Gay priest barred from celebrating mercy Mass

Hours after a gay priest “came out” about his sexuality during a radio interview he was told he could not concelebrate a cathedral Mass specially organised for LGBT Catholics, writes Paul Wilkinson.

Instead Fr Kieran Fitzsimons, 64, had to sit with the congregation in Brentwood Cathedral last Sunday evening for the service, one in a series for “the stranger, the wounded and all those searching for spiritual sanctuary” during the Year of Mercy. Earlier in the day the former parish priest and Franciscan friar from east London, had declared his sexuality during a radio interview on BBC Essex.

He said: “When word leaked out somehow, I was asked by the cathedral administrator not to concelebrate. I’d routinely concelebrated at two previous Masses as part of the Year of Mercy. I challenged him, but I was obliged to accept the situation. I was not surprised, but I was disappointed. It gives a mixed message.

“However I want to endorse what the diocese and cathedral administrator have done with this Mass. They are good people at the cathedral and I applaud what they are doing.”

Brentwood’s Dean, Fr Martin Boland, said he asked Fr Fitzsimons not to concelebrate “because of the nature of him coming out on radio that day” and because he didn’t want him to detract focus from the Mass. ”He was playing a very public role and the whole focus would be very much on him and that’s not what these Year of Mercy Masses are about.” The Dean said he “could not imagine” Fr Fitzsimons not being invited back to celebrate Mass, but “he needs to speak to Bishop Alan [Williams] and his Superior”.