THE revelation that a Galway-based priest has resigned after fathering a child by a 31-year-old woman has re-ignited the debate about celibacy in the Church.

The Catholic Church is losing its best priests because they can’t get married, supporters of a cleric forced to retire after fathering a child today claimed.

Parishioners of an elderly Co Galway priest were in shock today after learning he had fathered a child with a woman half his age.