Irish priest defiant:

A PRIEST at the centre of a major row has defended his decision to organise a Mass involving three Catholic priests and a Church of Ireland minister on Easter Sunday.

Augustinian friar Fr Iggy O’Donovan backed his decision to invite Church of Ireland minister Michael Graham to join him and other Catholic priests in an Easter Mass at his order’s priory in Drogheda in Co. Louth.

Fr O’Donovan also said he would not rule out organising a similar ceremony in the future. But he stressed the Easter Mass involving clergy from the Catholic and Protestant traditions was a one-off for the moment.

He said: “It is very sad when the Eucharist becomes a symbol of division and discord.”