A politician has said it is a "backwards step" to drop him as a reader at Mass due his party's views on abortion and same-sex marriage.
Ken Curtin, who was a candidate for the Social Democrats in February's general election, said he had been told his name had been removed from the list of lectors at St Colman's Cathedral in Cobh.
He said he has requested a meeting with Bishop William Crean of Cloyne.
"I am hopeful that the meeting will take place," he said.
Mr Curtin said he was told by cathedral administrator Fr John McCarthy there was a discrepancy between someone sharing God's word from the altar and being a member of a party which supports the repeal of the Eighth Amendment of the Republic's constitution, which refers to the equal right to life of the mother and unborn.
He added that he had not been banned from going to Mass or receiving Communion.
He told RTÉ it would be a "backwards step" to exclude people who supported same-sex marriage or a referendum on abortion.
