Leo Varadkar has hit back at a Kerry priest, after he claimed gay politicians will “go to hell” if they don’t “repent their sin and seek forgiveness”.
Retired priest Fr Sean Sheehy has sparked widespread outrage over the past few days, after a video of his sermon at a church in Listowel went viral on social media.
Over 30 parishioners walked out of the church over the weekend, after Fr Sheehy made homophobic comments, and condemned transgenderism and abortion.
This video from St Mary’s Church in Listowel is absolutely shocking…. pic.twitter.com/VYHu3Ktc3d
— Shane McAuliffe 🐷✈️ (@ShaneMcAuliffe1) November 1, 2022
Fr Sheehy, who was standing in for parish priest Fr Declan O’Connor, was subsequently banned from saying mass after his controversial comments.
Despite the backlash he’s received, Fr Sheehy has since appeared on various radio stations to defend his comments.
Speaking on Kerry Today, he told host Jerry O’Sullivan that he believes gay people “will go to hell”.
When asked if politicians who are openly gay, including Tanaiste Leo Varadkar, are going to hell, he replied: “Absolutely, if they don’t repent on their sin and seek forgiveness.”
“What they are doing is contrary, first of all to the law of nature and secondly, and more importantly, it’s contrary to the law of God.”
Mr Varadkar, who is currently in Singapore on a trade mission, has since responded to Fr Sheehy’s comments in a statement.
A spokesman for the Tánaiste said: “The Tánaiste profoundly disagrees with Fr Sheehy’s views, however he respects his right to express his religious beliefs freely.”
“The Tánaiste does not believe that gay people will go to hell for being who they are, nor does he believe that any man or woman can make such a judgement. As Pope Francis said, ‘who are we to judge’. As the Bible says, judge not lest you be judged. We are all God’s children.”
