Trigger warning : Religion, Catholic Church. This week my guest is Redemptorist priest and religious writer, Tony Flannery.Tony has gained a reputation for being a controversial figure within the Catholic Church but when you examine what he talks about, he is simply speaking the truth. In 2012 he was summoned to the Vatican and told that he would be allowed to return to ministry only if he agreed to sign a statement stating, among other things, that women could never be ordained priests and that he would adhere to church orthodoxy on matters like contraception and homosexuality. He went to Rome with his brother Frank, former Fine Gael strategist and unsurprisingly, he never signed the documents. In this conversation we hear how he ended up becoming a priest, Ireland in the 50’s and 60’s and the significance of the church at the time, the changes brought about by Vatican II and the impact it had, he shares his views on Pope John Paul II, Benedict XVI and the current Pontiff and he also speaks of some of the fundamental teachings of the Catholic church that he simply can’t accept.Tony is a man of real character and it was an absolute pleasure to talk to him.From approx 1 hour 5 mins, we discuss some of the most challenging teachings of the church especially in relation to women and sex.His latest book is ‘From the Outside: Rethinking Church Doctrine’http://www.tonyflannery.com/Religion and in particular the Catholic Church is a topic I have always had an interest in, as I have struggled since my teens with the church’s teachings and I have always believed it’s important to ask questions and do what feels right for you so this week's conversation was one I had massive curiosity about.  This episode of Ready to Be Real Conversations was brought to you in partnership with Irish kombucha brand, SynerChi, who offer a delicious range of 100% natural ingredients, organic and low in calorie sparkling drink varieties, containing all the amazing benefits of kombucha and available in supermarkets nationwide.For more go to http://www.synerchikombucha.ie/

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