Father Peter McVerry

take everything · 25-05-2014 06:48PM #1

Just reading a bit more about this guy in today's papers and he is IMO a living legend (to use a much misused term)
Largely unsung in the media but just quietly doing great work (with the homeless) just because that's what he wants to do.
He is the antithesis of most of the spoofers in modern Irish life:
Keen intelligence (apparently he could've done a PhD if he wanted) combined with genuine compassion, without looking for recognition.
(Thought about posting to Legends of the Boards but apparently that's just for boardsies).

*awaits "brool story co"/"I had pizza for tea" etc.

catallus · 25-05-2014 06:52PM

I had coco-pops for tea.

This guy obviously has his heart in the right place but he has been corrupted by those he seeks to help; his acquiescence over time is natural but the hole in which the poor are dumped by society must be filled not with compassion but with justice.

fran17 · 25-05-2014 06:53PM

yes indeed a fantastic man and one of thousands of clergy who do work like this on a daily basis.sadly though its not popular anymore to say anything positive about religious people

Nib · 25-05-2014 06:55PM

Go away Peter.

A Dub in Glasgo · 25-05-2014 06:56PM

I used to help out his charity in the late 1980's in Ballymun, great person

Tail Docker · 25-05-2014 06:58PM

A Dub in Glasgo wrote: »

I used to help out his charity in the late 1980's in Ballymun, great person

Self praise is no praise.

:D

25-05-2014 06:59PM

The word hero is thrown around a lot these days, but he's one of the few who deserves the description. A selfless, altruistic, hero of a man. My gran knew him in the 90's, she holds him in the highest regard.

A Dub in Glasgo · 25-05-2014 07:00PM

Tail Docker wrote: »

Self praise is no praise. :D

I know, it was only a small bit on my part :P

Tail Docker · 25-05-2014 07:01PM

I've an awful lot of time for him, he's what fits my idea of a "priest". If only there were a few more of the same mindset. My old fella was friendly with him years ago, and reckoned he was a good person.

steddyeddy · 25-05-2014 07:04PM

I had the honour of meeting him once. A genuinely nice human being.

Lou.m · 25-05-2014 07:43PM

take everything wrote: »

Just reading a bit more about this guy in today's papers and he is IMO a living legend (to use a much misused term)
Largely unsung in the media but just quietly doing great work (with the homeless) just because that's what he wants to do.
He is the antithesis of most of the spoofers in modern Irish life:
Keen intelligence (apparently he could've done a PhD if he wanted) combined with genuine compassion, without looking for recognition.
(Thought about posting to Legends of the Boards but apparently that's just for boardsies).

*awaits "brool story co"/"I had pizza for tea" etc.

I volunteered to do some work in the prison he ministered in and met him a few times . HE IS AMAZING. Behind the saint is exactly that a saint ....he is intuitive and has helped many people whom society turned its back on. He is really made a difference.

Those of you mocking this thread or him obviously never met him and have no idea of the sheer quantity of people he has helped. He seems to have never ending patience and never ending unconditional love.

I could never be even one tenth as good and as stoic as that man.

Lou.m · 25-05-2014 07:46PM

Also....

I played Jesus at an easter service he gave in mountjoy prison once. ....not kidding...I'm a girl

Great that it was done for a good cause an all....but that was TRIPPY!

jc4517 · 25-05-2014 07:50PM

Spent a week with him in 4th year going around the hostels and Ballymun. The cliché "eye-opener" is appropriate.

dxhound2005 · 25-05-2014 07:50PM

take everything wrote: »

Just reading a bit more about this guy in today's papers and he is IMO a living legend (to use a much misused term)
Largely unsung in the media but just quietly doing great work (with the homeless) just because that's what he wants to do.
He is the antithesis of most of the spoofers in modern Irish life:
Keen intelligence (apparently he could've done a PhD if he wanted) combined with genuine compassion, without looking for recognition.
(Thought about posting to Legends of the Boards but apparently that's just for boardsies).

*awaits "brool story co"/"I had pizza for tea" etc.

There could be hundreds or even thousands of people doing equally good work who you never heard of. Whatever else about him he is not unsung in the media. As proven by you being able to read about him in today's paper and me hearing him on the radio every second day. He is probably only second behind Father Brian Darcy when it comes to priests who are famous.

Not necessarily a bad thing but unless his fame helps the causes he is involved in then why pursue it.

Ellie2008 · 25-05-2014 07:53PM

catallus wrote: »

I had coco-pops for tea.

This guy obviously has his heart in the right place but he has been corrupted by those he seeks to help; his acquiescence over time is natural but the hole in which the poor are dumped by society must be filled not with compassion but with justice.

What?! How has he been corrupted exactly?! By having empathy for the poor and prisoners and drug addicts, if that's what you term corruption sign me up!

Reformed Character · 25-05-2014 07:54PM

A wonderful individual, not perfect (he is a Roman Catholic Priest), one hesitates to think how bad things would be for the homeless and hopeless were not for him.

fran17 · 25-05-2014 07:59PM

upyores wrote: »

A wonderful individual, not perfect (he is a Roman Catholic Priest), one hesitates to think how bad things would be for the homeless and hopeless were not for him.

took 16 posts before the catholic church bashing began:eek:

Shakespeare's Sister · 25-05-2014 08:01PM

Lou.m wrote: »

Those of you mocking this thread or him

Seems to be resounding praise so far, bar two people (who weren't even being that damning of him).

Although the cynical-for-the-sake-of-it few are on their way no doubt.

Shakespeare's Sister · 25-05-2014 08:03PM

fran17 wrote: »

took 16 posts before the catholic church bashing began:eek:

And he's a shining example of what a catholic priest should be doing, making the whingeing all the more illogical.

Ellie2008 · 25-05-2014 08:03PM

dxhound2005 wrote: »

There could be hundreds or even thousands of people doing equally good work who you never heard of. Whatever else about him he is not unsung in the media. As proven by you being able to read about him in today's paper and me hearing him on the radio every second day. He is probably only second behind Father Brian Darcy when it comes to priests who are famous.

Not necessarily a bad thing but unless his fame helps the causes he is involved in then why pursue it.

I'm sure he does it to get publicity so he can raise money on the back of it, he is promoting and passionate about making things better for homeless people.

Shakespeare's Sister · 25-05-2014 08:06PM

He is a very eloquent, impassioned speaker, which is why radio presenters/producers like him being on their shows.

Publicity is obviously important for a lot of his projects, like Merchants Quay.

arybvtcw0eolkf · 25-05-2014 08:10PM

A Dub in Glasgo wrote: »

I used to help out his charity in the late 1980's in Ballymun, great person

We must have crossed paths in that case.

I remember him well, himself and one or two lads would drop into us in 'the sheds' (Balcurris) and chat about stuff (which I won't go into here).

I never could figure what gave him the strength to never lose hope with us, despite a raft of OD's.. He'd come to funeral's with us, come back to the flats/sheds for chats about the deceased.

Absolutely brilliant man.

dxhound2005 · 25-05-2014 08:12PM

Magaggie wrote: »

He is a very eloquent, impassioned speaker, which is why radio presenters/producers like him being on their shows.

Publicity is obviously important for a lot of his projects, like Merchants Quay.

There is only the one pot from which to fund all the good causes. I would worry that the ones that get the publicity would gain at the expense of the genuinely unsung ones which don't have media friendly spokespersons.

RobbingBandit · 25-05-2014 08:13PM

Nice guy, he has turned a lot of peoples lives around for the better.

catallus · 25-05-2014 08:24PM

Ellie2008 wrote: »

What?! How has he been corrupted exactly?! By having empathy for the poor and prisoners and drug addicts, if that's what you term corruption sign me up!

I meant it in the nicest possible way!

I'm sure all the good work he does helps those in need, kudos deserved.

But there is the argument that he has been at the coalface for so long that his virtues have become twisted by the malevolence of those he so eagerly helps. Too much suffering makes a stone of the heart, but the obverse is true too: too much empathy can cause those in need to believe that their subsistence is sustainable; it isn't, at least not without making those who are more fortunate bear the burden.

Father Peter McVerry

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