A Catholic priest made a bizarre comment about Jesus Christ but somehow managed to save his job.

According to the British paper The Times, Father Thomas McHale claimed that the son of God had an erection when he died. He reportedly made the remark while addressing a congregation of worshippers and believers in the United Kingdom.

Father Thomas McHale, who is an American, had to undergo an investigation after he delivered the controversial sermon during Easter weekend which left nearly 100 parishioners at Our Blessed Lady Immaculate in County Durham shocked, reported&nbsp;The Times.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/florida-priest-bites-woman-in-church-heres-what-happened-725310">Florida priest accused of biting woman in church during mass. Here’s what happened</a>

“He told people Jesus died with an erection,” said a churchgoer, while speaking to the news outlet. “The church was shocked. There were young families there," he added.

<h2>Priest blames violent execution method for erection&nbsp;</h2>

The 53-year-old reverend, during the sermon, explained that the death of Jesus Christ is likely to have occurred because of an erection which may have been triggered by the violent execution method subjected to him.&nbsp;

He allegedly said that when Christ was hung on the crucifix, blood would have rushed to his lower body and led to the erection.

As per some studies, post-mortem erections are commonly found in corpses of men who have died because of hanging or other forms of suffocation, like crucifixion.

Although it remains a mystery if Jesus went through the same human response, the diocese of Hexham &amp; Newcastle called the speculation inappropriate for Easter services.

Watch:&nbsp;Gravitas: Pope Francis apologizes after homophobic slur

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-pope-francis-apologizes-after-homophobic-slur-726439/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

“A complaint was received and has been investigated in keeping with our diocesan complaints policy. The investigation has been very recently completed and the complaint is upheld,” said a spokesperson for the diocese, while speaking to The Times.

“Father McHale has accepted that his words were inappropriate and has apologised. He remains in post as parish priest," he added.

(With inputs from agencies)

A Catholic priest made a bizarre comment about Jesus Christ but somehow managed to save his job. According to the British paper The Times, Father Thomas McHale claimed that the son of God had an erection when he died.

A Catholic priest made a bizarre comment about Jesus Christ but somehow managed to save his job. According to the British paper The Times, Father Thomas McHale claimed that the son of God had an erection when he died. He reportedly made the remark while addressing a congregation of worshippers and believers in the United Kingdom. Father Thomas McHale, who is an American, had to undergo an investigation after he delivered the controversial sermon during Easter weekend which left nearly 100 parishioners at Our Blessed Lady Immaculate in County Durham shocked, reported The Times. Also Read: Florida priest accused of biting woman in church during mass. Here’s what happened “He told people Jesus died with an erection,” said a churchgoer, while speaking to the news outlet. “The church was shocked. There were young families there," he added. Priest blames violent execution method for erection The 53-year-old reverend, during the sermon, explained that the death of Jesus Christ is likely to have occurred because of an erection which may have been triggered by the violent execution method subjected to him. He allegedly said that when Christ was hung on the crucifix, blood would have rushed to his lower body and led to the erection. As per some studies, post-mortem erections are commonly found in corpses of men who have died because of hanging or other forms of suffocation, like crucifixion. Although it remains a mystery if Jesus went through the same human response, the diocese of Hexham & Newcastle called the speculation inappropriate for Easter services. Watch: Gravitas: Pope Francis apologizes after homophobic slur “A complaint was received and has been investigated in keeping with our diocesan complaints policy. The investigation has been very recently completed and the complaint is upheld,” said a spokesperson for the diocese, while speaking to The Times. “Father McHale has accepted that his words were inappropriate and has apologised. He remains in post as parish priest," he added. (With inputs from agencies)

'Jesus died with an erection', Catholic priest tells worshippers, and then this happened

The young Egyptian imam who survived the Sinai mosque massacre that killed 305 people vowed Sunday from his hospital bed to go back and resume the sermon he never finished.

Mohammed Abdel Fattah, 26, was delivering the Friday sermon at the North Sinai Rawda mosque when blasts erupted.

&quot;I was only two minutes into my sermon when I heard two explosions outside the mosque, and then I saw worshippers running in horror,&quot; he said.

&quot;Then people entered the mosque and began firing at everyone who was still standing,&quot; the preacher said from his hospital bed in the Nile Delta town of Al-Husayniya.

Abdel Fattah -- who has been imam for two years at the Rawda mosque frequented by Sufis -- said his sermon on that tragic day was about &quot;Mohammed, the prophet of humanity&quot;.

The imam fell from the raised minbar, or pulpit when the attack broke out and was trampled by worshippers who tried to flee the carnage.

And when he hit the ground, people stepped over him, before the bodies of those shot by the attackers piled on top of him, pinning him down and preventing him from lifting his head to see what was going on.

&quot;As soon as the shooting started I fell. I didn&#39;t see or feel anything except for the two or three bloodied bodies that fell on top of me,&quot; he said.

Among the first casualties was 62-year-old Fathy Ismail, the mosque&#39;s muezzin who called the faithful to prayer.

Authorities said up to 30 militants in camouflage clothing and flying the black banner of the Islamic State group surrounded the mosque and opened fire on the faithful during the main weekly prayers.

Abdel Fattah suffered bruising, but his health appears to be improving and he hopes to be back on his feet to continue the sermon that was brutally interrupted.

&quot;If my health allows it, I will return next Friday week (to Rawda mosque) and finish my sermon,&quot; he said.

A frame bearing Koranic verses hangs above his hospital bed.

The imam said it was a gift he received from a visiting delegation of Coptic Christians the day after Friday&#39;s attack.

The attack is thought to have been carried out by the jihadist Islamic State group because the mosque is associated with followers of the mystical Sufi branch of Sunni Islam.

IS has branded Sufis heretics for seeking the intercession of saints.

&quot;About a year ago, we heard rumours concerning threats against people who organise celebrations for the birth of Prophet Mohammed,&quot; Abdel Fattah said on Sunday.

The imam declined to say whether he, himself, belonged to the Sufi community.

&quot;I am a servant of God and his Prophet,&quot; he said when asked about his faith.

Five members of his family were by his bedside, including his 65-year-old father Abdel Fattah Mahmoud, a retired sheikh from Cairo&#39;s Al-Azhar, Egypt&#39;s highest institution of Sunni Islam.

Mahmoud said he had tried to persuade his son from going to work in North Sinai, a restive region, but then he recalled a Koranic verse that says no one will die unless it is God&#39;s will.

Egypt&#39;s North Sinai-based IS branch has killed hundreds of policemen and soldiers, as well as civilians accused of working with the authorities, since the July 2013 ouster of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi.

&quot;Not only is Sufism under threat, but all of Islam and the whole of the Arab region is under threat,&quot; said Mahmoud.

His son&#39;s survival &quot;is a blessed miracle&quot;, he added.

Mohammed Abdel Fattah, 26, was delivering the Friday sermon at the North Sinai Rawda mosque when it was attacked

The young Egyptian imam who survived the Sinai mosque massacre that killed 305 people vowed Sunday from his hospital bed to go back and resume the sermon he never finished. Mohammed Abdel Fattah, 26, was delivering the Friday sermon at the North Sinai Rawda mosque when blasts erupted. "I was only two minutes into my sermon when I heard two explosions outside the mosque, and then I saw worshippers running in horror," he said. "Then people entered the mosque and began firing at everyone who was still standing," the preacher said from his hospital bed in the Nile Delta town of Al-Husayniya. Abdel Fattah -- who has been imam for two years at the Rawda mosque frequented by Sufis -- said his sermon on that tragic day was about "Mohammed, the prophet of humanity". The imam fell from the raised minbar, or pulpit when the attack broke out and was trampled by worshippers who tried to flee the carnage. And when he hit the ground, people stepped over him, before the bodies of those shot by the attackers piled on top of him, pinning him down and preventing him from lifting his head to see what was going on. "As soon as the shooting started I fell. I didn't see or feel anything except for the two or three bloodied bodies that fell on top of me," he said. Among the first casualties was 62-year-old Fathy Ismail, the mosque's muezzin who called the faithful to prayer. Authorities said up to 30 militants in camouflage clothing and flying the black banner of the Islamic State group surrounded the mosque and opened fire on the faithful during the main weekly prayers. Abdel Fattah suffered bruising, but his health appears to be improving and he hopes to be back on his feet to continue the sermon that was brutally interrupted. "If my health allows it, I will return next Friday week (to Rawda mosque) and finish my sermon," he said. A frame bearing Koranic verses hangs above his hospital bed. The imam said it was a gift he received from a visiting delegation of Coptic Christians the day after Friday's attack. The attack is thought to have been carried out by the jihadist Islamic State group because the mosque is associated with followers of the mystical Sufi branch of Sunni Islam. IS has branded Sufis heretics for seeking the intercession of saints. "About a year ago, we heard rumours concerning threats against people who organise celebrations for the birth of Prophet Mohammed," Abdel Fattah said on Sunday. The imam declined to say whether he, himself, belonged to the Sufi community. "I am a servant of God and his Prophet," he said when asked about his faith. Five members of his family were by his bedside, including his 65-year-old father Abdel Fattah Mahmoud, a retired sheikh from Cairo's Al-Azhar, Egypt's highest institution of Sunni Islam. Mahmoud said he had tried to persuade his son from going to work in North Sinai, a restive region, but then he recalled a Koranic verse that says no one will die unless it is God's will. Egypt's North Sinai-based IS branch has killed hundreds of policemen and soldiers, as well as civilians accused of working with the authorities, since the July 2013 ouster of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi. "Not only is Sufism under threat, but all of Islam and the whole of the Arab region is under threat," said Mahmoud. His son's survival "is a blessed miracle", he added.

Egypt mosque massacre: Imam vows to return to finish sermon

sermon

Sermon, News on Sermon, stories on Sermon, articles on Sermon, Sermon stories at Wion, Sermon news, Sermon latest news