A priest who was well-known in the Catholic community in Dominica, Fr. Glanville Joseph, C.Ss.R, has passed away. He died at the Greater Baltimore Medical Center in Towson, Maryland last Wednesday evening. He was 71.
Popularly known as Fr. Joe, he was born in Antigua but did the majority of his priestly ministry in Dominica.
Fr. Joe was a member of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, known as The Redemptorists, a religious order which was founded in Scala, Italy by St Alphonsus Ligouri in 1732 and now has a presence in 82 countries around the globe, including Dominica.
He did his novitiate to enter the Redemptorists order in Ireland and was professed on September 13, 1980. Fr. Joe began his ministry in Dominica in 1982, doing pastoral work in Laudat when he was still studying to be a priest.
He then left for Trinidad to continue his studies and was ordained a deacon there. He was ordained a priest at the Roseau Cathedral on July 15, 1984. Since then, he has worked in many parishes on the island including Our Lady of Fatima in Newtown, St Ann in Massacre/Mahaut, St Joseph, and La Soie in Wesley. He also assisted in the communities of Colihaut and Dublanc and many people on the west coast have fond memories of him.
He was also the administrator of the Holy Redeemer Retreat House in Eggleston for many years. He was active in youth ministry, especially with the Catholic Youth Movement in the 1980s and 90s. He was involved in the Engagement and Marriage Encounter movement in Dominica. Fr. Joe did not only minister in Dominica but also in Trinidad and St. Lucia.
The parish of St. Ann was his last assignment in Dominica before he was transferred to the United States in 2018. Brother Jeffrey Rolle, C.Ss.R, superior of the Redemptorists community in Dominica said Fr. Joe was a priest who took his ministry “very seriously.”
“He was a very generous person,” he stated. “He took his ministry very seriously. He did marvelous work in the parish of St. Joseph. He was a very approachable person, he dealt with people pretty well. He was very enthusiastic about promoting vocations. I was one of the persons he encouraged to join The Redemptorists.”
Meanwhile, many Dominicans have taken to social media to fondly remember Fr. Joe and to express condolences on his passing.
“Such a sweet soul Father Joe may you sleep in eternal peace,” one person wrote on Facebook.
“Rest in Paradise Father Joe. He had such a great personality, he had a beautiful soul. He will be missed. His earthly duties have ended may the Angels welcome him as the faithful servant that he was. Condolences to his family and to the Catholic Community,” another wrote.
“Father Joe was such a kind gentle man…all priests are supposed to be but he was special, always looked forward to his preaching…SIP,” wrote another.
May his soul rest in peace. Can never forget Father Joe,” yet another wrote.
Undoubtedly, Fr. Joe touched the lives of many people in Dominica.
The funeral arrangements for Fr. Glanville Joseph are as follows:
Thursday, September 21, 2023: Visitation – 7:00 PM at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Basilica, 5th Avenue Brooklyn, with prayer service at 7:30 PM.
Friday September 22, 2023: Mass of Christian Burial at OLPH at 10:00 AM followed by burial at Resurrection in Staten Island.
He must have had a good life not having to wake up at 4:00am to go to work. All medical bills paid for, free transportation, no grocery bill, no light bill, no rent to pay and a host of other goodies. With all these benefits you would think that those who have gotten into this profession or “calling” would have all the time in the world to study the word of God like those priests of the tribe of Levi and preach and teach their congregation the word of God, preaching repentance of sins and watch for the return of Christ etc. but instead, they live and preach ritualism and customs which the Bible speaks so clearly about. Like the scribes and Pharisees – Jesus called them “Hypocrites.” Because they won’t enter the kingdom of God and the stand in the way of those who would enter. This is found in the gospel of John. I went to church as a boy on Sundays. My mother made sure that we went. The priest spoke Latin and I didn’t understand a thing. Wine 🍷 was for him only but the lusty for us.
Fr Joe was my everything he was the father I never had the favorite uncle. He was more than a priest to me. He was my daughter favorite person I could safely say in the world. The smile he would have on his face when she came to visit him when he was in Trinidad. She always wanted to see Papa Joe as we lived opposite The Church St Theresa’s RC. You will forever be in my heart gone too soon but never forgotten Rest in eternal peace Fr Joe.
Fr. Glanville,
So sorry for your loss. You were more to me then just a friend and I will miss you forever. May you rest in peace. My condolences go out to his family during this very difficult time.
rip from the village off belles father joe
this is my uncle!!!
I’ll always miss my uncle Glanville!!! 
… just proud I got to have him as a uncle!!
Rest in peice uncle Glanville xxx
RIP Fr Joe you will always be in our hearts love your mom brother and sister inlaw 🥲🙏💔
Is that a Rolex and the reverend’s wrist? My, my, didn’t he do well!
Condolences to the Redemptorist congregation, family and friends of Fr Joe. A priest with a good heart. May he rest in peace.
My heart is broken. Father Joe was like a big brother to me. Left a huge hole in my heart. My prayers to his family and friends.
R.I.P
My condolences to the family, friends, and parishioners of Father Joe.
My condolences to the Catholic Community, particularly the Redemptorist Fathers over the loss of their confrere. May his soul rest in eternal peace
Rip Joe. I feel so bad for big African(Black) men like that not to have had s*X nor relations with a Woman for so many years. All it took was a meeting of Roman bishops in Nicea or Romany, Italy one day.
Although only 128 bishops from around the world showed up, like they knew what the Romans were up to, on suggestion of one or two misguided bishops they imposed celibacy on even the ordinary prists. Oh the biological carnage that followed to be what they thought was Christ-like. And who said Christ never had s*X. It’s the copied story of Heru. May he RIP.
Your incoherent rambling doesn’t deserve a response but you may not know it. Please do some research before slipping into further confusion.
Sorry if this sounded a bit insensitive but my condolences to the family and friends. If I was confused I wouldn’t even recognize the C in your name, I carefully wrote RIP. The rest is from research done on the whole purpose and fallacy of that Roman whip, that church used to keep your people where we are, poor and broke. domina vobiscum.
RIP Fr Joe I knew you well.Condolences to your family and the church.
Call no man Father but God. We can’t tell someone to rest in peace until we know for sure they had accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Condolences is in order.
Mere Man.
Bless you Lin Clown. Wake up!!!!!