'Dr Rock should not have been hired' – Donald E. de Castro insists
De Castro created a stir in the pews of the St George's Episcopal (Anglican) Church on Sunday May 15, 2016 when he attempted to read a statement which he said was about the division in the church since the arrival of Dr Rock, whom he accused of having a chequered past.
Shortly after de Castro started to speak, Dr Rock ordered the microphone he was using to be switched off, effectively cutting him off. Dr Rock then went on to say that he could not allow de Castro to use God's house in that manner.
Speaking with this news site over the weekend, de Castro explained what he had been trying to communicate to the membership of the church on Sunday May 15, 2016.
“There has been a division in the St. George's Episcopal (Anglican) Church since late last year since the arrival of the present Rector, Dr Ian E. Rock of Barbados. Rumours started circulating throughout the community and rumours can be dangerous and misleading at times so as a member of the church I thought it was best to let the people know that what they were hearing was basically so and did so on my radio show Straight Talk,” he said.
“The situation continues to get progressively worse so I thought it best to inform the members of this on Sunday, May 15; however, I was unable to do so. Fortunately a reporter of the online news, VINO was in church that day and he/she did a story,” he said.
The talk show host said that based on a conversation he had with someone close to the leadership of the Church, it was alleged that the leadership was very much concerned about the applicant at the time being considered. “The individual did not want to elaborate, knowing the closeness of the individual to the [leadership] I did not press for details,” he said.
“Because at the time we were losing the Rector, Father [Ronald] Branche, who was returning home after thirteen years of service to this Parish, and the territory at large, after being asked by the Vestry on two occasions to extend his stay. Apparently, neither the Search Committee nor the Vestry properly vetted the applicant at the time or they would found many reasons to reject his application,” said de Castro.
Efforts to reach Dr Rock for a response to de Castro's allegations proved futile.
Following the bombshell in the church one week ago, de Castro said that he has been receiving calls and getting visits to his place of business most of whom he said were giving their support even though some were disappointed in his actions.
Controversy around Dr Rock
According to de Castro, Dr Rock has ceased all fund-raising activities for the Church's schools, saying that this is child labour. “If that was child labour in the Public and Private schools the Government would have done something about it already,” de Castro had said.
He said that he and another member of the congregation sent in their concerns in the form of a petition to the Vestry. De Castro alleged that Dr Rock came to his office and threatened to sue him for defamation of character. He alleged too that Dr Rock fired a secretary in the Church who had worked there for almost 13 years.
De Castro added that persons are inquiring as to the reason that Dr Rock was allegedly turned down for a position in a New York Episcopal Church. According to media reports out of Barbados, students of Codrington College where Dr Rock had been Principal, complained about the treatment that Dr Rock meted out to them, including denying of access to the college bus to attend classes at the University of the West Indies Cave Hill Campus and being fingerprinted by Police following an attempted break in.
Dr Rock has declined to make any comment on the issue.
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23 Responses to “'Dr Rock should not have been hired' – Donald E. de Castro insists”
Something is wrong and we need to get to the bottom of it.
Mr Decastro is simply stating the obvious. Don't crucify him.
Having a debt is not a crime. The mighty U.S owe trillions . From this man come he behaving like people istealing money. would like to inform him that some people can resist the temptation to steal. I am also very concerned as to why 99% of his time and energy is spent worrying about the church 's finance. Did he have a bad personal experience somewhere else ?
All I know is what he is doing is not helping to solve the problem. The more people leave , the worst the finances going be but who knows , that may be the grand plan.
This is from the Barbados newspaper. Is this the reason why his contract was not renewed ?
I have no doubt that Dr. Rocke is a brilliant man but it takes much more than brilliance to run any organization.
St. George's is not the only church in the world or in the territory with issues among its members. Why, then, all of this unnecessary media hype?
The extra energy being used up could be better expended trying to help the unfortunate, the abused, the neglected, the disheartened, the underprivileged, the poor, the bereaved, the imprisoned and so many others who are hurting in our community. Instead, parishioners have taken to the media to air 'dirty linen' and battle against each other like a set of peevish adolescents. Where is God in all this confusion? When will all the drama end?
2 Chronicles 7:14 says: 'if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, pray, seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.'
The same applies to our churches, and we cannot grow healthy churches (and parishioners) if the above life-sustaining principles are not applied.
People, forget what lies behind, and look to God, who alone can save us. We have become our worst enemy, doing each other more harm than what good. We are pointing fingers, forgetting those three fingers pointing back at us. Let us examine ourselves, and move away from the tit-for-tat mentality we have adopted, and press on in God's name.
I appeal to everyone reading this blog to pray for the churches. The enemy has slipped through the gates of hell and is on the loose.
Look how many persons write to the vestry with concerns about the many unexplained changes taking place in the church and what was the response ?
Not even a letter to say that we have noted your concerns. Is that how you treat people ?
Are we to just sit back and just accept blindly what is happening ? Remember Jim Jones in Guyana ? We have a right to ask questions..
Those of you who want to follow the priest blindly I wish you luck. The only person I will follow blindly is God.