In March, an international group of 15 bishops, nuns, priests and lay people wrote to Pope Francis and the prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith calling for reform.

Many of the signatories to the letter have been subject to CDF investigations and some had subsequently lost their positions.

The Irish Times reported Vatican spokesman Fr Federico Lombardi, SJ, stating it is very unlikely there will be any public response from the CDF.

Fr Lombardi said he had not read the letter.

Other Holy See insiders suggested that there was nothing new in the theologians' critique, adding that it looked like similar criticism "voiced 10, 20 or 30 years ago".

Irish Redemptorist Fr Tony Flannery, who Rome has silenced, did receive a type of response from the CDF.

Fr Flannery said the CDF had instructed his superior general to send him a copy of "To Promote and Safeguard the Faith", a 2015 CDF publication.

Fr Flannery cited an article in the Italian publication La Repubblica that stated, "Francis knows well the curial way of stopping careers of theologians and bishops, using the dossiers."

"As archbishop of Buenos Aires and head of the Argentine Bishops' Conference often he saw candidates for episcopal appointments rejected by the Vatican," the article stated.

Recently, Swiss theologian Fr Hans Küng said he has sensed a "new freedom" in the Vatican.

Fr Kung said this after he received a personal response from Pope Francis following an appeal from theologian for debate on papal infallibility.

Augustinian theologian, Fr Iggy O'Donovan, one of five Irish priests to have signed the letter about CDF theological investigations, told The Irish Times: "Küng has got it wrong. He is hopelessly optimistic. Pope Francis is a well-intentioned man but the Curia is fiendishly difficult to reform."

Sources

• Irish Times
• National Catholic Reporter
• The Tablet
• Tony Flannery blog
• Image: National Catholic Reporter

An international group of bishops, nuns, priests and lay people have written to Pope Francis calling for reform.

They have specifically called for an end to anonymous denunciations.

Many of the letter's signatories have been the subjects of investigations by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and some have subsequently lost their positions.

The 15 signatories include Australian Bishop Patrick Power, theologian Fr Charles Curran and Irish Redemptorist Fr Tony Flannery.

The letter was also sent to CDF prefect Cardinal Gerhard Muller.

The signatories argue as the CDF acts as "investigator, accuser, judge and jury" the process cannot offer justice

They state that the procedures are characterised often by a lack of adequate defence or possibility of appeal.

The writers state that current norms are outdated and follow a model based on "the absolutism of sixteenth and seventeenth century Europe".

The letter-writers propose propose eight principles that should be followed in any Vatican investigation of a theologian.

They centre on requests for an open process, marked by opportunities for theologians to respond to allegations made against them.

The writers' also mention that often in investigations a theologian's work is taken out of context and call for involvement of those being investigated "from the beginning" to help clarify any issues immediately.

The signatories also propose a new procedure for investigations, moving final responsibility for the matter to the Vatican's office for the Synod of Bishops.

They envision that such a procedure would take place in two steps: First, with a limited investigation at the doctrinal office; and then, if necessary, through a seven-member expert committee set up by the synod office.

Four of the committee members would be appointed by the Vatican; three by the theologian in question.

Within six months of the start of the investigation, they suggest that the committee would outline a "process of reconciliation" between the theologian and the universal Church.

The letter was sent in March, but thus far there has been no formal notice of receipt by the Vatican.

Sources

• National Catholic Reporter
• The Tablet
• Image: Courier Mail