REBEL priest Peter Kennedy has begun moves under Catholic canon law to thwart his sacking by Brisbane Archbishop John Bathersby for contravening the church's liturgy. Father Kennedy's dismissal from St Mary's of South Brisbane - believed to the first of its kind within Australia's Catholic Church - was to become effective next Saturday, with his last mass in the parish tomorrow, after 50 years as a priest.
Under a formal appeal made this week to Archbishop Bathersby, his ousting could be delayed indefinitely as the case might be determined in Rome, before an ultimate decision by the Pope.
Father Kennedy said he was also considering legal advice over possible action in Queensland's industrial courts, claiming unfair dismissal.
Dr Bathersby sacked Father Kennedy in a letter sent this month after a dispute over the use of lay people and politically correct language in services.
Father Kennedy told The Weekend Australian he believed he had been denied natural justice by Dr Bathersby.
"His letter came as a surprise," Father Kennedy said.
"I had been led to believe that would be a formal process, whereby I could put my case to the archbishop and an investigation into the claims against me would be carried out. Archbishop Bathersby didn't give me that right and I have moved to appeal under canon law and am also looking at civil law."
St Mary's contravenes Catholic doctrine by involving women in services and allowing sermons by lay people.
Ken Howell, dean of Brisbane's St Stephen's Cathedral, will run the parish until a new administrator is appointed.
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(Source: GRCN)