Frank Brennan SJ's response... (Main Forum)

by Brian Coyne , LINDEN, NSW, Monday, May 02, 2011, 00:55 (749 days ago) @ herbie

Fr Frank Brennan SJ has a letter circulating in response to the events of yesterday:

Dear Brothers

On this day of the beatification of John Paul II, let's all spare a thought and a prayer for the diocese of Toowoomba. At masses this weekend, the priests are reading to the faithful the last pastoral letter of their bishop Bill Morris who has been forced by the Vatican to retire. Why? It is alleged that he has displayed flawed and defective pastoral leadership, invited discussion about the ordination of women contrary to the church's infallible teaching, and encouraged recognition of the orders of other churches.

I first knew Bill when he was secretary to Archbishop Francis Rush. He was then a very successful parish priest of the huge Gold Coast parish before being made bishop of Toowoomba in 1993. His episcopal ordination was a wonderful occasion, even though after it when I praised the liturgy, one of the visiting bishops said, "Actually I prefer the Roman rite." The lay participation in the liturgy was too much for some visiting ecclesiastics.

The forced resignation comes after the Vatican received the report from the Visitor Archbishop Chaput. As I understand it, Bishop Morris has never been shown that report. In civil law, this would be seen as a denial of natural justice on a grand scale.

Last September, I was privileged to deliver the Concannon Oration in Toowoomba and I said the following on that occasion:

"In relation to prerequisite 5 (the need for respectful and open conversation): This is the first formal address I have delivered in the Toowoomba diocese since the Vatican visitation by US Archbishop Chaput from Denver following upon Bishop Morris's courageous and very pastoral Advent letter of 2006. I salute Bishop Morris and the presbyterate and faithful of this diocese who have stood by him so resolutely in recent times.

"In that pastoral letter, your bishop pointed out that you would have just 19 active priests by 2014. Most would be old men, and they would be spending much of their time on the road. He outlined a list of pastoral responses to this decline in priests including: the third rite of reconciliation; the ordination of women and married men; welcoming former priests, married or single, back to active ministry; and recognising Anglican, Lutheran and Uniting Church orders. He indicated his willingness to pursue any option which Rome would allow.

"I was very troubled last year to read the account by Fr Jeff Scully in the Spring issue of The Swag, the national priests' newsletter, in which he noted:

"How can a respected leader of a local church be investigated without ever finding the content of the report based on these investigations? Is this not unthinkable in this age of transparency and accountability? I kid you not, Archbishop Chaput's visit did nothing to increase respect for the way Rome's officials do business. After the Chaput visit, not many Toowoomba people were expecting to find in their mailboxes a wee note from Denver, Colorado, saying how much he enjoyed his visit to our part of the world, how enriching the experience had been for him, and how much he had learnt. Learning did not seem to be part of the exercise.

"As far as we all know, the investigation is ongoing. Is it not time for the open conversation to commence? Is it not time for all of us learn new pastoral ways of being Church before new generations in country areas of Australia are completely denied access to the sacraments?"

Jeff Scully who I quote is one of the finest country parish priests you could meet. He is Roman trained, long time parish priest of Quilpie, having done a power of work for ongoing formation of diocesan clergy. As you would know the people of Toowoomba have been doing it very tough these days with the floods. The heart rending royal commission into the floods was sitting in Toowoomba all last week.

Having spent five years at school in Toowoomba and my grandfather having been the local member of parliament and my father having gone to school there too, I ask that we all give a close reading to the documentation which will come to light in the next week and offer our solidarity to the priests and parishioners who are so devastated by this heavy handed exercise of ecclesiastical authority. Bill Morris never pretended to be an academic theologian. He was and is a sensible, consider, pastoral priest and bishop of a country diocese.

God help us all as we ponder the significance of this Vatican intervention at the very time of the papal beatification.

Professor Frank Brennan SJ AO
Public Policy Institute
Australian Catholic University

Brian Coyne
[Editor & Publisher]