{{Short description|Irish bishop of Kerry}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2021}}{{Use Hiberno-English|date=June 2021}} {{other people}} {{Infobox Christian leader | type = bishop | honorific-prefix = [[The Most Reverend]] | name = Raymond Browne | honorific-suffix = [[Bachelor of Science|BSc]], [[Bachelor of Divinity|BD]], [[Licentiate of Canon Law|LCL]] | native_name = | native_name_lang = | title = [[Bishop of Kerry]] | image = Ray Browne.jpg | image_size = | alt = | caption = | church = [[Roman Catholic]] | diocese = [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Kerry|Kerry]] | elected = | appointed = 2 May 2013 | term = | term_start = 21 July 2013 | term_end = | predecessor = [[William Murphy (Bishop of Kerry)|William Murphy]] | successor = | other_post = <!---------- Orders ----------> | ordination = 4 July 1982 | ordinated_by = | consecration = 21 July 2013 | consecrated_by = [[Dermot Clifford]] | cardinal = | created_cardinal_by = | rank = <!---------- Personal details ----------> | birth_name = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1957|01|23|df=yes}} | birth_place = [[Athlone]], [[County Westmeath]], Ireland | death_date = | death_place = | buried = | nationality = | religion = | residence = | parents = | children = | previous_post = {{unbulleted list|[[Judicial vicar]] at the Galway Marriage Regional Tribunal|}} | education = {{unbulleted list|[[University College Cork]]|[[Pontifical Irish College]]|[[Pontifical Gregorian University]]|[[St Patrick's College, Maynooth]]}} | motto = ''Love one another'' | signature = | signature_alt = | coat_of_arms = Coat of arms of Raymond Anthony Browne.svg | coat_of_arms_alt = }}
'''Raymond Anthony Browne''' (born 23 January 1957) is an [[Republic of Ireland|Irish]] [[Catholic Church|Roman Catholic]] [[prelate]] who has served as [[Bishop of Kerry]] since 2013.
==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.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2 May 2013 |title=His Holiness Pope Francis appoints Father Raymond A Browne as Bishop of Kerry |url=https://www.catholicbishops.ie/2013/05/02/holiness-pope-francis-appoints-father-raymond-browne-bishop-kerry/ |access-date=2022-05-23 |website=Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference}}</ref>
He was ordained a priest for the [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Elphin|Diocese of Elphin]] on 4 July 1982 in the [[Church of Saints Peter and Paul, Athlone|Church of Saints Peter and Paul]], Athlone.<ref name=":0" />
== Presbyteral ministry == After completing a [[Licentiate (degree)|licentiate]] in [[canon law]] at the [[Pontifical Gregorian University]] in 1983, Browne's first pastoral appointment was as [[Spiritual direction|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 of the Immaculate Conception, Sligo|cathedral parish]] of [[Sligo]] between 1995 and 2002.<ref name=":0" />
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.<ref name=":0" />
==Episcopal ministry==
Browne was appointed [[Bishop of Kerry|Bishop-elect of Kerry]] by [[Pope Francis]] on 2 May 2013.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=2 May 2013 |title=Rinuncia del vescovo di Kerry (Irlanda) e nomina del successore |url=https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2013/05/02/0265/00603.html |access-date=23 May 2022 |website=[[Holy See Press Office]] |language=it-IT}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2 May 2013 |title=Pope appoints new Bishop of Kerry |url=https://www.rte.ie/news/2013/0502/389986-bishop-of-kerry/ |access-date=23 May 2022 |website=[[Raidió Telefís Éireann]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=13 May 2013 |title=Elphin diocesan priest is new Bishop of Kerry |url=https://www.independent.ie/regionals/sligochampion/news/elphin-diocesan-priest-is-new-bishop-of-kerry-29247622.html |access-date=2022-05-23 |website=[[The Sligo Champion]] |language=en}}</ref> He was consecrated by the [[Archbishop of Cashel|Archbishop of Cashel and Emly]], [[Dermot Clifford]], on 21 July at [[St Mary's Cathedral, Killarney|St Mary's Cathedral]], [[Killarney]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=21 July 2013 |title=Bishop wants society to remember those in financial difficulty |url=https://www.rte.ie/news/2013/0721/463807-bishop-of-kerry-economic-downturn/ |access-date=23 May 2022 |website=Raidió Telefís Éireann}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=21 July 2013 |title=Fr Ray Browne ordained as Bishop of Kerry |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/religion-and-beliefs/fr-ray-browne-ordained-as-bishop-of-kerry-1.1470676 |access-date=2022-05-23 |newspaper=[[The Irish Times]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=23 July 2013 |title=New man at Church's helm |url=https://www.independent.ie/regionals/kerryman/news/new-man-at-churchs-helm-29426779.html |access-date=2022-05-23 |website=[[The Kerryman]] |language=en}}</ref>
=== Fr Seán Sheehy controversy === On 1 November 2022, Browne issued a statement in response to controversial [[Homily#Roman Catholic Mass homily|homilies]] given by Fr Seán Sheehy at Masses in [[Listowel]]. The homilies included criticism of what Sheehy called "[[Christian views on sin|sinful acts]]" such as [[Catholic Church and abortion|abortion]], [[Catholic Church and homosexuality#Same-sex marriage|same-sex]] [[same-sex relationship|relationships]], [[Religion and birth control#Roman Catholicism|contraception]], and [[LGBT culture#Transgender culture|"transgenderism"]]. In his statement, Browne apologised to those who were offended by the homilies, saying:<ref>{{Cite web |last=Browne |first=Bishop Ray |date=1 November 2022 |title=Statement issued on behalf of the diocese of Kerry regarding the offending homilies |url=https://www.dioceseofkerry.ie/2022/11/statement-issued-on-behalf-of-the-diocese-of-kerry-regarding-the-offending-homilies/ |access-date=2023-02-18 |website=Diocese of Kerry |language=en-US}}</ref> <blockquote>"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."</blockquote> 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".<ref>{{Cite web |date=1 November 2022 |title=Priest who condemned same-sex relationships says he's been told not to say Mass |url=https://www.radiokerry.ie/news/priest-who-condemned-same-sex-relationships-says-hes-been-told-not-to-say-mass-303837 |access-date=2023-02-18 |website=[[Radio Kerry]] |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Cantwell |first=Molly |date=2 November 2022 |title=Kerry-based priest stands by comments made condemning "promiscuity" and the LGBTQ+ community |url=https://www.hotpress.com/lifestyle-sports/kerry-based-priest-stands-by-comments-made-condemning-promiscuity-and-the-lgbtq-community-22936594 |access-date=2023-02-18 |website=[[Hot Press]]}}</ref>
When Browne disciplined Fr Sheehy by forbidding him to say Mass in public, Sheehy responded, saying:<ref name=":1" /><blockquote>"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".</blockquote>
Some Catholics agree with Sheehy's position, pointing out that the acts mentioned are defined as sinful in [[Catholic theology of sexuality|Catholic doctrine]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=4 November 2022 |title=Fr Seán Sheehy and the Listowel sermon |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/letters/2022/11/04/fr-sean-sheehy-and-the-listowel-sermon/ |access-date=2023-02-18 |newspaper=The Irish Times |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Dreher |first=Rod |date=2022-11-01 |title='No Catholicism, Please, We're Irish' |url=https://www.theamericanconservative.com/no-catholicism-please-were-irish/ |access-date=2023-02-18 |website=The American Conservative |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Kinder |first=Cole |date=2022-11-04 |title=Ireland Is No Longer a Catholic Nation |url=https://www.crisismagazine.com/opinion/ireland-is-no-longer-a-catholic-nation |access-date=2023-02-18 |website=Crisis Magazine |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=O'Connor |first=Alison |date=2022-11-04 |title=Alison O'Connor: We may be appalled at the sermon, but Fr Sheehy spouted company policy |url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/opinion/columnists/arid-40998362.html |access-date=2023-02-18 |website=Irish Examiner |language=en}}</ref>
Some conservative Catholics have condemned Browne's statement:<ref>{{Cite web |last=Perrins |first=Laura |date=2022-11-02 |title=Has a Catholic priest in Ireland really been cancelled by his Bishop for preaching against sin? |url=https://catholicherald.co.uk/has-a-catholic-priest-really-been-cancelled-by-his-bishop-for-preaching-against-sin/ |access-date=2023-02-18 |website=Catholic Herald |language=en-GB}}</ref><blockquote>"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 [[Radio Telifís Éireann|RTÉ]] or the folks on [[twitter]], but for a priest to be [[Cancel culture|cancelled]] by his own Bishop for warning his flock about sinful behaviour is a disaster."</blockquote>
==References== {{Reflist}}
== External links ==
* [https://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bbrwnr.html Bishop Raymond Anthony Browne] on [[Catholic-Hierarchy.org]] * [https://www.dioceseofkerry.ie/ Diocese of Kerry] - official website {{Roman Catholic Bishops of Kerry}} {{Roman Catholic dioceses in Ireland}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Browne, Raymond}} [[Category:1957 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Alumni of St Patrick's College, Maynooth]] [[Category:Alumni of University College Cork]] [[Category:21st-century Roman Catholic bishops in Ireland]] [[Category:Pontifical Gregorian University alumni]] [[Category:Roman Catholic bishops of Kerry]] [[Category:Pontifical Irish College alumni]] [[Category:21st-century Irish bishops]]