A group of Catholic priests has criticised the Vatican’s diplomatic representative in Ireland, claiming the papal nuncio has pursued policies that are “inadequate to the needs of our time, at odds with the expectations of people and priests, and out of sync” with the Church.

The Association of Catholic Priests wants men who left the priesthood to get married to be re-admitted, and for the church to allow married men to be ordained.

Catholic priests have expressed serious concern about the visitation team’s proposal that seminarians in Maynooth should spend more time separated from other students if they are to achieve “a well-founded, priestly identity”.

THE ASSOCIATION of Catholic Priests (ACP) has said the Vatican “won’t take too kindly” to calls from the former Bishop of Derry to end clerical celibacy.

THE Association of Catholic Priests describes itself on its website as “an association for Catholic Priests who wish to have a forum ...”