Anthony McIntyre  The latest brouhaha to hit the world of Irish priestcraft has led to an apology from the Bishop of Kerry.

The bishop was not expressing contrition for any personal transgression but for the behaviour of one of his priests who had been preaching Hate Theology during mass.

The celebrant Seán Sheehy, standing in for the regular priest, told mass goers:

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 promotion of sex between two men and two women. That is sinful. That is mortal sin. 

He also slammed the HSE for providing condoms to young people. It was all the work of the devil, the demented cleric howled, and people must repent as protection against the Evil One's wiles and ways. Nothing about garlic or running water, repentance along seeming to be the magical stab vest against the thrusts of Satan.

One member of the congregation told the Journal that it was “like stepping back to 1980s Ireland.” Others left the church during the sermon in protest.

The bishop, Ray Browne,  in his statement said:

I apologise to all who were offended. The views expressed do not represent the Christian position. The homily at a regular weekend parish Mass is not appropriate for such issues to be spoken of in such terms. The Gospel of our Lord and Saviour 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.

The bishop has also prohibited Sheehy from saying mass in the absence of the regular cleric. Sheehy, meanwhile, has defended his sermon claiming that he received a standing ovation which he insists validates his stance, being evidence that he speaks for many worshippers.

Sheehy has spent most of his ministry in the US where whatever else there is a shortage of,  scamvangelists and hatemongering pastords are plentiful. The US religious right with its constant demonstration that there is no hate like Christian love would seem a natural home for Sheehy.

In an excellent Twitter thread by Donal O'Keefe (which should really be copy in the pages of a national newspaper) the history of the repellant reverend was laid out. He had once turned up in court to support a man convicted of sexually abusing a young woman who, but for the intervention of Gardai who discovered her covered in cuts and bruises, half naked and semi-conscious, might have suffered an even worse fate. O'Keefe traces the discourse of Sheehy in which he was critical of the victim, claimed the sentence of her attacker was too severe, and boldly stated that behaviour of both attacker and attacked were equally reprehensible - as they were having consensual sex outside of marriage.

Perhaps with people in mind like Sheehy, Richard Holloway made his observation, Religion is the most powerful; alternative to God. 

⏩ Follow on Twitter @AnthonyMcIntyre

Perverse Priorities

Anthony McIntyre  The latest brouhaha to hit the world of Irish priestcraft has led to an apology from the Bishop of Kerry.

The bishop was not expressing contrition for any personal transgression but for the behaviour of one of his priests who had been preaching Hate Theology during mass.

The celebrant Seán Sheehy, standing in for the regular priest, told mass goers:

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 promotion of sex between two men and two women. That is sinful. That is mortal sin. 

He also slammed the HSE for providing condoms to young people. It was all the work of the devil, the demented cleric howled, and people must repent as protection against the Evil One's wiles and ways. Nothing about garlic or running water, repentance along seeming to be the magical stab vest against the thrusts of Satan.

One member of the congregation told the Journal that it was “like stepping back to 1980s Ireland.” Others left the church during the sermon in protest.

The bishop, Ray Browne,  in his statement said:

I apologise to all who were offended. The views expressed do not represent the Christian position. The homily at a regular weekend parish Mass is not appropriate for such issues to be spoken of in such terms. The Gospel of our Lord and Saviour 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.

The bishop has also prohibited Sheehy from saying mass in the absence of the regular cleric. Sheehy, meanwhile, has defended his sermon claiming that he received a standing ovation which he insists validates his stance, being evidence that he speaks for many worshippers.

Sheehy has spent most of his ministry in the US where whatever else there is a shortage of,  scamvangelists and hatemongering pastords are plentiful. The US religious right with its constant demonstration that there is no hate like Christian love would seem a natural home for Sheehy.

In an excellent Twitter thread by Donal O'Keefe (which should really be copy in the pages of a national newspaper) the history of the repellant reverend was laid out. He had once turned up in court to support a man convicted of sexually abusing a young woman who, but for the intervention of Gardai who discovered her covered in cuts and bruises, half naked and semi-conscious, might have suffered an even worse fate. O'Keefe traces the discourse of Sheehy in which he was critical of the victim, claimed the sentence of her attacker was too severe, and boldly stated that behaviour of both attacker and attacked were equally reprehensible - as they were having consensual sex outside of marriage.

Perhaps with people in mind like Sheehy, Richard Holloway made his observation, Religion is the most powerful; alternative to God. 

⏩ Follow on Twitter @AnthonyMcIntyre

4 comments:

  1. How the fuck can a bloke who wears a frock point the finger at anyone and claim being gay is a 'sin'?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sin is just a religious concept - has no meaning outside of that. Sandwich board men love it

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    2. That's it. The worshippers of Hate Theology are infatuated (could not possibly say love when talking about their attributes) with the god they have created in their own image because of its wickedness. A loving God, they would crucify.

      Delete