Father Donat Gionet, a Catholic priest in Caraquet who was relieved of duties for anti-gay and anti-abortion comments in recent sermons, told CBC Wednesday he was merely teaching church doctrine.

Gionet, 85, gave a series of sermons at numerous churches around the Acadian Peninsula about what he considered to be evils eating away at the Catholic Church, including abortion and homosexuality.

The sermons took place the weekend of Moncton’s Aug. 21 pride parade. MORE