by Catherine Pepinster, Telegraph
Father Pat Brennan’s poem about gossipy parishioners has sparked a wider discussion about quarrels within the church
Dip into the poetry blog Humble Piety, and you find some intriguing clues to the author’s life. Fragile Things Break is the title of one recent entry, while another dated July 15, called Slow News Day?, begins “Waking, a radio talking, confusingly hearing a familiar name, my own name? / Listening again, yes that’s me”.
Radio was not the only place that Fr Pat Brennan, a Roman Catholic priest, would have found his name that day. It was everywhere in the media, after he published a caustic poem in the newsletter of his church, the Holy Family, Coventry, about his parishioners. Brennan, who was leaving the parish after nine and a half years, railed against tittle-tattle, disapproval, disdainful looks and cliques.
His valedictory message began:
“What makes people not come to church?
Could it be the people who already go?”, he asked while later warning that “Gossip flows from holy lips”. According to Brennan, when some of the Holy Family congregation hear the words, “go in peace”, “it’s time for war!”