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 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]

Controversy over homily by Fr Seán Sheehy

On 1 November 2022, Bishop Browne issued a statement on behalf of the diocese of Kerry regarding homilies given by Fr Seán Sheehy at Masses in Listowel. The homilies had included criticism of what the priest called "sinful acts" such as abortion, same-sex relationships, contraception, and "transgenderism". In the statement, the bishop apologized to all who were offended by the homilies. He went on to say:[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 to Radio Kerry's Jerry O'Sullivan, Fr Sheehy said that he disagreed with the bishop.[9] He went on to accuse the bishop of "sacrificing the truth, or muzzling the truth in order to appease people.".[10] When Bishop Browne disciplined Fr Sheehy by forbidding him to offer Masses, Fr Sheehy's reply was:[11]

"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 Fr Sheehy's position and point out that the acts mentioned are defined as sinful in Catholic doctrine.[12][13][14][15]

Some conservative Catholics have condemned the bishop's statement:[16]

"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. Diocese of Kerry - Statement issued regarding the offending homilies
  9. Radio Kerry
  10. Hotpress.com - Kerry priest stands by comments
  11. Hotpress.com - Kerry priest stands by comments
  12. Irish Times - Letters, JANE MAHONY, Published 4 November 2022. Retrieved 4 November 2022. "Sir, I was surprised to read that Dr Ray Browne, the Catholic Bishop of Kerry, insists that the views expressed by Fr Seán Sheehy at a mass in Listowel last Sunday “do not represent the Christian position”. Whatever about a general Christian position, I heard nothing in a video I saw of Fr Sheehy’s sermon or subsequent radio interviews that is not explicit in current Catholic teaching. Fr Sheehy states the orthodox Catholic position "love the sinner, hate the sin". He is perhaps unusually blunt in his views, but he is not unorthodox in his statement of Catholic teaching and law."
  13. The American Conservative - Rod Dreher, November 2, 2022. Retrieved November 3, 2022. "This is bog-standard Christianity, but the Bishop of Kerry is ashamed of it."
  14. Crisis Magazine - "Ireland Is No Longer a Catholic Nation", COLE KINDER, Published 4 November 2022. Retrieved 4 November 2022. "Bishop Browne insisted, "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." I want to ask Bishop Browne, how is it having total respect for your Diocesan Catholics if you do not guide them to Heaven? If we truly believe that to get to Heaven we must repent of our sins, then how is it respectful to tell the people of his diocese anything but that?"
  15. Irish Examiner - "We may be appalled at the sermon, but Fr Sheehy spouted company policy", Alison O'Connor. Published 4 November 2022. Retrieved 4 November 2022. "The Catholic Church may be on its knees in terms of attendance and those dwindling priest numbers. But what Fr Sheehy said last weekend and was allowed to say by being on that altar, is more or less company policy."
  16. Catholic Herald - "Has a Catholic priest in Ireland really been cancelled by his Bishop for preaching against sin?", Laura Perrins, November 2, 2022. Retrieved November 3, 2022.
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