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We are living in a particularly difficult time; there is an undeniable crisis of authority in the Church. It is not a simple problem and instant answers, although desirable, are not possible. Bishop Morris’s resignation highlights one of the Pope’s fundamental roles: to preserve the unity of the Church. He has the task of building bridges between diverse and sometimes opposing groups and opinions. This is no small challenge given the Church’s size and diversity. Most of us find it hard enough to preserve the unity in our families! In fact it is something of a miracle that the Church holds together (more or less). The question is when is it necessary to use force to preserve unity, and when does force rather than creating unity, cause further division?
Many find the idea of politics existing in the Church distasteful, but the Church, divine in foundation, is also a human institution and in any human institution politics are an essential element; not only necessary but desirable. Understanding the politics helps with the understanding of Bishop Morris’s resignation. This piece by Noel Debien who is the producer of ABC’s Sunday Night’s radio program describes the long back-story.
Debinien says that at a meeting between the Roman Curia and some of the senior Bishops of Australia in December 1998, a document known as the Statement of Conclusions was presented. It has to do with the perceived characteristics of Australian Catholics that had became crystalised in the minds of key Vatican figures. “The document was aimed at all of the Bishops of Australia and their dioceses – and was quite confronting, to say the least”. “The (then) Cardinal Ratzinger had been influential in the preparation of the document, as were Sydney’s Cardinal Edward Clancy and Brisbane’s Bishop Michael Putney, both of whom were on the committee that produced the Statement.
“The presentation of the Statement made it clear that its conclusions had been reached long before their own particular Ad Limina dialogues had begun in Rome. It also became clear that the views of only some bishops and other voices had influenced the Pope’s advisers in the lead up to the bishops’ dialogue.” Morris had become Bishop of Toowoomba in 1993, six years before the crisis brought about by the Statement of Conclusions. He had been present at the 1998 curial meeting at which the Statement was presented, though he was not a signatory.
Of Australians, the Statement said things like:
- The tolerance characteristic of Australian society naturally affects the Church also. While it has many positive elements, tolerance of and openness to all opinions and perspectives on the truth can lead to indifference .
- The bishop may not tolerate error in matters of doctrine and morals or Church discipline, and true unity must never be at the expense of truth.
- The bishop, in his pastoral governance, is entrusted with the important task of cultivating deep communion within the particular Church which, in turn, contributes to communion in the universal Church.
Source
ABC – The removal of Bishop Morris was a long time coming
Image: Romanuka’s Gallery
