Beloved priest known as the ‘Fighting Father’ for getting troubled kids off the street by teaching them to box is booted from his house and faces homelessness himself after being sacked because of an ‘archaic’ rule in the church
- Father Dave Smith was recently sacked from his parish after getting divorced
- The priest spent three decades based at Holy Trinity, Dulwich Hill, in Sydney
- He launched a world renowned boxing program to get children off the street
- But the father-of-four has lost his job and home after his marriage broke down
A beloved priest who launched a world-renowned boxing program to get troubled children off the street has been sacked and booted from his home after getting divorced.
Father Dave Smith poured his heart and soul into serving the community during the three decades he was based at Holy Trinity in Dulwich Hill, in Sydney’s inner west.
The 59-year-old’s service earned him three Australian of the Year nominations and the nickname ‘Fighting Father’ because of his professional boxing career and work with youth.
Father Dave Smith (pictured) has been sacked from Holy Trinity in Dulwich Hill after serving the parish for 30 years because his marriage broke down
Now, the father-of-four has lost his job and is facing homelessness because of what he describes as an ‘archaic’ church policy concerning the breakdown of marriages.
‘I think I’m a part of a system that destroys people,’ Father Dave told A Current Affair.
‘We have a penchant for kicking people when they’re down, and it’s not encouraging, this is the reality. You lose your partner, and your family, and your house, and your job, and your community at the same time – I’m by no means the only person who’s had to deal with that.’
‘I was given sort of six months to get my marriage back together or recognise that I’d be terminated,’ he said.
Father Dave said he was at odds with the Anglican Church over his support of the Muslim community and gay marriage.
The community has rallied behind the unemployed priest, with a protest held outside the church on Sunday.
The popular priest is known as he ‘Fighting Father’ within the community after setting up a boxing program to help get troubled youth off the street
Among his supporters is fellow boxer Chris Turner who described his dismissal as a ‘disgrace’ after the priest had done an incredible amount of good during his tenure.
The Anglican Diocese said dismissal is not a part of their policy concerning divorce but due to ‘several factors’ after the breakdown of Father Dave’s marriage, there was no longer a continuing role available for him at the parish.
‘Our policy around marriage breakdown does not involve blame or sacking.. but the breakdown of the rector’s marriage causes wider relational difficulties and so usually leads to the minister changing roles, in the interests of the congregation,’ it said in a statement.
Ministers are financially supported by the members of the congregation, the Diocese added, and when worshippers lose confidence in a minister, they are no longer willing to support him.
The parish said it provided Father Dave with a stipend and free housing for twelve months to help him find a new job and also agreed to continue his licence for ministry so he could take up a new role.
The priest will become homeless from next week after being booted from the parish (pictured) where he was based for three decades