Hundreds of priests are using Grindr gay hookup app, Vatican finds as it launches formal investigation into ‘gay culture’ within the church
Trustees at St Patrick's College, County Kildare, have vowed to start monitoring social media use in wake of scandal
CATHOLIC Church leaders have ordered a review of students' social media use amid claims trainee priests have been using the gay hook-up app Grindr.
The review was triggered after they admitted they had concerns about anonymous accusations at centuries-old St Patrick's College, in Maynooth, Co Kildare.
Dr Diarmuid Martin, the most senior Catholic in the Irish Republic, said earlier this month he is sending student priests to Rome rather than Maynooth.
He said he made the decision some months ago because he was "somewhat unhappy" about "an atmosphere that was growing in Maynooth" exposed through anonymous accusations in letters and online blogs.
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Dr Martin said allegations included ";a homosexual, a gay culture, that students have been using an app called Grindr" which he said "would be fostering promiscuous sexuality".
The Archbishop said there were further allegations that whistleblowers trying to bring wrongdoing to the attention of authorities were being dismissed from the seminary.
College trustees said they shared his concerns about the "unhealthy environment" created by the accusation.
They added: "Persons with specific concerns are encouraged to report them appropriately as soon as possible."
Founded in 1795, Maynooth College was once the largest seminary in the world.
It was built to train 500 trainee Catholic priests every year, but numbers have nosedived to just over 40 for the coming year with a fall-off in vocations.
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