Raymond Browne

Raymond Anthony Browne (born 23 January 1957) is an Irish Roman Catholic prelate who has served as Bishop of Kerry since 2013.

The Most Reverend

Raymond Browne

BSc, BD, LCL
Bishop of Kerry
ChurchRoman Catholic
DioceseKerry
Appointed2 May 2013
Installed21 July 2013
PredecessorWilliam Murphy
Orders
Ordination4 July 1982
Consecration21 July 2013
by Dermot Clifford
Personal details
Born (1957-01-23) 23 January 1957
Athlone, County Westmeath, Ireland
Previous post(s)
Education
MottoLove one another
Coat of armsRaymond Browne's coat of arms

Early life and education

Browne was born on 23 January 1957 in Chapel Street, Athlone, County Westmeath, one of seven children. He attended primary school at Saint Paul's Mercy Convent School and Dean Kelly National School in Athlone, and secondary school in Summerhill College, Sligo, between 1969 and 1974. Browne studied for the priesthood at St Patrick's College, Maynooth, between 1974 and 1982, completing a Bachelor of Science from University College Cork in 1978 and a Bachelor of Divinity from Saint Patrick's College in 1981.[1]

He was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Elphin on 4 July 1982 in the Church of Saints Peter and Paul, Athlone.[1]

Presbyteral ministry

After completing a licentiate in canon law at the Pontifical Gregorian University in 1983, Browne's first pastoral appointment was as spiritual director at Summerhill College between October 1983 and June 1986. He subsequently served as a curate in Roscommon between September 1986 and July 1988, and in the cathedral parish of Sligo between 1995 and 2002.[1]

Browne subsequently served on the Galway Marriage Regional Tribunal, initially as a staff member between July 1988 and July 1995, and later as judicial vicar between October 2002 and July 2008. He was appointed parish priest of Kilgefin, County Roscommon, in August 2008, while simultaneously serving as diocesan designate for child protection and assistance to elderly and sick clergy.[1]

Episcopal ministry

Browne was appointed Bishop-elect of Kerry by Pope Francis on 2 May 2013.[1][2][3][4] He was consecrated by the Archbishop of Cashel and Emly, Dermot Clifford, on 21 July at St Mary's Cathedral, Killarney.[5][6][7]

Fr Seán Sheehy controversy

On 1 November 2022, Browne issued a statement in response to controversial homilies given by Fr Seán Sheehy at Masses in Listowel. The homilies included criticism of what Sheehy called "sinful acts" such as abortion, same-sex relationships, contraception, and "transgenderism". In his statement, Browne apologised to those who were offended by the homilies, saying:[8]

"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."

Speaking on Radio Kerry's Kerry Today on 1 November, Fr Sheehy expressed his disagreement with Browne, accusing him of "sacrificing the truth, or muzzling the truth in order to appease people".[9][10]

When Browne disciplined Fr Sheehy by forbidding him to say Mass in public, Sheehy responded, saying:[10]

"I know myself that what I said cannot be disproven by any honest-to-God Catholic, Christian or Catholic teaching, and that’s the bottom line".

Some Catholics agree with Sheehy's position, pointing out that the acts mentioned are defined as sinful in Catholic doctrine.[11][12][13][14]

Some conservative Catholics have condemned Browne's statement:[15]

"Do not be under any doubt as to the seriousness of what the Bishop has done here. It is one thing to be condemned by the Irish Times, or RTÉ or the folks on twitter, but for a priest to be cancelled by his own Bishop for warning his flock about sinful behaviour is a disaster."

References
  1. "His Holiness Pope Francis appoints Father Raymond A Browne as Bishop of Kerry". Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference. 2 May 2013. Retrieved 23 May 2022.
  2. "Rinuncia del vescovo di Kerry (Irlanda) e nomina del successore". Holy See Press Office (in Italian). 2 May 2013. Retrieved 23 May 2022.
  3. "Pope appoints new Bishop of Kerry". Raidió Telefís Éireann. 2 May 2013. Retrieved 23 May 2022.
  4. "Elphin diocesan priest is new Bishop of Kerry". The Sligo Champion. 13 May 2013. Retrieved 23 May 2022.
  5. "Bishop wants society to remember those in financial difficulty". Raidió Telefís Éireann. 21 July 2013. Retrieved 23 May 2022.
  6. "Fr Ray Browne ordained as Bishop of Kerry". The Irish Times. 21 July 2013. Retrieved 23 May 2022.
  7. "New man at Church's helm". The Kerryman. 23 July 2013. Retrieved 23 May 2022.
  8. Browne, Bishop Ray (1 November 2022). "Statement issued on behalf of the diocese of Kerry regarding the offending homilies". Diocese of Kerry. Retrieved 18 February 2023.
  9. "Priest who condemned same-sex relationships says he's been told not to say Mass". Radio Kerry. 1 November 2022. Retrieved 18 February 2023.
  10. Cantwell, Molly (2 November 2022). "Kerry-based priest stands by comments made condemning "promiscuity" and the LGBTQ+ community". Hot Press. Retrieved 18 February 2023.
  11. "Fr Seán Sheehy and the Listowel sermon". The Irish Times. 4 November 2022. Retrieved 18 February 2023.
  12. Dreher, Rod (1 November 2022). "'No Catholicism, Please, We're Irish'". The American Conservative. Retrieved 18 February 2023.
  13. Kinder, Cole (4 November 2022). "Ireland Is No Longer a Catholic Nation". Crisis Magazine. Retrieved 18 February 2023.
  14. O'Connor, Alison (4 November 2022). "Alison O'Connor: We may be appalled at the sermon, but Fr Sheehy spouted company policy". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 18 February 2023.
  15. Perrins, Laura (2 November 2022). "Has a Catholic priest in Ireland really been cancelled by his Bishop for preaching against sin?". Catholic Herald. Retrieved 18 February 2023.
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