'The Church is not listening' - Survey shows priests think 'ministry should be open to women'
Women should have a bigger role in the Catholic Church, according to a finding in a new survey from the Association of Catholic Priests.
The association asked for feedback from clergy and lay people ahead of the visit of Pope Francis to Ireland next weekend.
Father Tim Hazelwood, from the Association of Catholic Priests, said members of the Church are frustrated at the slow pace of change.
He said: "Ministry should be open to women, not just to be doing the other roles in the church.
"They felt that a huge opportunity was lost with deacons now being ordained, and they are all male again, that was a huge blow.
"People can't understand why women, there were women in the early church who were deacons, why didn't that happen and it's felt that the Church is not listening."
