The priest at the centre of the scandal surrounding a controversial anti-LGBTQ homily over the weekend has stood by his comments - claiming he received a standing ovation at the end of the Mass.
Father Seán Sheehy told the congregation in St Mary's Church in Listowel that sin was "rampant" in Ireland and that there was proof of this by allowing two men or two women to have a sexual relationship and a "lunatic approach" when referring to transgenderism.
His comments caused great upset to the community, including a large portion of the attendees at the Mass.
Among the walkouts was the daughter of Eamon 'Bomber' O'Connor, who the Mass was being said for.
Despite an apology being issued by Bishop Ray Browne for Father Sheehy's comments, the Listowel priest has since doubled down on his actions.
He claimed that the people who remained in the church applauded him for his words once the service had finished.
He told Kerry Today on Radio Kerry: "The Bishop of Kerry is totally wrong when he said my words were not in accordance with the Christian message – the poor man must not even know the catechism.
"He is sacrificing the truth to appease people who do not want to come face to face with their sinfulness."
Father Sheehy also noted that if openly gay legislators - like Tánaiste Leo Varadkar - didn't "repent for their sins", they would be going to hell.
He added: "What about all the people who remained? What about all of them? When I completed the holy sacrament of the Mass, the peopel applauded a standing ovation. What about them? What about the people who came into the sacresty and said 'it's high time we actually heard the truth' - are they fundamentalists too? I mean, that's the reality!"
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