Fr Derek, Bray Holy Redeemer

kiwi_40

Anyone know why Father Derek Smyth had to leave Brays Holy Redeemer parish so quick. He said there were issues during mass today. He was a great priest with brilliant sermons. Bray will be a poorer parish without him

homer911

I hear he is being replaced by a priest from Greystones.

I hope this is not something embarassing for the CC.

Coriolanus

Bray People, Wednesday July 22 2009 wrote:

Fr. Derek: Fr. Derek has been appointed to initiate programmes of care working with hospitals and the Office of Evangelization as well as being curate in Foxrock parish and will take effect for September 1st. Every good wish is extended to him in his new ministry.

http://www.braypeople.ie/local-notes/bray-1839612.html



Praise be to Google, for it doth truly know all that occurs in heaven and on earth.

kiwi_40

homer911 wrote: »

I hear he is being replaced by a priest from Greystones.

I hope this is not something embarassing for the CC.

I think he wrote something the CC weren't happy with, thats my guess anyway. Its a pity, he was a great priest, livened things up a bit, which was needed

kiwi_40

He was driven out by people who didnt like him, associated with the church

gerbilgranny

I've just seen this thread now.

I would agree that Derek was a marvellous priest, and I am very sad that he had only one year in the parish, as I believe he had so much to give.

I don't know the ins-and-outs of all that happened, but have heard from many sources that it was a case of the organising group in the parish not being happy that Derek wanted to change some aspects of how things were run. Traditionally, Holy Redeemer has been a parish which is very big on the people-running-the-parish. And it has had a very strong ethos of welcome and inclusivity for as long as I can remember. That's no bad thing at all - and it seemed to me that Derek was carrying on - even furthering - the theme of 'all are welcome, all are valuable in their own right'. It seems to me that might be what Jesus would say, too.

But it also seems that the organising group became so accustomed to doing things a certain way, that they were not happy when the new Parish Priest wanted to make some changes. I would guess that perhaps there were some personality clashes.

I do know that a vast majority of 'the ordinary people' like myself were very fond of Derek, very appreciative of how he was trying to empower the ordinary people, and to show us afresh just how loving God our Father is.

A lot of people were very unhappy that this organising group seemed to take matters into their own hands - and without consulting the 'ordinary people' - the majority - decided to do something about the situation which involved going outside the parish environs - if you know what I mean.

I know one person on the organising group declined to be involved in that action.

We were informed at Mass yesterday that there was an extraordinary meeting of the Parish Management Group on Friday, and a statement will be issued in next week's newsletter, I believe.

Let's hope there is some sort of transparency, and mature debate between all interested parties. I don't think people ever set out to do anything wrong or unwise, but it seemed to turn into a very unfortunate situation, and there is need for healing.

I hope we get to see more of Derek in the future - I believe the new Parish Priest has asked him to consider returning to run some seminars in the future.

kiwi_40

I have heard that since from numerous people so i assume its true. The guy who got up at the end of his last mass and gave a speech about him, dont know who he is but i believe he was one of the main orchestrators to get him out. What a hypocrite, somebody got up and roared at him during his speech, i didnt realise at the time why.

Its a disgrace. He was a great parish preist and he looked visibly upset at the end, also when i shook his hand at the door and said i was really sorry to see him go he was nearly crying.

Im going elsewhere, thats for sure

gerbilgranny

I was told (by someone I would deem reliable, decent, and trustworthy),the exact opposite - that 'the guy who got up and spoke about him at his final Mass' was the ONLY person on the Parish organising group who didn't sign some contentious letter about Derek.

I have no doubt that the man in question thought the world of Derek - and took a stand for what he believed in. I have been impressed by that guy in the past - he strikes me as a man of real integrity, who is doing his best to spread the message of God's love.

I went to Mass in Holy Redeemer this weekend, and was a little disappointed that the statement in the Parish newsletter wasn't clearer. But it has to be said that they stated that the members of the Parish Pastoral Council did not request Fr Derek's removal at any stage - by letter or otherwise.

I think they need to give anyone who is interested the opportunity to hear more, because the rumours and counter-rumours are very harmful.

Lono

The truth is this. Fr Derek was ran out of Bray by a lynch mob that is the PPC.
They didn't like him from day 1, they saw him as a threat to their power. The truth will come out at some point, its not for me to say what happened but it will come out sooner or later.

kiwi_40

Thats the general consensus alright and I believe it. Its a disgrace

gerbilgranny

kiwi_40 wrote: »

He was a great priest with brilliant sermons. Bray will be a poorer parish without him

Those exact words are now on the front page of this week's 'Bray People' - attributed to 'a local'. Congrats kiwi_40 - your statement has made front page news!

The article also quotes part of what was said in the parish newsletter this week, and I'm wondering if they also used this as a source:

gerbilgranny wrote: »

I believe the new Parish Priest has asked him to consider returning to run some seminars in the future.

kiwi_40

gerbilgranny wrote: »

Those exact words are now on the front page of this week's 'Bray People' - attributed to 'a local'. Congrats kiwi_40 - your statement has made front page news!

The article also quotes part of what was said in the parish newsletter this week, and I'm wondering if they also used this as a source:

The gas thing is. I was reading the Bray people online before i got your post here and thought that the quote sounded very like me but didnt think much more. Then your post came in to confirm it. Im a famous local now. Would you believe they never paid me for using my qoute, desperate