane Times
• Image: Brisbane Times