Many Catholic weddings, funerals and baptisms could soon be conducted in Ireland by lay men and women due to a lack of priests.
That's according to senior figures at Ireland's leading seminary.
Permission for the changes would have to be sought from the Vatican by Ireland's bishops, according to reports in today's Irish Times.
Fr Iggy O'Donovan - priest and member of the Augustinian Order - says he isn't surprised:
Advertisement
"The second rung of priesthood is what you call a deacon and certainly they can do nearly everything except the Eucharist and confession. it's no great surpirse to me," he said.
