Father Michael McCaughey thanked parishioners in Clonleigh for their “spirit of kindness and solidarity” in the days since Fr Edward Gallagher was arrested and then charged.
He addressed the matter at Easter Sunday mass this morning.
Gallagher (58) appeared via videolink at a court sitting in Dungannon on Saturday, where he was charged that between April 2 and April 17 he attempted to sexually communicate with a child under 16.
In a widely-circulated video, Gallagher is seen being approached and challenged by a group of so-called paedophile hunters.
Gallagher works as a curate in the Clonleigh, Camus and Leckpatrick parishes.
Since his arrest, he has been suspended from ministry by the Diocese of Derry, which has commenced an internal investigation.
The Easter Sunday Mass at St Patrick’s Church in Clonleigh parish, Lifford, was taken by Fr McCaughey this morning.
Towards the end of the mass, after the liturgy of the Eucharist, Fr McCaughey asked the congregation to sit, while he spoke about the “very difficult few days” for the parish.
He read out a statement from the Diocese of Derry, reiterating Fr Gallagher’s arrest and charge.
Fr McCaughey then spoke on “a personal level and a local level” on behalf of himself and parish priest Fr Declan Boland.
“We acknowledge the pain, the hurt, the disappointment of the past 48 or 72 hours. This is difficult, this is alarming, this is unnerving, this is disturbing,” he told parishioners.
He added: “This is so disturbing for people and parishioners of all ages, and it is so difficult for priests. I can say that very honestly.
“I left the back door of the church in Strabane this morning to begin the quarter to ten mass, it struck me of what a few days it has been, Holy Thursday afternoon to this morning.
“It’s bee...
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