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Complaint to Church over coursing patron priest
18 January 2012

ICABS has complained to the Bishop of Ossory about a parish priest who is a patron of a coursing club. On the front cover of the Sevenhouses coursing club booklet, the patron is listed as "V Reverend Kieran Cantwell PP".

In a letter to Bishop Seamus Freeman, we pointed to the Catholic Catechism which makes it clear that 'it is contrary to human dignity to cause animals to suffer and die needlessly.'

Photos from the Sevenhouses coursing meeting, held on January 14 and 15, show hares running for their lives. Links to these have been sent to Bishop Freeman.

We have also renewed calls on the Irish Bishops Conference to act to end clergy involvement with blood sports.

"Members of the clergy should surely be denouncing animal cruelty and not acting as patrons or associating in any way with this disgusting animal abuse," we stated.

 ACTION ALERT 

Ask Bishop Freeman to act to stop clergy involvement in blood sports.

Seamus Freeman, SAC
Bishop of Ossory
Ossory Diocesan Office,
James's Street,
Kilkenny
Tel: 056-7762448
Fax: 056-7763753
Email: bishop@ossory.ie

Ask Rev Cantwell to show compassion and disassociate from coursing.

Very Rev. Kieran Cantwell P.P.
Danesfort, Co. Kilkenny
Tel: 056 7727137
Mobile: 087 2661228
Fax: 056 7727137
Email: kierancantwell@eircom.net

 ACTION ALERT 

Urge the President of the Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference to act to end clergy involvement in blood sports.

Cardinal Sean Brady
Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland
President, Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference
Ara Coeli, Armagh BT61 7QY
Email: admin@aracoeli.com
Tel: +44 (0)28 3752 2045
Tel: 048-3752 2045 (from the Republic)
Fax: +44 (0)28 3752 6182
Fax: 048-3752 6182 (from the Republic)

Send a copy of your correspondence to the Papal Nuncio

Archbishop Charles John Brown
Apostolic Nuncio
The Apostolic Nunciature
183 Navan Road
Dublin 7
Tel: +353 (0)1 838 0577
Fax: +353(0)1 838 0276

Read about our previous appeals to the church on our Clergy out of blood sports page
Visit our "Ban Coursing" page for more action alerts.

The victims of coursing

All hares used in coursing are victims and they all suffer the fear and stress of being violently snatched from their habitats, thrown into crates, transported to coursing compounds and kept in captivity for months. Among the hare injuries and deaths recorded are:

Slideshow: the cruelty of hare coursing in Ireland

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