Irish church orders investigation after priests found using gay dating apps
By Will Stroude
St Patrick’s College in Maynooth, Ireland hit headlines earlier this month when it emerged that a number of trainee priests were using gay dating apps such as Grindr.
The college had initially said there was “no concrete or credible evidence” that a gay culture existed at the seminary, while one former trainee priest, Francis McLoughlin said that there “is an attraction for men with a same-sex attraction to the seminary”.
He also said that a friend of his “witnessed to seminarians engaged in inappropriate behaviour.”
However, according to reports in Irish publication The Journal, the college’s governing body will now ask the authorities within St Patrick’s to “evaluate and review the policy regarding the appropriate use of the internet and social media.”
Earlier this month, the training college made headlines after it was reported that a gay culture is prevalent on the campus, with some trainees using gay dating apps such as Grindr.
At the time, the college said there was “no concrete or credible evidence” that such a culture exists, while the Archbishop of Dublin said he would send his own trainee priests to Rome over Maynooth, because of “an atmosphere of strange goings-on”.
However, the college’s governing body has now said it will ask St Patrick’s to “evaluate and review the policy regarding the appropriate use of the internet and social media”.
In a statement the governing body of the college said:
Acknowledging the recent and extensive media coverage regarding the college, and the disquiet that it has caused amongst the faithful, the trustees emphasise that the Church has clear instructions on the formation of seminarians. It is essential that these are observed in order to form priests “after the heart of the Good Shepherd” (cf. Jer 3.15). There is no place in a seminary community for any sort of behaviour or attitude which contradicts the teaching and example of Jesus Christ.