Limerick priest reacts to 'hateful' comments made by fellow priest during Mass in County Kerry
A LIMERICK priest and members of the public have been reacting to “vile” and “hateful” comments made by a priest in Listowel, County Kerry.
Fr Seán Sheehy, made controversial remarks about abortion, transgender people, homosexuals and sex before marriage during his homily at Mass at the weekend.
“We see [sin] in the promotion of abortion. We see it in the example of this lunatic approach to transgenderism,” Fr Sheehy said during Sunday Mass.
“We see it for example in the promotion of sex between two men and two women. That is sinful, that is mortal sin and people don’t seem to realise it…” Fr Sheehy continued.
The Bishop of Kerry Ray Browne has since apologised for the hurt caused by the remarks as 30 parishioners walked out of the sermon due to Fr Sheehy’s comments.
Parish Priest of Caherconlish and Inch St Laurence Fr Roy Donovan believes Fr Sheehy’s remarks were out of order.
“I absolutely disagree with [Fr Sheehy]. His understanding of gay people needs massive updating. All the modern sciences, genetics and biology all show that being gay is just as normal for that person as it is for another person being straight.”
Fr Donovan mentioned a “beautiful” reading said at Mass last Sunday which he says Fr Sheehy “completely ignored”.
“God lover of life you hold nothing of what you have made in abhorrence, for had you hated anything, you would not have formed it. Love all that exists,” Fr Donovan said.
“It has hurt a lot of people. Especially people who had a traditional understanding of sex and sexuality in the church. It’s bringing a lot of people back to an old view again,” Fr Donovan said.
“It’s so hard for so many gay people to come out and be themselves and he’s made that more difficult. He’s reinforced the old views,” he added.
In an interview on Radio Kerry on Tuesday, Fr Sheehy confirmed he is to be taken off all future Masses.
Artistic director of the Polish Arts Festival in Limerick Justyna Cwojdzińska commented: “I was so happy to hear he was suspended from sermons. You’d never see this in Poland. Great reaction from the church. It gives some hope.”
Student at the University of Limerick (UL) Joe Drennan feels that Fr Sheehy's comments are dangerous for members of the LGBTQ+ community such as himself.
"As a queer person, I feel like it’s natural to feel disenfranchised by a system that reminds you that the way you were born (being gay) is wrong," Joe said.
"His comments, vile as they are, don’t surprise me. I’m really thinking about whether there are more instances like this around the country that we can’t see because they aren’t being streamed like the Mass in Listowel," Joe continued.