Father Bob Maguire’s disturbing final post before his death is revealed

Much-loved Catholic priest Father Bob Maguire claimed he was “ambushed by treacherous enemies” in his last post before his death on Wednesday at the age of 88.

The larrikin Melbourne icon and one-time Triple J radio star had reassured friends, family and supporters last week that ‘I’m fine’.

But sadly he died on Wednesday at Cabrini Hospital in Melbourne, his family confirmed.

Father Bob complained of “betrayal,” claiming he was fired from the charity he founded two days before he died.

And his disturbing latest tweet has now been shared by supporters, in which he claimed, “MSM, please help me survive the ambush of treacherous enemies…I am sad.”

It’s unclear what Father Bob was referring to, but two days before his death he publicly lashed out at the charity in his own name, the Father Bob Maguire Foundation, after the board announced last week that he had voluntarily stepped down as chairman.

Father Bob claimed he was blindsided by his termination, describing the situation as a “mess’.

“It’s nasty… I’ve known these guys for years, but they’ve become treacherous,” he told the Herald Sun Monday in what would be his last interview.

“I’m not used to this, we used to run the show like a combat unit, I’m the commander in chief. We’re hurt, but we’re not out.’

The board of the foundation refuted in a lengthy statement on Tuesday that Father Bob had been fired.

They insisted that he had not been fired from the board, but was simply no longer eligible to serve on it.

“There have been many grossly misinformed and blatantly false claims, often by people who have never met or worked with him, who say it’s all a conspiracy by the board to get rid of Father Bob,” it said. board in the announcement of the foundation. website.

Hours after the drama, Father Bob’s family confirmed he had died Wednesday morning at Cabrini Hospital in suburban Malvern.

The pastor has recently been living in a retirement home to receive 24-hour respite care.

His family insisted he had been deteriorating for some time, both physically and mentally.

“Father Bob was a dear and much loved member of our family and will be sorely missed for his energy and good humor,” the statement read.

“His physical and mental health had been deteriorating for some time, but he always preferred to help others rather than think about his own situation,” his family said.

‘Father Bob was not only a much-loved family member, but loved by all Australians for what he stood for. He has fought bravely all his life for the underprivileged and homeless. He represented the highest principles and he fought to live up to those principles actively.’

“Despite his high profile in the media, he was always at work, especially for the underprivileged families and individuals for whom he had great love and compassion.

“He wanted no one to be left behind and always saw and believed in the good in people, but he knew there were many whom he called unloved and unloved. These were his real passion.

“The last few months have been very difficult for both the family and those around Father Bob as we have dealt with his declining health. We thank all medical staff who have attended him in recent months and express our gratitude to them for their work and dedication.’

Fr Bob dedicated his life to the Catholic Church and charity work. He gained a reputation as a candid commentator who was not afraid to speak his mind or invite church leaders, especially on his radio show with John Safran.

Father Bob seemed weak but cheerful when he shared a Facebook video message from his retirement home last week, hinting that an “event” would be announced soon.

“I’m just sending you a little reassurance that I’m all right,” Father Bob said.

“In fact, I will leave this place very soon and I will return to Albert Park and we will continue our expedition to make sure no one is left behind and we will continue that as soon as I can get back.”

“I am deeply grateful for your concern, attention and compassion and an event announcement will be made shortly.”

Father Bob assured everyone that he was “back on track.” “I have my legs back and all kinds of good things are happening,” he assured.

“Maybe I’ll even get an immunoglobulin drip that will restore mobility.”

“We’ll be back after the break, as they say, so thank you, thank you, and thank you.”

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese led the outpouring of tributes.

“We have lost a great Australian with the passing of Father Bob. He was an irrepressibly cheerful advocate for all those who faced disadvantage and devoted his life to improving the lives of those most in need,” said Mr. Albanese.

NSW Prime Minister Chris Minns stated that Australia had just lost a hero.

‘The People’s Priest. A warrior for social justice. And a man who dedicated his life to faith and stood up for the most vulnerable,” he said.

Entertainment commentator Peter Ford added, “Great man. What a life of giving and serving.’

A-League club Melbourne City FC also paid tribute.

“A Melbourne icon and a legend of our city, we had the pleasure of working with Father Bob on a number of occasions through our CITCMelbourne programs and he will be sorely missed,” the club said.

Vale Father Bob Maguire: His Incredible Life Story

Born in 1934 to Scottish immigrants in Thornbury, a suburb of Melbourne, Father Bob had lost two sisters and both parents by the time he was 16.

He was ordained a priest in 1960 at the age of 25.

Father Bob first became known for his work with underprivileged people in his parish in South Melbourne before appearing regularly in the national media.

Father Maguire served as pastor of St Peter and Paul’s Catholic Church in South Melbourne for nearly 40 years from 1973.

He first worked with broadcaster John Safran in 2004 on SBS’s John Safran vs God, and the duo hosted radio shows on ABC’s Triple J for a decade.

Often referred to as an odd couple, the pair dealt with many topics including religion, culture and politics with a touch of irony and humour.

Father Bob balanced his media duties and parish duties until he was forced to withdraw from the Catholic Church.

He was first asked to resign at the age of 75 in accordance with canon law, but managed to stay on for another two years even after a public row with the then Archbishop of Melbourne Denis Hart over finances.

In 2011, he accused Cardinal George Pell of chasing him for being “open to everyone” and described his departure as a “dishonorable discharge.”

“George Pell has stated that we Vatican II members are cafeteria Catholics, while he and his destiny are authentically Catholic,” Father Maguire said at the time.

He performed his last service to a packed crowd of over 1,000 people in 2012.

His final years as a pastor were depicted in the documentary In Bob We Trust, which includes clips of his run-ins with church figures.

“I’m going to explain to a senior cleric why we spend money on the poor,” he told filmmakers.

“I find that offensive, not just intellectually but also religiously and spiritually.”

He was ordained in Melbourne at the age of 25 and for many years served as a chaplain to conscripted Australian soldiers going to Vietnam.

Father Maguire was then appointed to the parish of Saints Peter and Paul’s in South Melbourne in 1973, where he remained for the next 39 years.

He encouraged people from all walks of life to participate in the community he helped nurture, and advocated fiercely for them.

He was made a Member of the Order of Australia in 1989 for his services to youth homelessness and has received other awards including Victorian of the Year in 2011 and Victorian Senior of the Year in 2022.

Fr Maguire co-founded the national homeless youth organization Open Family Australia in 1978 and later carried out his charitable work through the Father Bob Maguire Foundation.

It provides vulnerable people in Melbourne’s inner south-east with free meals, education programs, advocacy services and other outreach programmes.

On April 14, 2023, the foundation announced that Father Maguire had stepped down as chairman and board member.

Never afraid to get involved in political discussions, he told AAP in December 2022 that much more action was needed against the “national disaster” of homelessness.

“A national characteristic is that we are kind to each other because we are a country of migrants and refugees,” he said.

In the same interview, he urged Australians to ‘brighten up’ and focus on what gave them joy.

“You are a child of the universe, you have a right to be here and all the talents it takes not only to survive but also to prosper,” he said.

‘I’m a supporter of Collingwood and the motto is ‘Floreat Pica’, ‘let the magpie flourish’, and I think that’s what we should do, not to survive, but for God’s sake to flourish!

“Sing and dance in the street… otherwise the dark side will say ‘good, I got ’em.”

Funeral arrangements for Father Bob will be made in due course.