Priest hits out at ‘unlikeable, entitled' parishioners in poem

Telegraph

16-07-2025

A priest has written a scathing poem blaming his 'unlikeable, entitled' parishioners for dwindling congregation numbers.
Father Pat Brennan, the parish priest at Holy Family Catholic Church in Coventry, announced in the church newsletter that he was leaving his post after nine years because of 'vocal criticism' from a few parishioners.
In a poem that he described as a 'parting gift', Father Brennan asked: 'What makes people not come to church?'
The answer, he suggested, was 'the righteous, the clique, the worthy' who offer a 'disdainful look', and complain when others sit in their seat and 'gossip'.
These 'unfriendly' few he described as 'a mix of disgruntled, unlikeable, entitled offended … tutting for a living, whispering about you know who'.
The priest asked in the poem, entitled Not I Lord Surely, whether prospective churchgoers may be put off by 'the cold indifference and quiet disdain of those who already go'.
'You can't please all the people'
Father Brennan, who was ordained as a priest in St Dunstan's Kings Heath, Birmingham, in July 1992, said he would leave the parish with many fond memories, adding: 'I was very happy at Holy Family and had the privilege of meeting so many wonderful people.'
However, he said: 'You can't please all the people and those few who have been vocal in criticism in and outside of the parish, have contributed to my leaving. Despite those few, I will keep the fondest memories in my heart and am grateful to have been parish priest here at Holy Family.'
He added that priesthood was 'not an easy vocation' but the 'prayers, love and support' from parishioners act as great encouragement. Father Brennan ended his not by saying: 'Please pray for your priests.'
A spokesman for the Diocese of Birmingham said that 'Father Pat is an experienced and much valued member of the clergy', adding that he would continue as parish priest at Bulkington and Bedworth.
'They should be ashamed of themselves'
Maura Murray-Reeves, who has ties to the parish, shared the poem in a residents Facebook group, and said she was 'extremely disappointed' to hear that Father Brennan felt shunned.
She said: 'Father Pat has been the parish priest for almost 10 years and he has always been very welcoming. It is disgusting to think that he was treated so poorly by a sad minority. They should be ashamed of themselves.'
Ms Murray-Reeves later told the BBC: 'Being at Holy Family for 40-odd years we've had other priests and there's always been some [questions] as to why have they left.
'I can't imagine a priest is going to say something like that or vocalise that if it wasn't true – he'd have no reason to. This isn't the way we should be making a priest feel.'