Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Father Thomas Brosnan; Through a Priest's Adopted Eyes

Tonight I found myself lost in reading the words of a Catholic Priest who was adopted as an infant.

Father Tom Brosnan, B.A.,M.Div.,M.F.A. who is an international speaker and writer. Father Brosnan has advocated for adopted persons, who seek the same civil rights as their non-adopted peers --- access to their original birth certificates. Father Brosnan understands the search for origins as “a religious experience, a pilgrimage of self knowledge, a holy endeavor.” In September, 2001, Father Brosnan received the Angels in Adoption Award presented by the Congress of the United States.

Father Brosnan was told he was adopted at 12 years of age, searched for and found his natural parents when he was 32 years old.  He was in reunion with his mother for 10 years before she died, and is in contact with his 6 maternal siblings. He also found and met his father, who denies his parentage of Fr. Brosnan.

I was rather surprised that Fr. Brosnan is an active priest, yet speaks out (beautifully) about the wrongs of closed adoptions and records ~ which the Catholic Church advocates for.  He speaks of the "lies" in adoption also.  I was completely surprised to find myself lost in the writings of a Catholic Priest!

Below are links to transcripts of some of the speeches Fr. Brosnan has given. 

Through A Priest's Adopted Eyes

More Adoption Related Posts By Father Brosnan

Susie

3 comments:

  1. Susie, Father Brosnan spoke at a PACER (Post Adoption Center for Education and Research) adoption healing service in San Francisco, while I was still there. He was amazing — and I am not Catholic or even religious. While I don't have it digitally, if you like I can mail you a copy of his speech from that, if you email me privately and tell me where to send it. I am always thrilled when people who "should" be in the adoption bag aren't and speak the truth. It is so validating.

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  2. Thank you for sharing. My share with my very religious irish catholic mother who swears adoption is gods plan, a good thing, etc. (even though that plan prevented her from knowing her first born grandchild). Will share with her.

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  3. I agree that Father Tom is an amazing speaker, yet, I have learned that words are one thing, and actions are another.... not very amazing, but cold and at times uncaring when it comes to some of his parishoners. Finding himself should not be only his journey from past to present, but also to the future. Re-establishing a connection with his birth family is a beautiful journey but it should not deter him from maintaining connections with the people he is supposed to guide on a daily basis.

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