Thursday, May 05, 2011

Church slammed for dumping Toowoomba bishop

Catholic leaders have criticised the church hierarchy for a lack of transparency after the Vatican confirmed the removal of a long-serving Queensland bishop. 

Toowoomba Bishop William Morris says he has been forced into early retirement after suggesting that women and married men and could be ordained to ease the shortage of priests.

Bishop Morris shocked worshippers at Sunday's Mass by announcing he was retiring early, saying his hand was forced by the church hierarchy over the comments he made five years ago.

He says his views have been deliberately misinterpreted.

He has been a priest since 1969 and the Toowoomba bishop for 18 years.

A vigil mass will be held for Bishop Morris in Toowoomba today.

An administrator has been appointed to the Catholic diocese of Toowoomba until a permanent replacement for Bishop Morris is selected.

The Most Reverend Brian Finnigan has accepted the role and will also continue as the auxiliary bishop for Brisbane.

Transparency questions

Father Frank Brennan from the Australian Catholic University says the church has conducted an inquiry into Bishop Morris's comments, but the report has not been released.

Father Brennan says this shows a lack of transparency in the church.

"The Catholic church has never pretended to be a democracy but I suppose, particularly in the Western world now, people are used to transparent dealings on things," he said.

"In the end [Bishop Morris] was told that he couldn't see the report and that he could meet with the Pope only if he would first submit his resignation.

"It seems to me it's putting the cart before the horse, but in any event those procedures took a long time.

"Finally he did meet with the Pope and it's only at this stage that the Pope has decided if he's not to be sacked, he's to be pushed."

A central Queensland Catholic bishop says he is surprised and disappointed by the resignation of his long-serving Toowoomba counterpart.

The Catholic Bishop of Rockhampton, Brian Heenan, says he has been friends with Bishop 
Morris for 40 years and he will be missed.

"To find a person who's given 18 years to this ministry and given it very generously, it's disappointing those issues could not have been resolved more satisfactorily," he said.