Paul KeenanFr Seán Fagan of the Marist community, who died on July 15, has been described as “a dedicated priest and a scholarly man” by a fellow cleric.
Speaking to The Irish Catholic this week on learning of the passing of the theologian, Fr Seán MacDonagh said that in addition to being “a priest popular for his pastoral skills, Fr Seán had been “a first-class theologian”.
This was a sentiment echoed by Ireland’s former president Mary McAleese who described Fr Seán as “a brilliant theologian and thinker who brought great distinction to Ireland”.
“I hope,” Fr MacDonagh said, “that he is honoured in his passing for what he tried to achieve.”
Difficulties
In this, Fr MacDonagh was referencing Fr Seán’s later difficulties with Rome, arising from his writings on conscience and sexual morality. In 2004 he was censured by the Irish bishops for his book Does Morality Change? In 2008, after the publication of his Whatever Happened to Sin?, Fr Seán was censured by Rome itself. In 2012, he was one of five Irish priests silenced by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. This and all sanctions against Fr Seán were lifted by Pope Francis in 2014.
Seán Fagan was born in Mullingar, Co. Westmeath in 1927. He entered the Marist Novitiate in Milltown in 1945, after which he held numerous varied appointments, including teaching at Milltown, Mater Dei and All Hallows. An accomplished writer, Fr Seán authored and collaborated on many books and articles.