Monday, May 02, 2011

Benedict XVI sacks an Australian bishop

THE Catholic Bishop of Toowoomba, William Morris, has been effectively sacked by Pope Benedict XVI over doctrinal disobedience for his support for ordaining women priests and other liberal reform.
Read the rest here.
HT Fr. Z who has his own take on the news story posted.

17 comments:

parepidemos said...

It was just a matter of time before this happened as Bishop Morris has been very open in his disagreement with the Holy See. A bishop is meant to foster unity and, sadly, the bishop has not done so in Toowoomba. This is defintely the right move.

Anastasia Theodoridis said...

Apparently, ordaining women (or supporting that idea) gets you sacked a lot faster than raping children (or coving up that horror).

Ben said...

Anastasia. . . That's a cheap shot. . . Enough said.

John (Ad Orientem) said...

Ben
I don't think that was a cheap shot at all. I might have worded it a bit more tactfully, but it's a perfectly fair point. The RCC's problem is not a relatively small number (as a percentage) of priests who were sexual deviants; the problem is the guys with the pointy hats who covered it up and shuffled them around for decades. It is absolutely scandalous that not one bishop has been criminally prosecuted for acts that would have landed anyone other than an RCC bishop in prison for facilitation, conspiracy, obstruction of justice, child endangerment and or aiding and abetting. I can name at least three cardinals who in a just would would be spending the rest of their lives behind bars.

I have no use for the usual knee jerk anti-Catholics. But neither will I flinch from saying things that need to be said. Rome has never come to terms with or dealt with the real problem. And that problem is not the priests., its their enablers with the tall hats.

Under the mercy,
John

Anonymous said...

John,

We all know that the Bishops covered up and are horrified..

This has everything to do with the fact that priests/Bishops who take vows and then go out of their way to break the same vows. This is dishonest.


Savvy

mjl said...

It was a cheap shot, but I've always valued the Byzantine's for their bluntness. I don't think the Pope was wrong in this case, but if only a few more bishops would suffer consequences for other offences.

Anastasia Theodoridis said...

Okay, I'll put it in a way that is not at all a cheap shot.

When I saw the title of this post, I was sure it had to do with the clergy-pedophile scandal. Imagine my surprise when I found it it was only about ordaining women.

Anonymous said...

Jordan,

I don' think you realize how much this is all related. The scandal and disobedient Bishops.

There were letters written by seminarians studying at Maynooth in Ireland on this issue.


Savvy

Anonymous said...

Anastasia,

It's easier to notice people who are openly defiant and make too much noise.


Savvy

rabidgandhi said...

Don't back down Anastasia! I think your comment was spot on and not at all a 'low blow'. Don't yield on this one!

Anastasia Theodoridis said...

I haven't yielded; I've restated to show that the point is still valid whether formulated as a cheap shot or not.

Anastasia Theodoridis said...

Just looked up "cheap shot" in the dictionary and it means a critical and unfair statement. So what I think I wrote was not a cheap shot, but a zinger. Critical, yes; unfair, no.

Anonymous said...

Anastasia,

He just does not support ordaining women priests. He actually ordained them. I take it you are in favour of this then, along with con-celebrating the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, with Protestants who do not accept it.

Savvy

Bob Glassmeyer said...

Dear Savvy,

How does being against pedophiles in the priesthood make one in favor of women's ordination to the priesthood?

Anonymous said...

Bob,

We are all against pedophiles in the priesthood. In this case this argument is simply not relevant, since this has nothing to with pedophiles at all. It's a non-sequitur.


Savvy

Bob Glassmeyer said...

Thank you, Saavy

I've been a bit out of it lately, as well as hopped up on Pascha (which is a good thing!)

Peace to you!

MP said...

"It is absolutely scandalous that not one bishop has been criminally prosecuted for acts that would have landed anyone other than an RCC bishop in prison for facilitation, conspiracy, obstruction of justice, child endangerment and or aiding and abetting."

Then your beef is with the civil authorities and police, not the Church. The civil authorities could have arrested any of these men if they wished. Apparently they felt their case was not strong enough.