Commenting on Morris' letter in which he accuses the Vatican of a "lack of care for the truth," Nuzzi's Vatileaks book has the Holy Father writing, "Obviously there was a misunderstanding, created, it seems to me, by my insufficient knowledge of the English language."

"In our meeting, I tried to convince him that his resignation was desirable, and I thought he expressed his willingness to renounce his functions as bishop of Toowoomba."

"From his letter, I see this was a misunderstanding," Benedict writes. "I acknowledge that, but I must say decisively that this isn't a case of 'a lack of care for the truth.'"

This revelation is one of many by NCR journalist, John Allen in his 1 June column where he examines Gianluigi Nuzzi's Vatileaks book "His Holiness: The Secret Papers of Benedict XVI".

Allen also recalls from among Benedict's notes, Morris' objection to the way the Vatican handling his case.

Benedict concludes, "there's no doubt of his very good pastoral intentions," but "the diocesan bishop must be, above all, a teacher of the faith, since the faith is the foundation of pastoral activity."

Benedict then tells Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, prefect for the Congregation for Bishops, to recommend that Morris accept "free renunciation of his actual ministry, in favor of a ministry more consistent with his gifts," and asks Re to "assure him of my prayers."

Morris was removed from office in 2011 for comments he made in a 2006 letter to parishioners in which he raised the prospect of the Church considering the ordination of married men, and women to help counter a looming shortfall in priests, and for some sacramental irregularities in his diocese.

Morris has consistently said he has been consistently deliberately misrepresented.

Sources

• NCR
• CathNews
• Image: Warwick Daily News

Few American bishops relish public debate more than the 66-year-old Chaput, whose background is in the Capuchins, and who's widely regarded as an intellectual leader of the "evangelical" movement in Catholicism. He's fiercely loyal to church teaching and tradition, and passionate about taking the Catholic message to the street.

By naming him to Philadelphia, the pontiff — who is, of course, no stranger to controversy himself — effectively has handed the fiery Chaput a bigger cultural megaphone.

Benedict has also signaled confidence in Chaput's personal integrity and administrative chops. In Philadelphia, Chaput faces the turmoil created by last February's Grand Jury report, which found that 37 priests facing credible accusations of abuse remained in ministry.

In conjunction with the appointment, Chaput sat down for an extended, and exclusive, interview with NCR. He put no limits on the topics to be covered, which included his move to Philadelphia, his overall leadership style and vision, and his views of the sexual abuse crisis. The lone condition was that the interview not be published until the appointment became official.

In part, the picture that emerges is already familiar. Chaput wants to lead the church back "to a clear embrace of the Gospel, without compromise." He tackles the Latin Mass, the visitation of American nuns, health care, communion bans for pro-choice politicians, and gay marriage — in each case, staking out what most would regard as strongly conservative positions.

Yet there are also surprises.

For one thing, Chaput is positive about the late Cardinal Joseph Bernardin of Chicago, saying that the right Catholic response to a distinction between the moderate, social justice emphasis of Bernardin, and the more evangelical ethos under John Paul II, is "both/and."

"If we don't love the poor, and do all we can to improve their lot, we're going to go to Hell," Chaput says, in typically blunt fashion.

Chaput actually bristles at the label "conservative," insisting that he's faithful to church teaching, but strives to be "creative and contemporary" in applying it.

On the sex abuse front, Chaput insists that priests and bishops who break the law need to face the music. He openly calls for serious reflection about new accountability measures for bishops, implying that bishops who do their jobs have no reason to fear scrutiny.

The following is a transcript of the interview with Chaput, which took place at his residence in Denver.

Read the interview with Archbishop Charles Chaput, the Toowoomba 'visitor' who got the Philadelphia job

Source

• Image: STL Today

According to the Catholic News Agency, the document also confirms that the Vatican removed Morris for abuses in the celebration of the celebration of the Sacrament of Penance and for advocating women's ordination to the priesthood.

The document, "Summary History of Bishop Morris' dispute with the Roman dicasteries" was prepared by two priests loyal to Bishop Morris, Peter Schultz, the diocese's judicial vicar, and Peter Dorfield, former vicar general of the diocese. The two are part of an eight-member body of priests who make up the bishop's "college of consultors," and who are protesting at Morris' removal. The document also outlines the history of the case.

While friction between Morris and the Vatican became evident soon after he was installed in the Toowoomba diocese in 1993, Professor of Public Policy at ACU, Frank Brennan SJ, suggests the turning point in the Morris-Vatican relationship was a report of US bishop Charles Chaput who conducted a formal visitation of the diocese on behalf of the Vatican.

And while after Chaput's visit, all but three priests of the diocese wrote to Rome in support of Morris' pastoral leadership and so too did all the Pastoral Leaders and all members of the Diocesan Pastoral Council, Chaput's report has never been released.

Brennan is of the view that because not even Morris has seen the report, he has been denied his right to natural justice.

Morris would like the report published. "Yes, I would like it published because I think my people deserve the right to - you know, if Archbishop Chaput, who wandered around the diocese for three-and-a-half days ... and then made a judgment on the diocese, I think the people have a right to see what judgments he made in his report."

Chaput told independent news source, National Catholic Reporter (NCR), that to protect all parties involved the report, like all apostolic visitation reports, would remain confidential.

Morris thinks his forced retirement is intended to "send a message to the bishops of the world: the fact that if you ask questions, if you're in people's faces long enough, if you're kind of a nuisance around the place, well look what happened to Bill Morris."

Catholic Church needs good leaders

Barney Zwartz, religion writer for The Age, says he has spent considerable energy over the years defending the Catholic Church from some of the extremes of vitriol it attracts, but believes the Church's worst enemy is its own leadership.

"It wasn't abuse that sparked the Vatican's ire and (relatively) swift action against Bishop Morris", he said. "There are predatory rapists in clerical collars in Australia who have not been forced to resign".

Brennan says, "This is a tragedy for anyone committed to the Church except for those like the chap who wrote on my Facebook: "The guy was a cowboy, not a shepherd". It's that sort of chap who probably started it all with complaints to Rome, behind closed doors. We need more shepherds in the light and fewer cowboys in the dark. Morris was a good shepherd even to those who acted as cowboys".

Meanwhile, the Australian Bishops' Conference have come out in support of the Pope's decision over Bishop Morris and affirmed the "unique role" of the Pope as head of the College of Bishops.

Sources

• CNA
• NCR
• America Magazine
• Catholic Culture
• The Age
• The Australian
• Image: ABC

About 200 people gathered for a quiet prayer session opposite Bishop Morris's Toowoomba home at Queen's Park on Tuesday evening, while another group gathered at the city's St Patrick's cathedral.

Eight Toowoomba diocese priests on Tuesday issued a statement expressing support for the catholic bishop.

"The far greater majority of priests and lay people of the diocese have found the pastoral leadership of Bishop Morris to be constructive, informed and life-giving," they said.

Father Peter Dorfield, the vicar general of the Toowoomba diocese, and one of eight priests who co-authored the letter of support, told AAP Bishop Morris helped the families of the victims seek civil court action if they wanted it.

"He encouraged compassion and justice for these families," he said.

Fr Dorfield says, compared to what Bishop Morris did for the community, his sacking over his 2006 letter seemed trivial.

"In our view, Bishop Morris has not been treated fairly or respectfully," the joint statement says.

"We find his removal profoundly disheartening."

Priest of the diocese and supporter of Bishop Morris, Fr Jamie Collins said "A lot of people feel hurt and devastated by what's happened, especially as he has always been so open and transparent in his own leadership. I think their faith will be affected in some way, but I think like Bill, they're not angry but sad. It has caused them to question their faith in Church leadership."

Another priest who wished to remain anonymous, said he had been approached by Catholics who threatened to leave the Church.

Bathersby supports Rome

Brisbane's Archbishop John Bathersby says the Pope must have had a good reason to sack the bishop of the Diocese of Toowoomba in Queensland, and while he does not know the "ins and outs of the situation" he knew Bill very well, and the outcome saddened him.

Bathersby said he supported the actions Rome had taken.

Temple Police

For his part, Bishop Morris, on Tuesday said he was not angry about his forced resignation. He was however "sad".

The problem is the "temple police", a group of about 15 parishioners and priests and what they do is continually protest to Rome," Bishop Morris said. "Naturally the Vatican doesn't get letters from all the people who are happy," he said.

Bishop Morris said it would be wrong for people to walk away. "The important thing is to keep going, working together and making sure there is true justice through transparency".

Sources

• Image: Toowoomba Chronicle
• Manawatu Standard
• Brisbane Times
• The Age
• Bishop backs 'good' bishop's sacking
• Faithful angry over Bishop William Morris' dismissal

In making the announcement, Morris says he has been targeted over comments he made five years ago, comments that have been deliberately misrepresented.

In a 2006 letter to parishioners Bishop Morris raised the prospect of the Church considering the ordination of married men and women to help counter a looming shortfall in priests.

The letter has been "misread and I believe deliberately misinterpreted by a small group (which has) found my leadership and the direction of the diocese not to their liking".

Following up the complaint, the Vatican began an investigation which included an apostolic visitation and ongoing discussions with the Vatican-based congregations for Bishops, Divine Worship and Doctrine of the Faith and even the Pope.

"Appalling" is how ousted priest, Fr Peter Kennedy described the situation.

"Bishop Morris is a man of an amazing amount of compassion … people generally in the diocese know the compassion of this man and the goodness of this man," Fr Kennedy said.

However Kennedy is not surprised by the Vatican's decision.

"It was John Paul II who said the actual ordination of women could never be discussed even and it was interesting to hear he was beatified yesterday," he said.

"The absolute authority of the Vatican that is held over bishops - you've got to remember that bishops, when they become bishops, promise obedience of mind and will to the Holy Father."

Catholics in the Toowoomba diocese say they are in shock after their bishop was forced to quit after the dispute with the Pope.

"There is a whole range of reactions - some people are just shocked and saddened, some people were in tears, some people were extremely angry," Fr Dorfield said.

"Some people were just shaking their heads - just simply couldn't comprehend how a man who was so well regarded in our diocese, prayerful and pastoral, could be considered as not suitable to be the Bishop."

The chair of the diocese and pastoral council in Toowoomba, John Elich, says Bishop Morris has done an extraordinary job.

"Bishop Bill Morris has been poorly and unfairly treated and secondly, I guess disappointed on behalf of the church that a decision could be made with no forms of natural justice whatsoever - no access even to a report that was prepared," Elich said.

Bishop Morris had been among a handful of Queensland bishops considered to contain the frontrunners for the role of archbishop of the Brisbane Archdiocese, to be vacated later this year by the retirement of Archbishop John Bathersby.

A vigil mass will be held outside the Bishop Morris's house in Toowoomba tomorrow.

Sources

• Courier Mail
• ABC
• ABC News