Bishops: Priests who are fathers ‘should face up to duty’

The Irish Catholic Bishops’ Conference has published “principles of responsibility” for priests who father children while in ministry.

The guidelines were produced following discussions with Galway-based psychotherapist, Vincent Doyle of Coping International and Doyle Psychotherapy, whose late father was a priest.

The bishops said that while priests, upon ordination, promise to live a life of celibacy, “if, contrary to this obligation, a priest fathers a child, the wellbeing of his child should be his first consideration”.