Silenced priest Fr Iggy O’Donovan gets freedom of town honor in Drogheda

IRELAND
Irish Central

By NICK BRAMHILL, IrishCentral Staff Writer
Published Thursday, October 24, 2013

An outspoken Irish priest, who was removed from his post last month after performing an unconventional baptism, is to receive his former parish’s highest honor on Thursday.

Augustinian priest Fr. Iggy O’Donovan clashed with the Vatican on several matters, most recently after a complaint was made that he went against Catholic tradition by allowing godparents to pour water on a baby’s head during a baptism.

O’Donovan was hugely popular in Drogheda,a town of 40,000 30 miles from Dublin especially among young people . He is credited with saving many depressed young people from suicide.

The complaint, which was made without the knowledge of the parents who later said they fully supported the cleric, was addressed to Cardinal Sean Brady and subsequently forwarded to Rome.

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