Athlone-born Bishop apologises for controversial comments of Listowel priest

Athlone-born Bishop of Kerry Ray Browne has moved to apologise for the controversial comments of a Listowel priest during several homilies at the weekend, saying the views do not represent the Christian position.

It's reported a number of people left the church in the Kerry town during a sermon on Sunday where Fr Seán Sheehy condemned same sex relationships, “lunatic” transgenderism and spoke of sexual sin being “rampant”.

Fr Sheehy also told of a mother's feelings that the HSE, in distributing condoms to her 17-year-old daughter from a van on a night out in Tralee, was promoting promiscuity.

The retired priest, who was deputising for the parish priest who is on pilgrimage overseas, also referred to the promotion of abortion as “sinful”.

Since then, Fr Sheehy, who is a retired priest according to national news reports, has doubled down on his remarks on RTE radio today and local radio on Tuesday.

Bishop Ray Browne, in a statement, acknowledged the “deep upset and hurt” caused by the contents of homilies in question over the weekend.

“I apologise to all who were offended. The views expressed do not represent the Christian position,” he said, adding that Fr Sheehy is being removed from the mass roster in Listowel.

“The homily at a regular weekend parish Mass is not appropriate for such issues to be spoken of in such terms. I regret that this has occurred while a parish pilgrimage to the Holy Land is taking place,” Bishop Browne commented.

The Athlone native went on to say the “Gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is a Gospel of love and ever proclaims the dignity of every human person”.

“It calls on us all to ever have total respect for one another. This fundamental Christian teaching was beautifully proclaimed in the Book of Wisdom at Mass last Sunday, and in the second reading, and the Gospel of the Beatitudes at Mass today, November 1st, the Feast of All Saints.

"I quote the three passages: (Lord) “Yes, you love all that exists, you hold nothing of what you have made in abhorrence, ...You spare all things because all things are yours, Lord, lover of life, you whose imperishable spirit is in all (Wis 11:22-).”

“Think of the love that the Father has lavished on us, by letting us be called God’s children; and that is what we are (1 Jn3:1),” the bishop's statement continued.

"Blessed are the gentle, they shall have the earth for their heritage. (Mt 5:1-).”

The Athlone native was appointed the Bishop of Kerry back in 2013, having spent several years as parish priest in Kilgefin in Roscommon, as well as periods in Sligo and Roscommon town.

From Chapel Street, Athlone, Bishop Ray Browne was first ordained a cleric back in 1982 in Church of Saints Peter and Paul, Athlone.