The Bishop of Kerry has issued an apology for the controversial remarks made by a priest during a service in Listowel.
Delivering a sermon on Sunday, Fr Seán Sheehy said that there was "rampant sin" around and made damning remarks about the LGBT community and abortion.
In a statement on Tuesday morning, Bishop Ray Browne said they he was aware of "the deep upset and hurt caused by the contents of the homilies in question delivered over the weekend."
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Videos shared on social media from the sermon at St Mary's Church in the Kerry town show Father Sheehy telling the congregation: "You rarely hear about sin but it’s rampant. It’s rampant. We see it for example in the legislation.
"We see it in the promotion of abortion, we see it and in the example of this lunatic approach of transgenderism and in the promotion of sex between two men and two women.
“That is sinful. That is a mortal sin.”
It is believed that over 30 people walked out of the Mass upon hearing the sermon, videos of which have since gone viral on social media.
Father Sheehy continued: "Those of you who happen to be leaving today, God help you is all I have to say. God bless you who are here and worshiping God. God bless all of you."
The priest added: “God is also telling me you and today ‘look, you have a responsibility to seek out those who are lost, you have a responsibility to call people to an awareness of the fact - sin is destructive. Sin is detrimental and sin will lead us to Hell.”
In the bizarre address, he continued: “There are people who won’t like to hear what I am saying but the day you die, you will find out what I am saying is not what I invented, it’s not what I came up with, it’s what God is saying and the day you die you will find out that’s the truth.
“Our prayer for people is that it won’t be too late for people.”
He called on those to repent and said this would save people from Satan.
Fr Sheehy also told parishioners how the mum of a 17-year-old girl told him her daughter had been given a condom from the HSE and she said this was promoting “promiscuity”.
The controversial clergyman, who returned to Kerry from Baton Rouge in Louisiana in 2007, sparked fury in the past when he shook hands with a convicted sex offender Danny Foley in Tralee Circuit Court in 2009.
Fr Sheehy had also provided a character reference for the brute who worked as a bouncer.
It comes Bishop of Kerry Ray Browne said the Sheehy's views “do not represent the Christian position”.
In a statement on the Diocese of Kerry’s website, he said: “I am aware of the deep upset and hurt caused by the contents of the homilies in question delivered over the weekend.
“I apologise to all who were offended. The views expressed do not represent the Christian position.
He added: “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.
“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.”
Meanwhile, the Director of ShoutOut, an LGBTQ+ charity, blasted the homily and said it was really “disappointing” and would have come as a “nasty shock” to those in the mass.
Ruadhán Ó Críodáin told The Irish Mirror: “To us, it’s very disappointing and I think it’s quite frightening for any parishioners who would have been in that Mass.
“I think it might have come as quite a nasty shock. I think we’ve come a long way in terms of the views that are articulated by many communities of faith by people within the Catholic church … and we’ve come a long way in working to repair the damage that has been done.
“So it was disappointing to hear such harsh comments made about the LGBTQ+ communities, especially towards young people and especially towards Trans people.”
He added: “It was heartening to see the Bishop stand up and apologise for those comments because he was right in saying they don’t reflect the views of most Christians today.”
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