Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Australian bishop removed from office, blasts Pope, Curia

A day after Bishop William Morris of Toowoomba said he would retire early following an apostolic visitation, Pope Benedict XVI removed him from office.

The May 1 retirement announcement and May 2 removal followed an apostolic visitation led by Archbishop Charles Chaput. In a 2006 pastoral letter, Bishop Morris had expressed support for women’s ordination.

Following his removal, Bishop Morris blasted the Vatican for conducting an “Inquisition.”

“I believe there is creeping centralism, a creeping authoritarianism and fallibility in the way the church operates and discusses issues,” he said. “It is not just Pope Benedict: it is the whole Curia, with Benedict as the leader.”

“It was like the Inquisition,” Bishop Morris added. “He [Pope Benedict] was immovable. There was no dialogue.”

“It has been my experience and the experience of others that Rome controls bishops by fear, and if you ask questions or speak openly on subjects that Rome declares closed, . . . you are censored very quickly, told your leadership is defective . . . and are threatened with dismissal,” the prelate told the priests of his diocese.

5 comments:

  1. Well, that is what happens when you are promoting something that is totally not part of Catholic teaching, and he knows it. As a bishop he is supposed to be upholding the faith and it's teachings. The Pope was right to remove him and should first try to correct and then, if necessary, remove all bishops, priests, sisters and catechists that deliberately promote non-Catholic teachings. The only agenda that should be promoted is the Catholic one.

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  2. Pope Benedict XVI is such a gift to us...May God continue to bless our Holy Father with wisdom and grace.

    What a beautiful Church we have. Thank You Jesus.

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  3. “He [Pope Benedict] was immovable". - That's right Bishop Morris. That is because he is the Pope and you are not. The Church is not a democracy. We don't take polls and measure opinions. We study theology and base our beliefs and dogma on truths.

    Bishop Morris, your early departure sounds like a much needed pruning. Enjoy the retirement.

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  4. Shame on you for lying. Bishop Morris did not "express support for women's ordination" in his 2006 pastoral letter. Concerned about the growing priest shortage that is threatening the Eucharistic character of the Church he has so faithfully served, he made note of local, national and international discussions of ways to alleviate the shortage. He never endorsed any of the "ideas" that some people had advanced.

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  5. Even if Bishop Morris did not give explicit support for the ordination of women, he said that it could be considered. However, it has always been believed since the time of the Apostles that women cannot be ordained. Thus, it cannot be considered. Bishop Morris should not say something contrary to Catholic teaching should be considered.

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