Hundreds lined up early at the First Church and Parish in Dedham, Mass., Wednesday to hear Austrian priest Helmut Schüller speak about his ideas for reform in the Catholic church, reports WBUR, NPR's station in Boston.
Schüller was scheduled to speak at St. Susanna Parish until Boston Cardinal Sean O'Malley in June barred him from speaking on archdiocesan property.
O'Malley said Schüller "could not speak at any Catholic parish because he espouses beliefs that are contrary to the teachings of the Catholic church," according to St. Susanna Parish Deacon Larry Bloom.
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The next stop on his two-week Catholic Tipping Point tour of the United States will be Friday at Chestnut Hill College in Philadelphia.
Philadelphia Cardinal Charles Chaput communicated concerns about Schüller's visit to the college, and the Philadelphia archdiocese issued a statement prohibiting the Austrian priest from speaking at any parish or diocesan-related facility. However, Chestnut Hill College is not affiliated with the diocese, and Schüller's talk will go on as scheduled.
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