During one of those nights when Denny and I use to pray Evening Prayer during Lent, he once asked me, “Bob, what if all the church ministry we are devoting our lives to is based on nothing?” I replied, “Well, if what we are doing is based on just myth, then what we are doing still has a lot of worth, for we are helping people in their troubles.” I think all of us in Church ministry, wonder if the life to which we have devoted our whole being is based on nothingness. For all in Church ministry, like the combat soldier in a fox hole under enemy fire, we all wonder whether there is a God. All of us have to confront that question, and in the end, make a choice as to whether it is worth all the trouble, the hell, and the sleepless nights we endure in ministry, sometimes to a congregation that is difficult and, at times, do not like us. Denny, as exhibited by a life of simplicity and self-giving to others, obviously came to terms with the question he posed that night. Fr Kevin Clinton, whom I believe was Denny’s BFF, at his funeral today, revealed the degree to which Denny fully lived out Jesus’ commandment to love God and neighbor. Fr Kevin has given me permission to share his homily with you this evening.
Here is Fr Kevin’s homily.
Homily for the Funeral of Fr. Dennis Dempsey
October 30, 2021
Family and dear friends of Fr. Denny Dempsey, beloved parishioners of this parish
and many other communities, brother priests and bishops,
just this week I found out that Fr. Dennis asked me to take on the task of addressing you on the occasion of his funeral. Dennis and I have known each other since 1966—
but there are thousands who have been touched by this man during his 73 years.
I cannot appropriately summarize what the Dennis and the hand of God did among us
in those remarkable years. Fr. Dennis impacted others. He was a skilled speaker,
but most of his preaching came to others from their observing him live.
He understood the words of St. Francis: Preach the gospel and, if necessary, use words. So, I ask you in this homily to recall what you know about Fr. Dennis Dempsey
as we walk thru the beatitudes that have just been proclaimed.
Oh, to be free! For us to live liberated from conventional constraints
to see as clearly as possible who we are, what we can do, and what we need to let go of
and then let God and others take on the rest.
Oh, what a joyous freedom is the result.
Oh, how the quality of one’s life improves! Oh, to be “spiritually” free!
When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain, and after he had sat down,
his disciples came to him. He began to teach them:
[“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.]
How blest, how happy are those who know they belong to the human race
with all its vulnerability—its hypocrisy, its idealism, its grief, its joys,
its losses, its successes, its dying, its rising again.
How free and happy are those who live with both feet on the ground
and know that the kingdom of heaven is coming!
[Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted.]
Oh, how blest are those who accompany others at funeral after funeral.
Who are present to those who experience loss, the harsh shock of death
and carry the burden of deep grief. How wonderful are those who know
and can announce to others that all will be comforted.
[Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land.]
Oh, how blest are those who know that the love the divine mystery has for us,
became human in our incarnate brother—Jesus Christ. Oh, how freeing it is
to know that each of us are human beings first and all other things we are,
sit on that foundation. Yes, you and I may work at being Christians and from there we can be other things—some of us even ordained priests. But oh, how freeing it is
to be approachable by anyone who sees us as an equal
and that land and all other resources will be brought to the service of all!
[Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.]
Oh, how hard it is to witness and live within the ways things are set up
when a few control wealth, resources and power
while the human family’s vast majority live in desperation. Oh, how hard it is
to witness political power guarding an unjust status quo. How blest are we
when we do our part to courageously speak and act
while being at peace knowing that God will ultimately bring things to be set right.
[Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.]
Oh, how wonderful it is to know you yourself are not perfect
and know you need to be shown mercy
for you are now free to show mercy to everyone around you.
[Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God.]
Oh, the freedom that goes with living simply. To not have a TV,
yet be very aware of the important issues of the day. How free it is to be “OK”
with the passenger-side car-door being able to open only from the inside
and of course never turn on air-conditioning—if it indeed works.
To drive a car until it must be towed away for recycling.
Oh, the freedom to use a flip-phone instead of the latest technology.
How free it is to live simply so that possessions don’t start possessing you.
Oh, the freedom that comes to see God guiding and bringing all things to completion and just doing your part as best you can.
[Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.]
Oh, how blest we are when we are free to engage with one situation after another,
with one person after another and even accompany many people
when animosity and alienation abound.
We will be seen as one of the “children of God”.
[Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.]
Oh, how freeing it is to regularly make plans to protect yourself
and live in the middle of where dangers abound. Lies, robbery, oppressive use of power, extreme violence and poverty, even murder and yet be accompanying people
living in their culture and using their language—different from your native home.
Oh, how “universal” or “catholic” it is! We are free to do things like this,
when we know what needs to be done and it is the right thing to do.
Ultimately, we will arrive at the kingdom of heaven.
[Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you
and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me.]
How blest we are when we to can let go of reacting to people
who are given to magnify our own faults and judge us as “troublemaker” or “odd”
or “overly concerned with problemed people” or even “crazy”.
You can be at peace knowing that the will of God is your strength.
[Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven.]
Oh, how happy and reassured you can be to know that after all the chaos,
close calls, successes and failures, threats and incomplete tasks to be done,
that now your reward will be great in heaven.
Fr. Denny would not want me to say that he lived the beatitudes perfectly,
but I can say that he lived them in a way that challenged me as a human being,
a Christian and an ordained priest.
I suspect all of you who knew him were like wise challenged.
I am aware that many Fr. Dennis Dempsey stories have been circulating this past week.
I conclude with two.
A few years ago, Dennis said to me: “Let’s go kayaking on Minnehaha Creek for a day.”
I was to prepare our lunch. Dennis would provide the kayaks.
I came up with one of my genius ideas of buying Super America sandwiches for the trip—
you know, those sealed in plastic. They would stay dry in the kayaks.
Lunch came and I presented my brilliant idea. Dennis’s face flashed with anger
that I would do such a thing as serve Super America sandwiches. I was shocked.
I had been on many camping and canoeing trips where we roughed it and simply adjusted. And now, Dennis Dempsey was complaining about the food! I thought to myself:
“I finally found something where Dennis was being “fussy”
and set an expectation higher than I would.
In my wonderment I asked him, what this was about. He was living in a Rectory
where a friend regularly brought Super America sandwiches for lunch
and everyone enjoyed eating them. He found out, however,
that his friend got them out of the Super America dumpster.
Dempsey had been eating dumpster food all along.
I said: “Dennis, these are perfectly good sandwiches. They are not expired.”
He ate all my granola bars instead.
Second story. The last time Denny and I were together was one month ago
when he came over to my home. We deep-fried the sunfish filets from my freezer.
We made enough fish to serve 15 people and the two of us ate half of it.
He stayed overnight and the next day we walked the prairie and woods that I take care of and that take care of me. It was a wonderful connection of two friends.
During the fish fry we had extra fish batter and in the still hot deep frier
we made fish batter doughnuts—
knowing that we would put them out for the animals that come to my patio.
Dennis of course, insisted on eating one of them to see if it was OK.
Two days later I texted Dennis: “The opossum is now eating our doughnuts.”
He texted back: “I am concerned about the opossum’s cardiovascular system.”
When I see Denny in heaven, I will ask him why he would eat the opossum’s food,
and why he wouldn’t eat my Super America sandwiches.
