Father James Good, who was banned from preaching and hearing confessions in the late 1960s for publicly challenging the Humanae Vitae (1968) papal encyclical, which banned artificial contraceptives, has said the lack of support from leading Irish theologians at the time "hurt me deeply".
Speaking from the diocese of Turkana, in Kenya, where he has been working for 23 years, Father Good said of the ban, which still stands, that he had expected it to be lifted every day of his life.
The ban was imposed on Father Good by the then Bishop of Cork, Dr Cornelius Lucey, and followed Father Good's assertion that he did not accept that it was a mortal sin for married couples to use artificial contraceptives.
When he retired, Bishop Lucey joined Father Good at the mission in Kenya, where he spent some time working. Throughout all their time together there they never discussed the Humanae Vitae controversy, Father Good said.
A documentary featuring an interview with Father Good, now 75, will be broadcast at 9.15 p.m. on Telefis na Gaeilge, tomorrow night. Subtitles will be in English.
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