Brooklyn Church Deacon Removed After Racist Remarks Undermine Trust and Church Values

Deacon Dean Dobbins was relieved of his duties as the temporary administrator of Our Lady of Mount Carmel-Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish in Brooklyn after racist and offensive remarks made by him were brought to light on Monday, November 18th. The decision followed an investigation into private recordings obtained by NBC New York that captured Dobbins using derogatory language about minority communities.

The remarks made during a parish office conversation were secretly recorded without Dobbins’ knowledge. New York state is a one-party consent state, not requiring permission of all parties involved to record conversations. One of the recordings, shared with the Diocese of Brooklyn, allegedly contains Dobbins expressing disdain for low-income housing residents, using racially charged language. “The average person needs $100,000 to live there, combined or single and these f—–g n—–s live there for free…These savage [expletive].”

Bishop Robert Brennan condemned the language, stating that “the use of such language by any church employee is unacceptable and will not be tolerated.” The diocese took swift action, placing Dobbins on administrative leave as soon as the comments were discovered. While Brennan acknowledged the controversial manner in which the recordings were obtained, he reaffirmed the church’s commitment to maintaining a respectful and inclusive environment.

Dobbins was temporarily appointed to oversee the parish after controversy surrounding the parish’s former priest, Monsignor Jamie Gigantiello. Gigantiello faced criticism for allowing pop star Sabrina Carpenter to film a music video inside the church, a decision that violated diocesan policies. This led the diocese to review Gigantiello’s financial practices, including questionable investments and unauthorized use of church funds.

Despite ongoing concerns, Brennan stated that the primary issue was Dobbins’ offensive language, which undermined parishioners’ trust in the church leadership. He emphasized the need to address these remarks and appointed a new administration to restore the parish’s integrity and mend its relationship with the community.