The church yesterday called for the SFA to sack Dallas if it was proved he passed on a "tasteless message" relating to the Pope's visit to Scotland in September.

And the future of the SFA`s head of referees development remained uncertain tonight as SFA chief executive Stewart Regan failed to dampen rumours which cast doubt on Dallas' continued role within the organisation.

Regan said: "I'm not prepared to comment on anything relating to any members of my staff.

"We are undertaking a process at the moment and it would be unfair to make any comment on any member of staff until that process is completed."

The allegations first surfaced in a Sunday newspaper article on November 7, reports which were followed up by Regan.

The SFA chief executive said in a statement on November 10: "I can confirm I have looked into the circulation of the email reported in the media at the weekend.

"Let me state categorically that I do not condone the transmission of any email content that might cause offence to anyone.

"I have spoken with staff and the matter will now be dealt with internally, in line with the Scottish FA's information systems acceptable use policy."

However, in the week when Scotland's category one referees announced a weekend of strike action, the director of the Catholic media office, Peter Kearney wrote to Regan demanding swift action.

Kearney wrote: "I am writing to you to express my concern at an allegation made recently against a senior official of the SFA, Mr Hugh Dallas, the Head of Referee development.

"He has been accused of sending an email from his SFA email account on the day of the Pope's visit to Scotland, which was totally unprofessional, gratuitously insulting to the Pope, deeply offensive to the Catholic community of Scotland, and an incitement to anti-Catholic sectarianism."

Kearney asked that the results of the internal investigation be made public and if the allegations are proven that Dallas be "removed from his post".

Regan backed Dallas earlier in November after the former World Cup referee categorically refuted allegations that he had bullied former assistant referee Steven Craven.

Craven accused Dallas after quitting the profession following his involvement in Dougie McDonald`s decision to rescind a penalty awarded to Celtic during their victory over Dundee United last month, a decision which sparked much of the controversy that led to the referees' strike.