A Tipperary priest says he has wanted to see change within the church for the last 30 years.
Fethard’s Father Iggy O’Donovan was responding to the results of a survey of tens of thousands of Catholics across Ireland’s 26 diocese which found demand for ‘fresh models of responsibility and leadership’ in the church.
It found that most want to see celibacy made optional for priests, the ordination of women and changes in attitudes within the church to divorcees, single parents and members of the LGBTQI+ community.
The National Synthesis report has now been sent to the Vatican for consideration.
Fr Iggy O’Donovan says the church needs to open itself up to new ideas.
“I have been one of those who have advocated this more or less all of my priestly life – certainly the last 30 years.
“It’s not as if this stuff is arriving new to us – these things I think have been staring us straight in the face for a long, long time.”
