THE Association of Catholic Priests has expressed support for a parish priest who has opposed moves in his diocese towards male-only deacons.
Fr Roy Donovan, who is based in Caheronlish in Co Limerick, spoke out against the setting up of a male-only permanent diaconate in the Cashel Archdiocese before completion of a Vatican report on the issue.
He said he was "upset" and "taken aback" by the decision by Archbishop Kieran O'Reilly to establish a working group.
Pope Francis last year appointed a commission of six men and six women to study the issue, including the history of women deacons in the Church.
A permanent deacon can perform all the functions of a priest except celebration of the Eucharist.
Unlike a priest, deacons can also be married.
Fr Donovan is an outspoken supporter of women priests.
He said he believed a woman "could celebrate the Eucharist even better than a man, being more familiar with the shedding of blood".
He claimed that childbirth and menstruation meant that women "were more used to sacrifice and suffering".
"Many females give up their bodies, just as Jesus did," he told the BBC.
Fr Donovan said he knew women who felt it in "their bones and souls that they have a call to the priesthood".
"The bottom line is that despite being equal to men by virtue of their baptism, women are excluded from all positions of authority, decision making and ministry," he said.
The Association of Catholic Priests said yesterday it fully supported Fr Donovan's about deacons.
"Roy’s objection is based on the fact that currently the Church confines the lay diaconate to men, even though Pope Francis has a commission working on the history of women deacons in the early Church, with a view to possibly opening the diaconate to women also," it said.
"We would further call on every diocese in the country to hold off on the introduction of the permanent diaconate until such time as the Vatican commission reports, and Pope Francis makes a decision based on that report.
"We believe that proceeding with the introduction of male deacons at this time, and thereby adding another male clerical layer to ministry, is insensitive, disrespectful of women and counter-productive at this present critical time".
