Sunday, February 21, 2010

Cardinal criticised over clampdown on reform group

CARDINAL GEORGE PELL, the Catholic Archbishop of Sydney, has been likened to a ''despot'' after banning a faith group from using a church hall.

Dr Pell wrote to a parish priest in Rose Bay ordering him not to allow the Australian Reforming Catholics to hold their annual general meeting on church property, even though the organisation counts two bishops and dozens of priests and nuns as members and supporters.

No explanation has been offered to the group as to why next month's meeting was banned.

A former priest, Dr Paul Collins, had been due to give a lecture on the history of the reform movement in the church at the meeting.

''If Cardinal Pell doesn't like somebody it seems he can unilaterally ban them from speaking on church property,'' said the group's spokesman, John Buggy.

Members of the group believe that Dr Pell has acted without proper authority and breached canon law, the rules that govern the running of the Catholic Church.

Criticising Dr Pell's leadership style, Mr Buggy said: ''An elected leader can act within their rights and be dictatorial, but when somebody acts outside the rules of their organisation and makes rules that suit themselves, they become a despot.''

He added: ''To ban somebody you have to go through a procedure. The least you would expect is for him to meet with these people he seeks to outlaw and have a discussion with them; to see what they are about, get an understanding of their beliefs and to at least discuss the issues.

''But to ban somebody because you think they may say something that you disagree with would appear to be a grave injustice.''

The Herald understands that a decision will be made at the annual meeting, now to be held at Club Rose Bay, as to whether to make a formal protest.

The group insists it had no plans to discuss topics that go against the church's teachings.

In 2004 Dr Pell was criticised after demanding the Sisters of St Joseph rescind an invitation allowing the ARC, a lay organisation, to hold a conference at the order's headquarters at MacKillop Place in North Sydney.

He also wrote to two priests telling them not to address that meeting and asked Bishop Pat Power of Canberra-Goulburn not to say Mass for the group within the archdiocese of Sydney.

A spokeswoman for Dr Pell said he was unavailable for comment as he is in Rome.
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