Comment:
Seems this priest has already made a living out of his performances – click here to read more
Key question: would you want your priest to have a career in showbiz vying for his attention alongside your pastoral care?
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Comments (45)
Note, the above video was published on YouTube on 21 April, and already has 818,498 views. Our About Us video was published on 11 April and has – of a minute or so ago – 354 views.
So, who is getting the higher profile for Holy Mother Church? Maybe these modernists have a point. Go the way of the world and people will love you and listen to you…
Of course, we haven’t heard Fr Ray Kelly preaching on the Faith. That WOULD be interesting. Is it likely to be as enriching an experience as listening to his singing voice – for those who find his singing voice enriching… ?
With apologies, if there’s any truth in THIS it’s very disconcerting, to say the least
Ed: removed this link on learning that the newspaper is no such thing but is supposedly “comic” – using made up reports. This was unspeakably crude. If the priest had been guilty of saying these things, the link would have remained but not giving publicity to a crude “joke” of a publication.
So, is this priest aware of the allegations against him? If so, should he not be nailing them for fraud, libel and hate crime – and should he not be demanding this stuff gets pulled immediately from their website?
I don’t think any of us would be amused if we were on the receiving end of it.
No, the above comment should be removed, the article is clearly offensive click-bait.
Ed: see my comment below – however link removed later when discovered to be a phoney report written by someone with a very warped sense of humour.
Sarto, no I won’t be removing it (and if you read our House Rules you’ll see that I really do take exception to individual bloggers instructing me on how to run the blog – try that over at Father Z or any other blog and see what happens. Some time later: take note, I DID remove it once alerted to the fact that it’s a silly spoof)
This sort of priest is heading for Hell – and so is his bishop. The various saints to whom the saying is attributed: “the walls of hell are paved with the skulls of bishops”, weren’t kidding.
Every priest is now his own pope and can decide his own method of performance [at Mass] and if you’ve got a good singing voice, well, BGT is the limit…
I don’t watch BGT but I would happily bet money on his winning the contest. The Devil really does look after his own.
Ed,
I’m not sure about this, but I think he’s in the Diocese of Dromore. Where are our Irish bloggers when you need them?
Sarto your are correct, it is click-bait. It is a spoof newspaper/magazine.Just Google ‘Waterford Whispers’….the stories are made up for fun….eg. Woman transitions in to her mother, Official Dublin has bigger floods than Cork etc.
Their whole raison d’etre is to BE offensive..
St Miguel,
With respect, I think you are missing the point. Whether this is spoof or not, the priest himself is responsible. No one is going to write a spoof article about a faithful priest ploughing his trade in his parish! This priest, through his attention seeking, is responsible for this, whether it’s true or not.
The point I am not missing Petrus is that New Church is turning in to Showbiz, see my other posts on this. The fact that this could seem plausible these days is testament to this. We have had the Singing Priests on the telly…their latest CD and whatever.
Father Ted V Mrs Brown.
There is a new vogue of exhibitionists out there. FAME is the fashion.
Even infamy….no such thing as bad publicity, all publicity keeps the new famistocrats in business.
St Miguel,
Actually, then, you’re making the same point as Petrus. Alleluia!
Well can I have Fr Ray Kelly singing Hallelujah…Hallelujah, Halle lu, lu jah?
St Miguel
LOL! You’ll be getting it in the neck soon!
St Miguel,
Just wish you had done that research before I fell for the rubbish myself. Hurrying out I didn’t take time to Google the paper and so I’ve got egg all over my face on this one. Still, it says something when we entertain even the possibility, let alone the likelihood, of any Catholic priest saying such things.
Petrus makes the excellent point that, true or not, Fr Kelly himself is responsible for this report being written. Well said, Petrus!
However, to add my own tuppence-worth (Editrix raises eyebrows), I believe a “theatrical-musical” bent in a priest will lead to a trivialising of the faith.
In recent times, in a large StAnEd parish, a musical priest got together a theatre group. They rehearsed in the church and musical scenes and excerpts from the play would replace the odd hymn or “praise song” at Mass. Eventually play was performed in the sanctuary of the church. I wasn’t present unfortunately.
I did make a comment to one of the “stars” of the show, to the effect that I hoped the Blessed Sacrament had been removed before before the performance, because the sanctuary lamp had burned throughout. The “star” looked at me open-mouthed and couldn’t reply.
Not that I’m overly bothered by these antics: non est hic, with regard to that particular parish.
I should also add that the priest/producer/director was never seen in one iota of clerical garb ever, favouring T-shirts and jeans and a collar and tie, when required to smarten up.
Sarto2010,
On the contrary, my eyebrows are always ONLY raised when Catholics do NOT comment on these scandals, but prefer to keep a low profile in the interests of keeping up appearances – let’s pretend that the new Mass is not allowing priests to perform and feed their pride and ultimately take them to Hell and nobody will be any the wiser. The Father Ray Kellys of this world may be at one extreme end of the spectrum but the majority, in my experience, see themselves as performers in one way or another.
Here’s this priest conducting a wedding – note this is part of the performance only. Who would YOU say is at the centre of this Mass; God or Father Ray Kelly?
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYKwqj5QViQ&w=854&h=480%5D
And please, no tortuous debate on whether or not it is “valid” – who cares? There is just no way in this world that God is pleased with this priest’s attempted Masses.
Editor,
I agree, how on earth could God be happy with this? Unfortunately, some people have lost the Faith to the extent that they love a priest like this. I know of a certain priest in the Archdiocese of Glasgow who is very popular, despite the fact that he caused grave scandal around ten years ago, which was reported in the press! Apparently, he is very funny and has been compared to Graham Norton! I think this shows the extent of this crisis.
Entirely and utterly inappropriate. Such aberrations are largely the fault of the Novus Ordo Mass, because the priests now face their parishioners and many of them like to ‘play to the gallery’ and try to turn the Mass into some kind of ‘entertainment’ for those who do bother to show up. They become so hooked on behaving this way, being the focus of attention, and ‘entertaining’ people, that public performance is the next logical step for them. Fr Ray Kelly is by no means alone in taking this path of vainglory and worldliness. There have been dozens of cases in recent years. Imagine St John Vianney behaving like this.
WF
Well said. I totally agree with your every word. Just thinking of the sacrifices made by great saints and martyrs, and even ordinary humble priests through the ages and in our own times, however few they are today, makes me want to weep. And there are actually Catholics around who will want us to show reverence to this man, call him “Father” blah blah.
Yeah right. Five minutes in a room alone with him, and I will call him everything and anything BUT “Father”. I’m due at Confession anyway…
There’s no business like show business, no business I know!
Good tune.Cecil B. De Mille or some showbiz character from MGM came up with that great one liner.
I remember a famous Psychiatrist on TV who said that 90% of the public like to be in front of an audience..failing that will be only too glad to be in an audience (for anything).
Hence in the New Mass we have Cantors, Eucharistic Ministers and any busybody on a Parish Council doing bidding prayers, childrens liturgy.
Just seen Ed Balls on the telly at the Royal Albert Hall on stage…..he used to be a Labour top tier politician….then there was Strictly Come Dancing.
Go to a modern Christening and you would think you were at Royal Ascot.
Bread and Circuses.
I entirely agree, completely out of place in the church during Mass.
I did actually see his audition on BGT on Saturday and thought he had a nice voice and a gentle persona. More fool me.
If the comments in the Waterford Whisperer are accurate then this man should be defrocked immediately. He is a complete and utter disgrace.
Elizabeth the Waterford Whispers is a joke newspaper it is similar to the Viz !
St Miguel,
How many people will stumble upon that report or have it sent to them, as did I, and not realise that it is a spoof? As Petrus rightly says above, whatever way we look at this, Fr Kelly is responsible for that report and any and all scandal emanating from it.
They fooled a major German newspaper a while back with the riots in a supermarket !
example :-
http://www.thejournal.ie/waterford-whisipers-focus-lidl-2098550-May2015/
Well, when we read of what goes on unchecked at the Vatican, no wonder our rank-and-file parish priests are losing the plot.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5471929/Male-escort-claims-Italian-priests-sent-WhatsApp-penis-pictures.html
Editor,
I vote All of the Above for the poll. As far as I’m concerned, this priest has already left the priesthood. He has about as much reverence for Our Lord, and his vocation, as Francis has for the Church and the Faith.
PS: It seems Scotsmen aren’t the only vulgar men in the UK….
RCA Victor,
This priest is Irish – not from the UK, but your point is well taken. Vulgar men are not exclusive to Scotland!
Fr Ray Kelly’s singing does not end with Britain’s got talent, plus, two albums. He seems to have obtained an invitation to sing in Munich, presumably in 2017. I say presumably, as he sang at an outdoor St Patrick’s Day celebration last year in Munich – that video link I did not copy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LDYwb7qW9A
If he wishes to entertain audiences with his singing, he would be far better to quit the priesthood.
RCA Victor, I agree with your comment about him having as much reverence for Our Lord, his vocation, as Pope Francis has for the Church and the Faith.
With dwindling congregations attending the Novus Ordo Mass from the young to the old, who do not wish to be merely entertained, and want Catholic Tradition and the Traditional Latin Mass – this would make the Saints in Heaven weep.
This worldly attitude emanates from Vatican II, likely with input via The Permanent Instruction of Alta Vendita. If the Cannot be physically destroyed, no better way that to infuse diabolically worldly attitudes.
Theresa Rose
I don’t meant to be horrible or anything but I really don’t think he has a fabulous voice – I mean, not out of the ordinary fabulous – in any case I agree with you; if he wants to sing for a living, he should give up his ministry, because who wants a priest who is overseas entertaining audiences with his singing, mediocre or not, when they are lying on their death bed, in need of the Last Sacraments?
Och, Ed. Just be horrible. You always are to me! Thank the Lord you always apologise profusely later.
Sarto,
How can you say that I’m always horrible to you? What, you think you’re special or something? I’m horrible to EVERYONE!
Just goes to show, though, Sarto – I knew I had enemies here, but I kinda thought you were different, that you’d be loyal to me…. But no. I was right first time – can’t trust anyone on this blog…
https://i.pinimg.com/736x/8e/d7/20/8ed720488bb916795d7241c2dfdff52f.jpg
Hilarious!
Ed so I can sook up to you again I entirely agree . Now personally I also don’t watch any of this Garbage especially if it’s on the BBC which is not watched by me at all except for Match of The Day .Which will be stopped when TV License time comes back round . I honestly don’t think he would have won the Karaoke down at the local Working Men’s Club which is not now a Working Mans Club as all the jobs are gone . But I digress as usual. As it has been said There’s no Business like Show Business and a novelty act is one way to get the punters to watch this rubbish. If am not mistaken am sure that the Docile Public call up on a High Rate number and cast their vote. This to Mr Simon ( certainly not Simple Simon) is win win all the way . The Christians who watch vote for the Priest and the Atheists vote against the Priest. Personally if I didn’t think so deviously I would have put him on the Show just for Show were I the producer. There’s only one big Fly in the ointment here and it is . At the End of The Day He Will Be Judged. At least on the show.
There’s no words to describe the scandal of these “singing priests” including this Fr Kelly.
I just can’t imagine what is in his mind to apply to go on a talent contest programme like Britain’s Got Talent. Wild horses couldn’t drag me onto such a show no matter how musically talented i was (which I’m not, LOL!) I do find it hard to understand how any priest could lower himself to appear on that gaudy, tasteless show. It really demeans the priesthood. It’s all so very sad.
I was gobsmacked by this video. I don’t even know where to begin but this priest is beyond the pale. However, the real shock for me was the congregation: clapping away etc., and some of these people of very old age! Unbelievable. Have they short memories or what? So so sad. May the Lord forgive them all. And us.
Crofterlady
You need to see this one in church at Christmas – packed congregation. I know it will sound uncharitable and judgmental to say this, but watching this priest singing this song in church like a real pro, I feel the pride is oozing out of him. I think he needs serious prayers.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qi1rWRvblFE&w=854&h=480%5D
How sad, how very very sad. Why isn’t his bishop reeling him in, I ask? or am I surprised?……
And, about his voice: it is pleasant, but not exceptional. I wonder if his “fame” is due to the novelty of him being a priest? How awful. And, how many poor souls are out there who desperately need a priest. Now.
Crofterlady,
You got it in one. It’s all about him being a priest. I can’t recall it verbatim, but there’s a most apposite quote from GK Chesterton which is to the effect that almost by instinct the world recognises its own…
The Devil knows how to ensnare souls – especially priestly and religious souls.
Editor, I’ve got several sons and they all say the same: why on earth become one of those emasculated excuses for priests. How tragic.
Crofterlady,
That IS tragic, indeed. They do have a point though – big time. It’s a while since I’ve read the article to follow, but your sons may find it helpful.
http://www.latinmassmagazine.com/articles/articles_emasculation.html
Just to focus briefly on Fr. Kelly’s actual singing, instead of the real tragedy of the disgrace he is to his vocation, (and pardon me for tooting my own horn), but I am a trained musician who’s been in and around choirs and singers for most of my life, and I can say with complete certainty that this priest’s voice is painfully awful. He can’t sing in tune, he has no natural vibrato except for an occasionally forced one, and his diction bears no resemblance whatsoever to that of a professionally trained vocalist. His so-called singing is more accurately described as “bleating.”
Certainly is a telling commentary on the judgment of the judges of “Britain’s Got Talent.” If they think this is talent, they need to find another day job.
The whole sorry episode begs the question: where did this priest get the idea he could sing? What chutzpah!
RCA Victor
That’s very interesting indeed. Thank you for that professional input. Very interesting indeed.
Apologies if I’m veering slightly off topic here. I’m no trained musician, but at last year’s Edinburgh Tattoo I loved that Oriental military lady’s haunting rendition of Leonard Cohen’s ‘Hallelujah’ (much better than Fr. Kelly’s!).
Some people uploaded their own recordings of this onto youtube, alas these are not the best in terms of quality. Anyway, I’d be interested to hear RCA’s take on her singing.
Totally agree. Not musical myself, but I have heard buskers in any subway sound better.Nowadays any noise passes as talent. I cannot find a channel on my car radio that has any listenable music.Rap being the worst…same tune, varying tempo and indistinguishable lyrics ! Novelty Priest act and the the judges rubbing their hands when they think of the profits they can make selling this rubbish to the dumbed down public.
Real music, which lifts your soul is rare…Puccini and O Mio Babbino Caro.
John Barry, Somewhere in Time…..but the public now crave total garbage.
That priest is a total disgrace. I can’t think of anything printable to say about him. I would never attend his Masses or go to him for Confession, ever. What a scandal, an affront to the priesthood.
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