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David O'Hanlon (priest)
Encyclopedia
Father David O'Hanlon is a controversial
Irish
Roman Catholic priest
and theologian. His attacks on the then President of Ireland
, on members of the Irish hierarchy and fellow priests, and on the Irish media
earned him notoriety. His critique of liberalism
, drawing on some of the philosophical presuppositions of writers such Alasdair MacIntyre
and Roger Scruton
, has received praise and criticism in Ireland.
, a small village and townland
near Navan, Co. Meath. He received his early education at the Boyerstown National School and at St. Patrick's Classical School
in Navan.
He entered St. Patrick's College, Maynooth, as a clerical student for the diocese of Meath in 1987. He gained a double first class honours in Greek and Latin for his Bachelor of Arts
degree and took first over-all place in the 1990 National University of Ireland
graduation list for Maynooth.
Transferred to the Pontifical Irish College
, Rome, he obtained a first class degree in theology at the Gregorian University in 1993, and a Licentiate of Sacred Theology
, with specialization in Patristics from the Augustinianum in 1997. Fr. O'Hanlon is regarded as an expert on pre-Chalcedonian
Christology
. His thesis was entitled The Symbolum Antiochenum of 433: The Self Defeating Culmination of a Christological Novelty, and attracted much academic praise for its ground-breaking work.
Ordained in 1995 Fr. O'Hanlon was curate
in the County Meath
parish of Kentstown, near Navan
. In 2007 he began research for a Doctorate in Sacred Theology
in Rome
.
on RTÉ
's The Late Late Show
in which he disagreed strongly with members of the studio audience and a fellow Catholic priest, Fr. Iggy O'Donovan, who was on the panel. During a heated discussion (which the presenter extended, postponing other parts of the show, such was the ferocity of the debate), Fr. O'Hanlon controversially denounced another priest mentioned by a member of the audience as a "charlatan", a "fraud" and a "hypocrite".
"bedizened in Kelly green, showy jewellery and — to boot — a sprig of vegetation". He accused Mary Robinson
of a series of acts:
He alleged that she wanted to get herself turned away from the Vatican for being "improperly dressed" (possibly to make herself a hero to Irish liberals or to avoid receiving papal criticism of Irish state policies on the family and marriage). He even claimed there was precedent for a high-ranking woman visitor to the Pope being turned away for being improperly dressed. He claimed it had happened to Princess Paola of Belgium when she went to meet Pope John XXIII
in the early 1960s.
Most of O'Hanlon's claims have been disputed.
The fact that it was a personal visit and not a state visit was shown in two ways:
The distinction between the two types of papal visit, state and non-state, is shown in the language used in describing such visits. The Catholic Press Office in Dublin, in listing papal engagements, describes state visits in the format State visit of French President Jacques Chirac (20 January 1996) etc. In contrast non-state visits are variously described as audiences, someone being received by the Pope, or simply a visit. For example, Pope receives Lien Chan, vice president and prime minister of the Republic of China (14 January 1997), Visit by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (3 February 1997), Pope receives King Albert II and Queen Paola of the Belgians (15 May 1998). Robinson's visit on 10 May 1997 was described with the words Ireland's President Mary Robinson received by [the] Holy Father, clearly indicating it was simply an informal visit, in which she was visiting, and so being received by, Pope John Paul, not a formal state visit surrounded by all the ritual associated; visits to Peter's tomb, a large formal delegation, formal dress (black or otherwise), swapping of honours, state banquets, etc.
O'Hanlon's bishop, Michael Smith, disassociated himself, his diocese and its priests from the comments. O'Hanlon's uncle, a Catholic priest, wrote the Irish newspapers to disown his nephew's comments.
Bishop John Kirby expressed "shock" and ten priests along with Kirby from the Irish charity Trócaire
wrote to the Irish Times to disassociate themselves from O'Hanlon's comments. The Catholic Press Office in Dublin stated that the President's dress had been of "no concern" while press spokesman Jim Cantwell dismissed claims that the Pope was offended as "a bit ridiculous". The President's chaplain, Maynooth College lecturer Father Enda McDonagh
, categorised the attack as "partly begrudgery and partly mistaken piety."
O'Hanlon replied in the Irish Times with a series of attacks on his critics. He wrote in an article
He added
He refused to accept that there were major errors in his original claim, and wrote
He explained his belief as to why the President of Ireland would supposedly have wanted to have been thrown out of a papal audience:
Fr. Austin Flannery, a senior Irish priest and theologian who had been a compiler of documents in Vatican II (and who had been dismissed by O'Hanlon as a "has been"), criticised O'Hanlon's remarks as "ill-informed and very offensive".
A newspaper columnist, Medb Ruane, referring to comments by Fr. O'Hanlon about women, suggested that the motivation for his attacks on Mary Robinson and the reasons for her supposed offence were clear. "The real question is not so much whether she did or did not deliberately flout convention, but rather that she is. She is." She believed his comments "hint at an attitude to women that may inform his feelings about the president."
O'Hanlon's comments dominated both the print and broadcast media for up to one month. Fr. O'Hanlon refused pressure from the Catholic Church to withdraw his allegations and apologise.
campaigner Dana Rosemary Scallon
, with a number of donations of €1000. during one of Ireland's abortion referendums. Her campaign ensured sufficient conservatives voted against an altering of the abortion law, which prevented the introduction of embryonic stem cell research. Fr. O'Hanlon was one of a group of Catholic priests to publicly support Dana's stance.
, Domenico Scarlatti
, W.A. Mozart
, Ludwig van Beethoven
, Frédéric Chopin
, Franz Schubert
and Scott Joplin
. His last private concert was given at the Chateau de Curzay in France.
In addition to English and Irish, he speaks French, German, Italian, and classical Greek and Latin.
Controversy
Controversy is a state of prolonged public dispute or debate, usually concerning a matter of opinion. The word was coined from the Latin controversia, as a composite of controversus – "turned in an opposite direction," from contra – "against" – and vertere – to turn, or versus , hence, "to turn...
Irish
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
Roman Catholic priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
and theologian. His attacks on the then President of Ireland
President of Ireland
The President of Ireland is the head of state of Ireland. The President is usually directly elected by the people for seven years, and can be elected for a maximum of two terms. The presidency is largely a ceremonial office, but the President does exercise certain limited powers with absolute...
, on members of the Irish hierarchy and fellow priests, and on the Irish media
Mass media
Mass media refers collectively to all media technologies which are intended to reach a large audience via mass communication. Broadcast media transmit their information electronically and comprise of television, film and radio, movies, CDs, DVDs and some other gadgets like cameras or video consoles...
earned him notoriety. His critique of liberalism
Liberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
, drawing on some of the philosophical presuppositions of writers such Alasdair MacIntyre
Alasdair MacIntyre
Alasdair Chalmers MacIntyre is a British philosopher primarily known for his contribution to moral and political philosophy but known also for his work in history of philosophy and theology...
and Roger Scruton
Roger Scruton
Roger Vernon Scruton is a conservative English philosopher and writer. He is the author of over 30 books, including Art and Imagination , Sexual Desire , The Aesthetics of Music , and A Political Philosophy: Arguments For Conservatism...
, has received praise and criticism in Ireland.
Early life
O'Hanlon was born in 1969 at BoyerstownBoyerstown
Boyerstown is a small townland and Roman Catholic parish in County Meath, Ireland. It is located off the N51 National secondary road 5 km southwest of Navan....
, a small village and townland
Townland
A townland or bally is a small geographical division of land used in Ireland. The townland system is of Gaelic origin—most townlands are believed to pre-date the Norman invasion and most have names derived from the Irish language...
near Navan, Co. Meath. He received his early education at the Boyerstown National School and at St. Patrick's Classical School
St. Patrick's Classical School (Navan)
St. Patrick's Classical School in Navan, County Meath is a prominent Roman Catholic Church-run school for boys in the Republic of Ireland. It has produced a number of prominent politicians, journalists, Irish sports personalities, broadcasters and two winners of the famous Perrier Comedy Award at...
in Navan.
He entered St. Patrick's College, Maynooth, as a clerical student for the diocese of Meath in 1987. He gained a double first class honours in Greek and Latin for his Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree and took first over-all place in the 1990 National University of Ireland
National University of Ireland
The National University of Ireland , , is a federal university system of constituent universities, previously called constituent colleges, and recognised colleges set up under the Irish Universities Act, 1908, and significantly amended by the Universities Act, 1997.The constituent universities are...
graduation list for Maynooth.
Transferred to the Pontifical Irish College
Pontifical Irish College
The Pontifical Irish College is a Roman Catholic seminary for the training and education of priests, in Rome.-Foundation and early history:Towards the close of the sixteenth century, Pope Gregory XIII had sanctioned the foundation of an Irish college in Rome, and had assigned a large sum of money...
, Rome, he obtained a first class degree in theology at the Gregorian University in 1993, and a Licentiate of Sacred Theology
Licentiate of Sacred Theology
Licentiate of Sacred Theology is the title of the second cycle of studies of a Faculty of Theology offered by a pontifical universities or ecclesiastical faculties of sacred theology. An Ecclesiastical Faculty offers three cycles of study: Baccalaureate or fundamentals, Licentiate or specialized,...
, with specialization in Patristics from the Augustinianum in 1997. Fr. O'Hanlon is regarded as an expert on pre-Chalcedonian
Chalcedonian
Chalcedonian describes churches and theologians which accept the definition given at the Council of Chalcedon of how the divine and human relate in the person of Jesus Christ...
Christology
Christology
Christology is the field of study within Christian theology which is primarily concerned with the nature and person of Jesus Christ as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament. Primary considerations include the relationship of Jesus' nature and person with the nature...
. His thesis was entitled The Symbolum Antiochenum of 433: The Self Defeating Culmination of a Christological Novelty, and attracted much academic praise for its ground-breaking work.
Ordained in 1995 Fr. O'Hanlon was curate
Curate
A curate is a person who is invested with the care or cure of souls of a parish. In this sense "curate" correctly means a parish priest but in English-speaking countries a curate is an assistant to the parish priest...
in the County Meath
County Meath
County Meath is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Mid-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the ancient Kingdom of Mide . Meath County Council is the local authority for the county...
parish of Kentstown, near Navan
Navan
-People:Navan was the childhood home of Pierce Brosnan, who appeared in the television series Remington Steele and was the fifth film actor to play James Bond. TV personality Hector Ó hEochagáin, and comedians Dylan Moran and Tommy Tiernan also hail from Navan....
. In 2007 he began research for a Doctorate in Sacred Theology
Doctor of Sacred Theology
The Doctor of Sacred Theology is the final theological degree in the pontifical university system of the Catholic Church....
in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
.
Denouncing another priest as a "charlatan" and "fraud"
Fr. O'Hanlon rose to public prominence in the 1990s due to a controversial interview he gave to Gay ByrneGay Byrne
Gabriel Mary "Gay" Byrne is a veteran Irish presenter of radio and television. His most notable role was first host of The Late Late Show over a 37-year period spanning 1962 until 1999...
on RTÉ
RTE
RTÉ is the abbreviation for Raidió Teilifís Éireann, the public broadcasting service of the Republic of Ireland.RTE may also refer to:* Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, 25th Prime Minister of Turkey...
's The Late Late Show
The Late Late Show
The Late Late Show, sometimes referred to as The Late Late, or in some cases by the acronym LLS, is the world's longest-running chat show by the same broadcaster and the official flagship television programme of Irish broadcasting company RTÉ...
in which he disagreed strongly with members of the studio audience and a fellow Catholic priest, Fr. Iggy O'Donovan, who was on the panel. During a heated discussion (which the presenter extended, postponing other parts of the show, such was the ferocity of the debate), Fr. O'Hanlon controversially denounced another priest mentioned by a member of the audience as a "charlatan", a "fraud" and a "hypocrite".
President Robinson "cheap"
Fr. O'Hanlon caused particular controversy when in an Irish Times article in 1997 he labelled the President of Ireland "cheap", writing that she had visited the Papal ApartmentsPapal Apartments
The Papal Apartments is the non-official designation for the collection of apartments, both private and state, that wrap around a courtyard on two sides of the third floor of the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican City in Rome...
"bedizened in Kelly green, showy jewellery and — to boot — a sprig of vegetation". He accused Mary Robinson
Mary Robinson
Mary Therese Winifred Robinson served as the seventh, and first female, President of Ireland from 1990 to 1997, and the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, from 1997 to 2002. She first rose to prominence as an academic, barrister, campaigner and member of the Irish Senate...
of a series of acts:
- dressing inappropriately for a visit to Pope John Paul IIPope John Paul IIBlessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
by not wearing black and not wearing a mantillaMantillaA mantilla is a lace or silk veil or shawl worn over the head and shoulders, often over a high comb, popular with women in Spain. It is particularly associated with traditional devotional practices among women in Catholicism.-History:...
, - showing the Pope disrespect by not paying a state visitState visitA state visit is a formal visit by a foreign head of state to another nation, at the invitation of that nation's head of state. State visits are the highest form of diplomatic contact between two nations, and are marked by ceremonial pomp and diplomatic protocol. In parliamentary democracies, heads...
to him earlier in her term of office, - breaking Vatican protocol by visiting the Vatican while on a state visit to Italy, and of
- breaking Vatican protocol by not being accompanied by her chaplain and by not visiting the tomb of Saint PeterSaint PeterSaint Peter or Simon Peter was an early Christian leader, who is featured prominently in the New Testament Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles. The son of John or of Jonah and from the village of Bethsaida in the province of Galilee, his brother Andrew was also an apostle...
.
He alleged that she wanted to get herself turned away from the Vatican for being "improperly dressed" (possibly to make herself a hero to Irish liberals or to avoid receiving papal criticism of Irish state policies on the family and marriage). He even claimed there was precedent for a high-ranking woman visitor to the Pope being turned away for being improperly dressed. He claimed it had happened to Princess Paola of Belgium when she went to meet Pope John XXIII
Pope John XXIII
-Papal election:Following the death of Pope Pius XII in 1958, Roncalli was elected Pope, to his great surprise. He had even arrived in the Vatican with a return train ticket to Venice. Many had considered Giovanni Battista Montini, Archbishop of Milan, a possible candidate, but, although archbishop...
in the early 1960s.
Most of O'Hanlon's claims have been disputed.
- Vatican dress codes for both men and women were relaxed early in Pope John Paul IIPope John Paul IIBlessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
's pontificate. While most female royaltyRoyal familyA royal family is the extended family of a king or queen regnant. The term imperial family appropriately describes the extended family of an emperor or empress, while the terms "ducal family", "grand ducal family" or "princely family" are more appropriate to describe the relatives of a reigning...
still abide by the traditional dress code (black dress, mantilla) most female republican heads of state or First LadiesFirst LadyFirst Lady or First Gentlemanis the unofficial title used in some countries for the spouse of an elected head of state.It is not normally used to refer to the spouse or partner of a prime minister; the husband or wife of the British Prime Minister is usually informally referred to as prime...
do not. Raisa Gorbachova famously wore red (photo). Robinson's dark green outfit had been judged perfectly acceptable by the Vatican. Whereas earlier presidents of Ireland, notably Éamon de ValeraÉamon de ValeraÉamon de Valera was one of the dominant political figures in twentieth century Ireland, serving as head of government of the Irish Free State and head of government and head of state of Ireland...
in the 1960s (see image), were required by Vatican protocol to wear white TieWhite tieWhite tie is the most formal evening dress code in Western fashion. It is worn to ceremonial occasions such as state dinners in some countries, as well as to very formal balls and evening weddings...
and decorations (honours), the male equivalent of the traditional black dress and manilla. Robinson's immediate predecessor, Patrick HilleryPatrick HilleryPatrick John "Paddy" Hillery was an Irish politician and the sixth President of Ireland from 1976 until 1990. First elected at the 1951 general election as a Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála for Clare, he remained in Dáil Éireann until 1973...
, was also allowed to wear less formal attire. In his case, Hillery wore a lounge suit for his April 1989 visit. When TaoiseachTaoiseachThe Taoiseach is the head of government or prime minister of Ireland. The Taoiseach is appointed by the President upon the nomination of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas , and must, in order to remain in office, retain the support of a majority in the Dáil.The current Taoiseach is...
Bertie AhernBertie AhernPatrick Bartholomew "Bertie" Ahern is a former Irish politician who served as Taoiseach of Ireland from 26 June 1997 to 7 May 2008....
wore the traditional white tie to the ceremony raising the Archbishop of DublinArchbishop of Dublin (Roman Catholic)The Archbishop of Dublin is the title of the senior cleric who presides over the Archdiocese of Dublin. The Church of Ireland has a similar role, heading the United Dioceses of Dublin and Glendalough. In both cases, the Archbishop is also Primate of Ireland...
to the cardinate, he found himself to be only guest wearing it. All the other official guests without exception had worn lounge suits. According to The ExaminerThe ExaminerThe Examiner can refer to:* The Examiner , an early 18th century journal with contributions by Jonathan Swift*The Examiner, a weekly paper published between 1808 and 1886*The Examiner , a weekly paper in Beaumont, Texas...
when Robinson's successor, Mary McAleeseMary McAleeseMary Patricia McAleese served as the eighth President of Ireland from 1997 to 2011. She was the second female president and was first elected in 1997 succeeding Mary Robinson, making McAleese the world's first woman to succeed another as president. She was re-elected unopposed for a second term in...
visited the Pope "the Vatican had earlier told the President's advisers that a traditional lace mantilla was not a requirement." - State visits are only paid by invitation. Robinson's visit was an "private" visit. Robinson was not invited to pay a state visit during her term because the last state visit by an Irish president had occurred in April 1989, one year before her term started, the next invitation to an Irish president to pay a state visit was not due for a decade, meaning that whoever was elected in the 1990 presidential electionIrish presidential election, 1990-Aftermath:While the role of the presidency in day to day politics is a very limited one the Robinson presidency is regarded by many observers as a watershed in Irish society symbolising the shift away from the conservative ultracatholic male-dominated Ireland which existed up until the end of the...
would not be receiving an invitation to pay a state visit to the Holy See.
- Presidents only are accompanied by their chaplain and visit the tomb of Saint Peter on state visits, not private visits.
- World leaders regularly pay personal visits to meet the Pope while on a state visit to Italy, contrary to O'Hanlon's claims.
- Princess Paola of Belgium was never turned away from an audience with Pope John XXIII. While on a private trip to Rome as a tourist whose identity was unknown she went to St. Peter's BasilicaSt. Peter's BasilicaThe Papal Basilica of Saint Peter , officially known in Italian as ' and commonly known as Saint Peter's Basilica, is a Late Renaissance church located within the Vatican City. Saint Peter's Basilica has the largest interior of any Christian church in the world...
. An attendant declined her admittance because her arms were uncovered. Vatican protocol did not allow women with uncovered arms to enter the basilica. Neither the attendant nor the Vatican knew at the time that the tourist was a member of the Belgian Royal Family (and future queen). When the Pope discovered what had happened he apologised and invited her to an audience.
- the papal dress on the day: on state visits popes wear a form of choral dress (red mozzetta) with stole. Pope John Paul II wore a standard white cassock during his meeting with President Robinson, indicating that the meeting was not at state visit level;
- the awarding of a papal order to the visiting head of state. President de Valera, for example, was one of the last heads of state to be awarded the Order of ChristOrder of ChristOrder of Christ may refer to:* Order of Christ – former Knights Templar Order awarded initially by the kings of Portugal, now by the Portuguese state...
, by Pope John XXIIIPope John XXIII-Papal election:Following the death of Pope Pius XII in 1958, Roncalli was elected Pope, to his great surprise. He had even arrived in the Vatican with a return train ticket to Venice. Many had considered Giovanni Battista Montini, Archbishop of Milan, a possible candidate, but, although archbishop...
, while President Seán T. O'KellySean T. O'KellySeán Thomas O'Kelly was the second President of Ireland . He was a member of Dáil Éireann from 1918 until his election as President. During this time he served as Minister for Local Government and Minister for Finance...
was awarded the Pian Order (3rd Class) by Pope Pius XIIPope Pius XIIThe Venerable Pope Pius XII , born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli , reigned as Pope, head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City State, from 2 March 1939 until his death in 1958....
. Papal awards during state visits are automatic, with details negotiated between the governments of the state whose head of state is visiting and the government of the Holy SeeHoly SeeThe Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
. No award was offered to President Robinson, nor was one expected.
The distinction between the two types of papal visit, state and non-state, is shown in the language used in describing such visits. The Catholic Press Office in Dublin, in listing papal engagements, describes state visits in the format State visit of French President Jacques Chirac (20 January 1996) etc. In contrast non-state visits are variously described as audiences, someone being received by the Pope, or simply a visit. For example, Pope receives Lien Chan, vice president and prime minister of the Republic of China (14 January 1997), Visit by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (3 February 1997), Pope receives King Albert II and Queen Paola of the Belgians (15 May 1998). Robinson's visit on 10 May 1997 was described with the words Ireland's President Mary Robinson received by [the] Holy Father, clearly indicating it was simply an informal visit, in which she was visiting, and so being received by, Pope John Paul, not a formal state visit surrounded by all the ritual associated; visits to Peter's tomb, a large formal delegation, formal dress (black or otherwise), swapping of honours, state banquets, etc.
Bishops disown comments
O'Hanlon's comments were quickly disowned by the Catholic Church. The Vatican rejected his claim that a breach of protocol had occurred, expressing puzzlement at the allegations and saying that the visit had been a complete success. Bishop Willie Walsh of Killaloe expressed- dismay, embarrassment, outrage are the reactions. We are simply appalled that a fellow priest would refer to our president — or indeed to any person — as being 'cheap'.
O'Hanlon's bishop, Michael Smith, disassociated himself, his diocese and its priests from the comments. O'Hanlon's uncle, a Catholic priest, wrote the Irish newspapers to disown his nephew's comments.
Bishop John Kirby expressed "shock" and ten priests along with Kirby from the Irish charity Trócaire
Trócaire
Trócaire is an Irish non governmental organization development agency. The charity is registered in the Republic of Ireland under Irish Charity No...
wrote to the Irish Times to disassociate themselves from O'Hanlon's comments. The Catholic Press Office in Dublin stated that the President's dress had been of "no concern" while press spokesman Jim Cantwell dismissed claims that the Pope was offended as "a bit ridiculous". The President's chaplain, Maynooth College lecturer Father Enda McDonagh
Enda McDonagh
The Reverend Professor Enda McDonagh is a priest of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Tuam.He was born in Bekan, near Clanmorris, Co Mayo and had a distinguished academic career at St Jarlath's College, Tuam and at Maynooth, where he was ordained in 1955....
, categorised the attack as "partly begrudgery and partly mistaken piety."
O'Hanlon replied in the Irish Times with a series of attacks on his critics. He wrote in an article
- Sadly, I am not acquainted with any of the [individuals who signed the letter].
He added
- Old priests tell me they were once the up-and-coming generation. Does it threaten them that somebody like myself, a neophyte of 28, now rejects their complacent, characterless, and crumbling compromise between Church and modern Ireland?
He refused to accept that there were major errors in his original claim, and wrote
- We call a person cheap not because they look cheap but because their actions are cheap. I call the President of Ireland cheap because her behaviour in Rome towards her host, the Bishop of Rome, was a cheap travesty of respect and a cheap personal propaganda stunt from start to finish.
He explained his belief as to why the President of Ireland would supposedly have wanted to have been thrown out of a papal audience:
- This . . . might then be represented to the Irish people as the ultimate bang of a crosier for all that post-Catholic Ireland has become, and the last gasp of a desperate, discredited, rigid, reactionary, and patriarchal regime.
- Mary wanted John Paul to give her a black eye; his Holiness serenely turned her a blind (albeit 'twinkling') one. She wanted to cut a provocative, modern, dashing figure. He left her looking like a crank.
- What President Robinson represented in reality at the Vatican was nothing other than her own personal animosity towards Catholicism as interpreted by Pope John Paul II — a clear case of very cross dressing!
Fr. Austin Flannery, a senior Irish priest and theologian who had been a compiler of documents in Vatican II (and who had been dismissed by O'Hanlon as a "has been"), criticised O'Hanlon's remarks as "ill-informed and very offensive".
A newspaper columnist, Medb Ruane, referring to comments by Fr. O'Hanlon about women, suggested that the motivation for his attacks on Mary Robinson and the reasons for her supposed offence were clear. "The real question is not so much whether she did or did not deliberately flout convention, but rather that she is. She is." She believed his comments "hint at an attitude to women that may inform his feelings about the president."
O'Hanlon's comments dominated both the print and broadcast media for up to one month. Fr. O'Hanlon refused pressure from the Catholic Church to withdraw his allegations and apologise.
Funder of Dana Rosemary Scallon
Fr. O'Hanlon was revealed to be one of those who funded the political campaigns Family Values and pro-lifePro-life
Opposition to the legalization of abortion is centered around the pro-life, or anti-abortion, movement, a social and political movement opposing elective abortion on moral grounds and supporting its legal prohibition or restriction...
campaigner Dana Rosemary Scallon
Dana Rosemary Scallon
Dana Rosemary Scallon , known in her singing career simply as Dana, is an Irish singer and former Member of the European Parliament ....
, with a number of donations of €1000. during one of Ireland's abortion referendums. Her campaign ensured sufficient conservatives voted against an altering of the abortion law, which prevented the introduction of embryonic stem cell research. Fr. O'Hanlon was one of a group of Catholic priests to publicly support Dana's stance.
Accuses Catholic priests of defeatism
In 2006 O'Hanlon again made the headlines when he attacked his fellow priests as being "defeatist". He wrote in The Irish Catholic that "From the results of 'The Irish Catholic' survey we seem rather at odds with the teachings of our own Church, above all concerning the very nature of the priesthood itself, but quite consistently in tune with popular opinion on subjects like feminism and ecumenism . . . I am struck by the passivity, almost defeatism of the responses: we can't wait to cut Masses and resign school management. We demand an end to priestly celibacy yet admit getting rid of it would have no noticeable effect on the future of the institution."Personal attributes
David O'Hanlon is an accomplished concert pianist whose repertoire includes J.S. BachJohann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach was a German composer, organist, harpsichordist, violist, and violinist whose sacred and secular works for choir, orchestra, and solo instruments drew together the strands of the Baroque period and brought it to its ultimate maturity...
, Domenico Scarlatti
Domenico Scarlatti
Giuseppe Domenico Scarlatti was an Italian composer who spent much of his life in the service of the Portuguese and Spanish royal families. He is classified as a Baroque composer chronologically, although his music was influential in the development of the Classical style...
, W.A. Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , baptismal name Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart , was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical era. He composed over 600 works, many acknowledged as pinnacles of symphonic, concertante, chamber, piano, operatic, and choral music...
, Ludwig van Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven was a German composer and pianist. A crucial figure in the transition between the Classical and Romantic eras in Western art music, he remains one of the most famous and influential composers of all time.Born in Bonn, then the capital of the Electorate of Cologne and part of...
, Frédéric Chopin
Frédéric Chopin
Frédéric François Chopin was a Polish composer and virtuoso pianist. He is considered one of the great masters of Romantic music and has been called "the poet of the piano"....
, Franz Schubert
Franz Schubert
Franz Peter Schubert was an Austrian composer.Although he died at an early age, Schubert was tremendously prolific. He wrote some 600 Lieder, nine symphonies , liturgical music, operas, some incidental music, and a large body of chamber and solo piano music...
and Scott Joplin
Scott Joplin
Scott Joplin was an American composer and pianist. Joplin achieved fame for his ragtime compositions, and was later dubbed "The King of Ragtime". During his brief career, Joplin wrote 44 original ragtime pieces, one ragtime ballet, and two operas...
. His last private concert was given at the Chateau de Curzay in France.
In addition to English and Irish, he speaks French, German, Italian, and classical Greek and Latin.
Sources
- The Irish Times.
- Catholic World News.
- Sunday Independent.
- The Irish Catholic.
- Raidió Teilifís ÉireannRaidió Teilifís ÉireannRaidió Teilifís Éireann is a semi-state company and the public service broadcaster of Ireland. It both produces programmes and broadcasts them on television, radio and the Internet. The radio service began on January 1, 1926, while regular television broadcasts began on December 31, 1961, making...
. - Vatican Press Office