The Catholic Church in Ireland is to review the way its trainee priests use social media after reports that seminarians had been using the gay dating app Grindr.
Saint Patrick's College in Maynooth, Co Kildare this week welcomed 14 new seminarians to start their training for the priesthood.
However, the seminary's trustees have issued a statement acknowledging "disquiet" among the faithful after one Irish archbishop has said he will no longer send trainee priests to Maynooth because of "strange goings on" and reports of a "gay sub-culture".
Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin told the Irish Times: "I wasn't happy with Maynooth... There seems to be an atmosphere of strange goings-on there, it seems like a quarrelsome place with anonymous letters being sent around. I don't think this is a good place for students".
The trustees, four archbishops and 13 bishops, said they shared the concerns about the "unhealthy atmosphere" created by anonymous accusations, together with some social media comments "which can be speculative or even malicious."
They are going to bring in a new "whistle-blowing" policy and "evaluate and review" appropriate use of the internet and social media.
They are also planning to involve families and more women in training Ireland's priests.
A subcommittee is being set up to move this forward based on recent comments by Pope Francis who said: "The presence of lay people, families and especially the presence of women in priestly formation, promotes an appreciation of the diversity and complementarity of the different vocations in the Church."
Maynooth has been training priests since 1795. It consists of the seminary and the Pontifical University, which offers degrees in philosophy, theology and a combined arts and theology degree. The number of new seminarians beginning their studies in Maynooth was 17 in 2015, 14 in 2014, 20 in 2013 and 12 in 2012.
There will in total be 41 resident seminarians in this coming academic year at Maynooth. At the end of the last academic year there were 983 full-time and part-time undergraduate and post-graduate students at the university.
The trustees issues a new prayer for the latest intake of trainee priests: "Lord, give our new seminarians the grace to follow you more perfectly. When they are discouraged or lonely, fill them with your peace and courage. Jesus, gentle Shepard, meek and humble of heart, make the hearts of all our new seminarians like yours."
