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Church should consider married priests says bishop

Bishop Leo O'Reilly of Kilmore diocese wants to consider the idea of married priests and female deacons
Bishop Leo O'Reilly of Kilmore diocese wants to consider the idea of married priests and female deacons Bishop Leo O'Reilly of Kilmore diocese wants to consider the idea of married priests and female deacons

THE Bishop of Kilmore has said he is talking with other bishops about establishing a commission to consider married men entering the priesthood.

The commission would also discuss appointing female deacons.

Bishop Leo O'Reilly (71), of Kilmore diocese, said he had been "liaising" with other bishops with a view to setting up a commission to discuss the matter, according to The Irish Catholic.

The move follows a 10 month long "listening process" in Dr O'Reilly's diocese which has already led to the creation of a diocesan assembly and a new diocesan pastoral plan to tackle challenges facing the church.

The bishop said he will ask for the idea of a new commission on married priests and female deacons to be put on the agenda for discussion at the next meeting of the hierarchy at Maynooth.

"I think the other bishops would be open to the idea of a discussion and we are reaching a situation where we have to look at all the options possible," explained Dr O'Reilly, adding that he views his idea as a response to challenges laid down by Pope Francis.

"Pope Francis has encouraged individual bishops and bishops's conferences to be creative in looking at ways to do ministry in the future, so I think we have to consider all options."

Dr O'Reilly's proposal comes in the wake of a similar commission in Brazil, led by Cardinal Claudio Hummes and Bishop Erwin Krautler.