Our Story So Far: It was only last May that parents clamored to get their children into Park Slope's desirable St. Saviour elementary school, led for 26 years by beloved Principal James Flanagan.
Cue to the dark cloud swooping over the smiling faces . . . in the form of Pastor Daniel S. Murphy, a relative newcomer. On May 11, Fr. Murphy sent a memo to the teachers at St. Saviour informing them that Principal Flanagan was being let go as of June.
Chaos ensued. Teachers cried in the halls, parents (who had just dropped off their deposits) attempted to have a meeting with Fr. Murphy, but were refused. Letters and calls went unanswered. Parents held protest marches, prayer vigils, sent letters to the press, started St. Saviour Preservation Society and a web site, and sent letters to the Bishop and superintendent.
Fr. Murphy told the Brooklyn Eagle that the firing was in accordance with the Bishop's long-term vision of the future. The Bishop, however, distanced himself, saying that the Pastor was totally and singly in charge of his parish, hiring and firing.
Fr. Murphy quickly appointed a new principal, parish insider Maura Lorenzen. Lorenzen, recently a well-regarded co-director at Congregation Beth Elohim’s Early Childhood Center, has said nothing since starting her new job, as protests continue to swirl around her.
According to the Eagle, accusations that Lorenzen is plotting with Fr. Murphy to hike tuition or even dump the school and rent the property to the City for use as a public charter school have been aired. (Fr. Murphy denies the latter.)
Mr. Flanagan appealed to the Diocese. He won his appeal, but apparently that carries no weight.
Our Story Today:
Now the Brooklyn Eagle reports that Fr. Murphy has turned down a mediator's recommendation that Principal Flanagan return to St. Saviour for one more year, this time as a co-principal.
Father Murphy told the Brooklyn Eagle on Friday "that he has indeed declined to have Flanagan return as a co-principal," but "did not elaborate on his reasons."
Meanwhile, some parishioners are leaving St. Saviour to attend Mass at another church. Others are diverting money from the collection basket. More parent protests are planned.
Can it get any weirder? Can Fr. Murphy possibly screw the situation up any more than he has?
And about the Diocese of Brooklyn -- They have the power to close a school, to combine schools into academies, to hire and fire pastors. Can they really claim they have absolutely no influence over Fr. Murphy?
As they fiddle, Rome burns.
Mediator's Solution Rejected Brooklyn Eagle
Parents Still Protest Brooklyn Eagle
Catholic Parents Protest Firing of Beloved Principal Brooklyn Eagle
- St. Saviour Principal Speaks McBrooklyn
- The Trouble at St. Saviour McBrooklyn
- New Principal of St. Saviour OTBKB
- Proposed Tuition Increases May Be Issue OTBKB
Brooklyn Bishop Lets Pastor Fire Principal Brooklyn Paper
Go to McBrooklyn's HOME PAGE.
You're only reporting one side of this story.
ReplyDeletethis, not at all, reads one sided.......it is giving a fair account of whet ensued.......
ReplyDeletePerhaps you can get Fr. Murphy to actually give his side of the story. Of course that implies he answer some questions as well and stop hiding like has done so far. We'd love to hear it. Can you make that happen?
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ReplyDeleteJoan....Danny....Rita or whatever you may call yoursely this time....the persecution of Saint Saviours has been caused by Father Murphy...perhaps if you were an actual parishioner for many years you would stop drinking that Kool-Aid and realize the unnecessary damage caused by Father Murphy simply because he couldn't bully Mr. Flanagana and wanted to give his good friend a job. Father Murphy should realize the division he alone has caused and move on as he did at Holy Child Jesus.
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ReplyDeleteWhy doesn't the Diocese step in and either support Fr. Murphy or support Mr. Flanagan?
ReplyDeleteIt seems to me there are 2 ways to answer that. The diocese has supported Fr. Murphy by not usurping his authority and/or the diocese has faith in our faith to work it out. Either way, thank you Bishop DiMarzio.
ReplyDeleteI was a student at St. Saviours when MR Flanigan first began an am appalled at the way this is all being carried out. Although faith could play a part, all conflicts have been resolved throughout the world with:
ReplyDelete1. Both parties being honest, THY SHALL NOT LIE.
2. Understanding each other, HONOUR THY NEIGHBOR as you would yourself.
3. In the good interest of those concerned, THE CHILDREN ARE OUR FUTURE
and most importantly
4. Not for economical interests to gain. GREED is a capital sin.
We must practice what we preach. There's the faith we al quote.
It would sadden me to think that St. Savoiurs was closed due to personal gain or conflicts that could not be resolved.
"Joan" - you really are full of it. You don't have a side to your story. You are not a parent - what value to you even bring to this discussion other than mocking people who care about a great school. In addition to not having a clue, thanks for praising Bishop DiMarzio and implying he is comfortable with allowing a situation that completely undermines his "Preserving the Vision" plan. As you know, since you are Fr. Murphy's only supporter on this, that Fr. Murphy never enters the school because it "drains" him. And on the only parent function I recall him attending, a back to school night in 2005, he said "Studies show no one sends their children to Catholic School for the religious education." Now read the Tablet from Sunday and we'll see where Bishop DiMarzio stands.
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ReplyDeleteJoan
ReplyDelete"We are church and because of our faith we do things differently than the world does. Our faith doesn't make us perfect. It calls us look more deeply into our actions and to try to view them as God would and as to how they affect our brothers and sisters."
Now that would have have been a novel approach, but not the one taken here.
"The appalling way all this is being carried out is a war and only one side is warring."
That is because Fr. Murphy wishes this to just go away and not be required to answer for anything. I am not exactly sure why you find a group of people trying to hold someone accountable appalling. We don't believe him and we don't trust him anymore. Get over it.
In all the sensational press, angry blogs and one "preservation society's" site, I have not seen, read or heard Fr. Murphy detract from Mr. Flanagan's character nor has he spoken against his detractors. In fact, he has refused to betray the privacy of an employee."
No, he just makes refernces to 6 pges of doucmented issues that implies he has some sort of cause and then hides behind the privacy issue as if everyone is to simply believe his refernce. Now That's appaling.
"Fr. Murphy has been a dioscesan priest for 39 years. Because he is a priest he's made a life long committment to celibacy. That is a huge committment to practicing what one preaches."
You are trying to make an correlation that quantity equates to quality. I really don't wish to burst your little bubble, but the two are mutually exclusive. Your argument basically amounts to "Fr. Murphy is a life long priest, therfore right, and who are we to question him". That is totally baseless.
Please stop trying to imply we are somehow bad Catholics for not believing in him and questing him like you have some sort of moral authority over us. You don't and as of right now, neither does Fr. Murphy. And that will not change with his current positions.
Anonymous #6
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ReplyDeleteJoan (Danny). What Mr. Flanagan deserves is to have the opportunity to finish his career with grace and dignity that he has earned over the last 40+ years he has dedicated himself to Catholic education. You call for silence concerning his non-renewal because you know that the truth will show that Father Murphy's decision was based on unsubstantiated and false allegations and cronyism.
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ReplyDeleteJoan - once again you submit misinformation, I guess that is all you have. Mr. Flanagan's situation is obviously not private, although I know why you wish it was based on the actions of Fr. Murphy. Once again you fail to bring any specifics to this debate - you are tedious. When I used to argue nonsense like you, my mother used to tell me "that and a subway token will get you on the subway." Thanks for your concern that a 63 year old man was fired unjustly, with little prospect of finding similar employment again. And all he did was have 80% more students enrolled than the next highest enrolled school in the cluster. I'm sure Fr. Dan is thinking about that when he's driving around in his Acura.
ReplyDeleteJoan - once again you submit misinformation, I guess that is all you have. Mr. Flanagan's situation is obviously not private, although I know why you wish it was based on the actions of Fr. Murphy. Once again you fail to bring any specifics to this debate - you are tedious. When I used to argue nonsense like you, my mother used to tell me "that and a subway token will get you on the subway." Thanks for your concern that a 63 year old man was fired unjustly, with little prospect of finding similar employment again. And all he did was have 80% more students enrolled than the next highest enrolled school in the cluster. I'm sure Fr. Dan is thinking about that when he's driving around in his Acura.
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ReplyDeleteJoan....your mother was right when you ran home to tell her of your decision and she told you that you were not worthy. I guess a mother's intuition is always right.
ReplyDeleteIn any other institution Principal Flanagan would be planning his last year or two as principal, working with the pastor on succession issues, and getting ready for the big awards dinner, gold watch and proclamation by Marty Markowitz of "Principal Flanagan" Day. What horrible management skills Fr. Murphy exhibited! To bring this all upon himself and his once-peaceful parish!
ReplyDeletePeace and abundant blessings on both commentors prior to this one.
ReplyDeleteGod bless Bishop Di Marzio, Fr. Murphy, St. Saviours, poor Mr. Flanagan......and,
Call 718-768-2560 for a 3 minute homily from the church-sanctioned St. Saviours.
I am sure our good Bishop DiMarzio has read about what happened in Scranton, PA and understands that the Vatican does not take to kindly to Diocese looking to close schools. Father Murphy and his Pastoral Council cannot deny that they explored the possibility of closing SSES and turning it into a City Charter School. Perhaps SSES can become a high-end day care instead. Either way, it has now been made clear that Rome does not appreciate is Diocese and parishes closing Catholic Schools even when they are financially challenged. Imagine how it would appear when a thriving, successful and financially viable school is closed. So yes, God bless Bishop DiMarzio and may God guide him to right the wrongs which have occured at the hands of Father Murphy.
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ReplyDeleteAs in 1 of my responses to you elsewhere, John, NOT ONE POSITIVE STATEMENT ANYWHERE IN YOUR COMMENT above. Even your blessing at the end is against Fr. Murphy instead of for Mr. Flanagan. I would know your poisonous keyboard anywhere now.
ReplyDeleteAbundant blessings on the 1 person, John h, who has made EVERY prior comment that responds to me -joan.
Peace, John.
God bless Bishop Di Marzio, Fr. Murphy, St. Saviours, Mr. Flanagan......and,
Call 718-768-2560 for a 3 minute homily from the bona fide St. Saviours.
Sorry Joan. I wish I had posted the earlier comment and that I was Elvis on YouTube. Instead, I actually post under the same two names (unlike you who only recently began using the Joan Moore ficticious name). Sorry to disappoint you. And, Peace Joan.
ReplyDelete+
ReplyDeleteJoan/Grace/brooklynobserver just needs a little time to realize that it's not really a great idea on Labor Day to send people to a homily line done by a pastor who fired a 63 year old man who most likely will not be working again in a senior capacity. So go ahead, call the homily line to hear from someone who barely talks a Catholic line, let alone acts it.
ReplyDeleteHi All,
ReplyDeleteSo sorry about such chaos and upsetment at St. Saviour's for the parents, Mr. Flanagan and Fr. Murphy. Going back and forth with how wrong this all is doesn't seem to be solving anything or bearing any good fruit. And while at times venting is necessary, slander is not appropriate from either side. It just adds fuel to an already hot fire.
Not attending Mass at St. Saviour's or withholding your envelopes due to this situation out of anger, spite or retaliation seems to be self destructive. After all, this is and has been your parish for years, so while trying to get back at Fr. Murphy, you will in actuality, be letting your parish go down the tubes. If any one of us doesn't like President Obama and what he's doing, are we leaving the USA? While that is not the best analogy, I think you get the idea.
This principal issue is a done deal. The new principal is in and it is best to support her so that she can keep the school going at its very best.
I will keep you all in prayer - both sides. And by the way, Joan Moore is using her real name. I remember her from the times I'd gone to St. Andrew's. I am from OLHC.
All the best - Linda Maran-
Thanks Linda. Unfortunately, since you are not an actual member of our Parish it is difficult for you to understand what has happened and why we are fighting. If you were from Holy Child Jesus you would understand what it is like to have your Parish completely fractured as a result of one person. Parishioners now fight parishioners. Not much of a shepherd here at Saint Saviour. We are not trying to get back at Father Murphy, we are instead looking to heal our parish under new leadership. Also, if memory serves, you posted on OTBKB and both you and your husband stated that you were good friends of Father Murphy. It appears only the good friends of Father Murphy, who are not members of our Parish, seem to know what is best for our Parish.
ReplyDeleteHi John,
ReplyDeleteNo, I don't know what's best for your parish or any other parish. I do not have any answers or suggestions except to pray about this. This is not about taking sides,as hard as that might be to believe. It's about placing the situation in God's hands now. You say you want to heal the parish under new leadership. So in other words, you want a new pastor. But that's up to the Bishop, correct? And if that doesn't happen, then what?
You're right, I'm not an actual member of the parish or of Holy Child Jesus. There have been quite a number of pastors assigned to Holy Child over the years. Many times it's difficult to match a pastor to a parish and its spirituality, but it doesn't mean the pastor or the people are at fault.
All I'm trying to say is that I feel badly about this whole situation and I do hope it can be resolved amicably and in a Christian fashion for everyone involved. I guess we'll see how it turns out in the upcoming weeks. Prayers to all. Linda-
Please continue to pray for all of us Linda. Our Parish unfortunately needs it as we are fractured and divided. I am sure that, given your friendship to Father Murphy, Rita Lavin, Mike and Grace Sapienza and others from Saint Andrew, you are well aware that the issues at Holy Child Jesus went far beyond "matching a pastor to a parish and its spirituality." Some would say it went at least a million beyond that. Suffice is to say, our Shepherd's actions have resulted in him losing a good portion of his flock and he is incapable of uniting and healing the Parish. A new pastor is needed to ensure the future of Saint Saviour Parish and I remain confident that Bishop DiMarzio realizes that change is both warranted and necessary.
ReplyDeleteLinda - leaving injustice alone is not an option, as is "moving on" from injustice. We all appreciate the prayers, but allowing Fr. Murphy to continue will result in much greater damage than continuing to let destroy the fabric of the community. According to the Brooklyn Eagle story, the Diocese asked for this to resolved amicably through mediation and was rejected by the pastor.
ReplyDeleteHi again,
ReplyDeleteI don't know the details of anything from Holy Child, but this is about St. Saviour's. Anonymous, please keep in mind that newspaper articles are not always correct in their reporting. Their job is to sell papers;I'm a writer and I've seen it. The only people who know all the facts are Fr. Murphy, James Flanagan and perhaps the Bishop. Surely not me or many other people, so I really have no say here insofar as that goes. Again, my role in all of this is to pray for all of you,for Fr. M and the former and new principal and hope healing can come to St. Saviour's down the road. I wish you all an amicable workable solution.
It sounds like the Diocese is "enabling" the misbehaving "dad." Hush up mom and kids, pretend everything is OK and obey without question. Father knows best, even if he's destroying the house. It's an old Catholic custom.
ReplyDeleteLinda, I assume as a writer, and with a husband who has been in television news for almost 30 years, you would agree that a writer's bias would influence what they write or post. I guess that's why authors often provide full disclosure of their potential conflicts. Perhaps your long friendship with Father Murphy has influenced your recommendation that we move forward, move on or reach an amicable solution, which would of course mean Father Murphy's solution since he admittedly rejected the recommendation of the mediator appointed by the Diocese. Please continue to keep us in your prayers.
ReplyDeleteHi John,
ReplyDeleteI suppose I'm trying to figure out what,if any, is your suggestion for a solution? It seems to be a done deal that Mr. Flanagan will no longer serve in the school in any capacity. Even if you get a new pastor, that will not change. The new principal is already in and working, right? So what can be done to make things better right now? Of course, I don't pretend to have any answers, and knowing Father Murphy for over 20 years doesn't change my hope for the very best outcome for all. Yes, I will continue to pray and I hope the beginning of the school year goes well for the new principal and the children...today being the first day of school.
Yeah, and those people in Afghanistan should just forget about the crooked election and accept the new president. What's done is done, right?
ReplyDeleteJust as you think things can't get any weirder at St. Saviour's parish, they do. Seems the most virulent, anti Fr. Murphy poster does not even have children attending St. Saviour's school. Glad to happen upon this site and others, especially the youtube postings. There are no accidents. Sure hope the hours you spend trolling sites and posting your venom aren't billable ones, John.
ReplyDeletePolypreppie...my children actually went to Saint Saviour this morning. For the first time in his tenure at Saint Saviour, Father Murphy was at the door greeting the children. I suspect the new principal told him it was actually a good thing to be involved in the School and to interact with the children. Hope he wasn't too drained. Thanks for annointing me the most virulent and anti-Father Murphy poster. It took some effort to overcome the virulent postings of Rita Lavin and others on the Murphs Smurfs.
ReplyDeleteReally, John? And what grade might your CHILD(ren) be in? You are not nearly as talented in the art of diversion as you fancy yourself to be.
ReplyDeleteWhy would I possibly tell you what grades my child(ren) are in ? Do you and Murphs Smurfs want to target them now ? Stick with me Polypreppie. Or do you like to pick on children ?
ReplyDeleteJohn, as a parent myself, I would never dream of targeting a child. And I know one's child is always a child in the eyes of her parents, regardless of being out of elementary school for years, yet alone high school. Oh, by the way,to coin the phrase you are so fond of posting, "your mother was right when you ran home to tell her of your decision and she told you that you were not worthy. I guess a mother's intuition is always right."
ReplyDeletepolypreppie sounds just like joan
ReplyDeleteJohn, once again, the art of diversion eludes you. How tedious you've become. Suffice to say, it is, indeed, a small world after all. And not nearly as anonymous as you'd like it to be. Back to work with you, your daughter's college loans aren't going to pay themselves, you know.
ReplyDeleteAnd here I thought you actually knew me, polypreppie. Your detective skills are sorely lacking. Sherlock Holmes you are not.
ReplyDeleteYou're right -- they are and I'm not. But I do.
ReplyDeleteI would hope that at some point Joan Moore, the Marans, Polly Preppy, Rita Lavin and all the agitators against fair labor practices will take a moment and pray for our former, dedicated, celebrated and successful ex-principal who for the first time in 39 years is without salary, healthcare or pension. You guys must feel great. The new principal must feel great, too. After years of plotting and planning - her fantasy of running St. Saviours has become real. How curious that she had Mr. Flanagan give her a tour of the school in the spring (OF 2008!). God Bless you guys, your gonna need it!
ReplyDeleteTo All the TRUE Supporters of Saint Saviour Elementary School and Mr. Flanagan -- How naive you are to think that all, some, or any of the comments posted on the various blogs (as well as on youtube)are in support of your intention to right a wrong toward Mr. Flanagan. If you go back through all of the postings (and there are many of them) you will see the transition from pro Mr. Flanagan to anti Fr. Murphy. It appears the true agitators are the ones who saw a small tear on a seam and got right in there to rip it to shreds. People who are opportunists who couldn't wait to tug on a weak link and yank until the chain fell apart. And the irony is these individuals who spew such hatred and contempt toward posters who admit they don't have children in SSES don't have children in there either!! John H., for example a very vocal agitator, does not now, nor has ever had his child enrolled in SSES. Yet he has been posting fabrications, no, outright lies, to the contrary. Do I have a child enrolled in SSES? No. Has my child ever been enrolled at SSES? No. My (now adult) daughter went to Poly Prep. (I told you it was a small world, John.) Am I in any way, shape or form affiliated with St. Saviour or any of the key players mentioned on these blogs? No. I happened upon your plight via a very public forum (youtube), and went from there. But isn't this what you wanted in the first place? You drew attention to your situation by alerting several media outlets, holding public protests, vigils, etc. You really can't complain when people you say have nothing to do with St. Saviour comment. You can read the Daily News online from anywhere in the world, for goodness sake! If someone in Greenland commented on your plight, you opened yourself up to it. You can't balk when you don't like what they may have to say. Anyone and everyone who has access to the story you put out there has a right to put their two cents in. You just don't like it when those two cents don't fall into your pocket.
ReplyDeleteHey Polyprep, easy there. You are getting close to abusing the truth like the pastor. Don't drink the cool-aid. Your talking points are right from him. "Small tear in the seem?" Really? You have a pastor who misrepresented Jim Flanagan to the Diocese, had no clue what the test scores of the school are (just look at the 2009 scores), didn't even bother interviewing anyone for the job, never bothered to go to the school, went ahead a hired a person to run a religious school who had recently signed a VOTF petition against the Holy Father - we could go on and on and on - and it's not fun documenting all of his failures and idiocy - like the "Bernie Madoff" homily - Bernie Madoff not getting enough food? You think that is true? You are backing a mean spirited and unstable pastor. Tough luck but that is that's the truth. Another parish turned against themselves by the pastor, unreal- that's what you get when you put VOTF members in leadership positions - division, anger, and confusion about our faith itself.
ReplyDeleteFunny how my "talking points are right from him" (the pastor) when I am not affiliated with the parish. I should make it a point to meet with him, if great minds do, indeed, think alike, it would make for quite an interesting meeting. However, I digress. John, the art of diversion
ReplyDeletecontinues to elude you. It may, in fact, be your own personal Loch Ness Monster.
polypreppie....those who actually know me, know very well that my children attend SSES. Not sure who you are calling to get your information but the Parish secretary, DRE and/or new principal are mistaken. I couldn't afford to send my children to Poly Prep and may not be able to afford to send them to SSES either it Father Murphy and the new pricipal have their way. I appreciate your candor in admitting that you have NOTHING to do with our parish other than perhaps following Father Murphy from parish to parish.
ReplyDeleteSure, John, whatever you say. And John, I leave you with one final thought. You calling Saint Saviour's pastor "mean spirited and unstable" is truly a case of the pot calling the kettle black.
ReplyDeletepolypreppie....unfortunately we all know that won't be your final thought...see you next time with whatever new post name you come up with
ReplyDeletePolyprep - It make sense that you have nothing at stake here and no knowledge of the events - that's about how firm the pastor's support is. Superficial pastor - superficial supporters. No news there.
ReplyDeleteHey preppie - Your final thought is a misrepresentation - again, no surprise there from the pastor's supporters. To be clear, the pastor is mean spirited and unstable - not the parish. The parish is just another one being torn apart by the pastor. you don't need pay $20,000 per year tuition to read that sentence above.
ReplyDeletePolyprep is right. There have been two phases to the St. Saviour struggles. The first phase was a desperate attempt to keep our lovely principal. We lost that battle but the war continues. Over the summer, scores of quietly suffering parishioners joined the fight for justice and representation at St. Saviour. It is they who have picked up the banner and continue to press on. Father Murphy, in tandem with his prior DRE and the former parish council member/current principal, have decided that their desire to re-fashion a dignified, traditional parish and school into something more to their liking is a top priority. The problem is that what they want is different from what parents, parishioners, the diocese and vatican want.
ReplyDeleteOne more very important comment. If you’re looking for a spiritual home, try St Saviours! Something new is happening here that obviously is making a few complacent people upset. Something new that might fit your needs. There’s a JAZZ mass every Sunday evening at 5pm. The family mass is at 10am. 3 more masses at 8:30 and 11:30, Sunday and 5pm, Saturday. Come, if you’ve been away from church for a while. Come, if you seek authenticity. Come, see for yourself. joanmoore
ReplyDeleteWhat does that have to do with the inhumane treatment of a dedicated school principal and the disruption of a once-stable school?
ReplyDeleteA Jazz Mass? Really? Let's see - I can have a successful principal at a successful Catholic School or a Jazz Mass. Hmm -let me think.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations! You hit the jackpot! Now you have both, "Anonymous"!
ReplyDeleteOf course I hope that is true and I will do everything in my power to support the new principal and I will actively encourage other parents to do the same. My children's education is of the utmost importance to my family as I'm sure it is for the other St. Saviour Elementary families. However, this does not negate in any way the horrible way that Mr. Flanagan was treated. This mistreatment and Fr. Murhpy's mishandling of this entire situation cannot and should not be shoved under the rug.
ReplyDeleteJoan. Perphaps soon Father Murphy can pack up the tent and he and the rest of his Traveling Wilbury's can move back to Bay Ridge and start a New Catholic VOTF friendly Shangri-La Church near you. It would be a win/win. Our parish would be saved and you wouldn't have to travel so far to drink the Kool-Aid.
ReplyDeleteJherbert/johnh/anonymous – Thanks for reminding me on youtube. Once a month is Hospitality Sunday at St Saviours. Coffee after the morning masses and wine and cheese after the Jazz mass Sunday evening. Vibrant, joyful liturgies, engaging homilists, hospitality, inclusivity and God’s love for us – that’s what Fr Murphy has brought to St. Saviours. Peace ~ Joan
ReplyDeleteyes....please visit youtube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpGsz3wUR8E for one of Father Murphy wonderful homily hotlines. Then ask yourself can it get any wierder at Saint Saviour Parish.
ReplyDeleteInterestingly no one never heard boo about Father Murphy's priesting skills from the little flanaganettes until one day they didn't get something they wanted. Interesting........................
ReplyDeleteSo wait....protesting is apparently wrong but we are allowed to boo Father Murphy. That would certainly interrupt mass now wouldn't it. Then we would miss the Vocation prayers and the homilies that actually discussed the gospel.
ReplyDeleteWhat the heck is "priesting skills"?
ReplyDeletePlease, John H/Jherbert/Anonymous, don’t tell the Pope! I think it’s very traditional to accept the authority of the Pastor given by the Bishop. You are traditional, right? So maybe it’s time for you to start practicing what you preach. Time will tell what God has in mind for St Saviours. We can’t presume to know what that is but it’s simple to understand He expects us to help not resist, to build up not tear down. So, if you're looking for a spiritual home,try St. Saviours! Come, see for yourself. Peace ~joanmoore
ReplyDeleteIt's not traditional to lie about your flock and employees. It's just wrong.
ReplyDeleteIn order to rebuild, we need a Pastor who can build and not divide. Bringing his loyal outsiders from Parish to Parish and ignoring his own parishioners is most assuredly not what the Diocese wants. Unfortunately Father Murphy has once again proven himself incapable of building or sustaining a Parish. Just like Holy Child Jesus, a fractured parish is left is his wake. Thankfully for all June will be here soon enough.
ReplyDeleteBy his works you will know him: The just man comes into a village and toils for years in the garden of children, who grow strong in faith and knowledge. Peace reins in the community. Another man comes into the village and in a short time spread the seeds of hate and dissension, all while spouting the words of God. When he is finished, brother is turned against brother and villager against villager. The ignorant spew hateful words against the parents of the children and the just man is ground into the gutter. The diabolical man wraps himself in the mantel of Him on high. See what he has accomplished! (He smiles at what he has wrought: Read the hateful words written in the comments above. He has accomplished what he set out to do.)Know him by his works.
ReplyDeleteYow! I just wish we could have our good principal back and forget all this madness!
ReplyDeleteNO principal can be THAT good as to cause a disgruntled parent, in essence, to call the pastor, a Roman Catholic priest, SATAN. Which leads to the issues of who the single man behind these God awful posts is and what his true motive and agenda are. If you truly want to "Save St. Saviour", weeding out this nut would be a good start.
ReplyDeleteI wish I could take credit for the parable of Saint Saviour, polypreppie. Unlike you, however, I do only post under two distinct names. I remember back in the day when the "Murphs Smurfs" were upset that everyone knew it was just Rita (despite her letter to the contrary). Trying to give me all the credit for all postings is appreciated, but as with all Murphy-isms, is just inaccurrate, untrue and patently false.
ReplyDeleteWhat a sad day for a parish to have one of its SO CALLED parishioners say he wishes he could take "credit for", and "appreciates" being credited, such ugly words posted on numerous blogs. Indeed, what a sad day for mankind it is.
ReplyDeleteIt has actually been about 1925 sad days at Saint Saviour Parish. But hopefully the sadness and division will end soon enough.
ReplyDeleteOh, are you moving on to darken greener pastures?
ReplyDeleteSorry polypreppie. That seems to be someone else's speciality. Though I am sure you are aware of it having followed Father Murphy from Parish to Parish. I will thankfully remain at Saint Saviour and help my Parish heal.
ReplyDelete"Thankfully" you will remain at Saint Saviour parish and help it heal because your words have been such healing, unifying ones all along. God bless the REAL parishioners of St. Saviour. Of greater importance, John, with your "helpful" tendencies, God save them.
ReplyDeleteFather Murphy and friends come to a new Parish, fracture and divide its parishioners and then blame the parishioners for the resulting division. It would be hard to believe if it hasn't now happened for a second time.
ReplyDeleteThe pastor is not a victim, and no one called him "Satan." After weeks of the 8th commandment on the "Homily" line, except for August 16, of course, I am a little sick of the pastor claiming victim status, saying everyone who opposes him is committing a mortal sin (most of his comments on sin are only against those who he disagrees with) and after he pushed many leaders out of the parish and imported his crew.
ReplyDelete