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Catholics in the Toowoomba diocese are protesting at the lack of natural justice that forced the early resignation of Toowomba bishop, Bill Morris.
Archbishop of Sydney, Cardinal George Pell labelled protesters as a “predictable chorus” and a “minority.”
However spokesperson for the group, Fr Ray Crowley denies both these labels.
“We want to show the Vatican that it needs to have a process that includes transparency in its actions. We can’t afford, as a Local Church, to be losing people of Bishop Morris’s calibre and standing,” Fr Crowley said.
“We know that Bishop Morris has huge support across the community and we are incensed that there seems to have been such a lack of natural justice in the process that led to his taking early retirement.”
“We are urging people to take part in a petition that can found at a special website we have set up for Bishop Morris at www.bishopbillstory.com.au and we urge people to add their names to it by July 24.
“The majority of people in our Diocese are distraught that the Vatican has not provided Bishop Morris with natural justice and that he has had to leave his post as a result. This is a real issue for every other Diocese in Australia and we urge people to get involved.”
Former chair of the Diocesan Pastoral Council, Mr John Elish said, “When a bishop get dismissed, a lot of Catholics and the general community think there must be more (to the dismissal) than they’re saying.”
“We’ve set up this website and I think anyone who visits it won’t be able to draw any conclusion other than the lack of natural justice.”
Bishop Morris was ‘sacked’ following a ‘visit’ by Vatican appointed Charles Chaput. Chaput has recently been promoted as archbishop of the embattled Philadelphia diocese.
Fr Crowley said the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference has agreed to receive the petition on August 2.
Sources
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News category: World.
