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Vatican asked Australian bishop to resign six times before his removal
By Anthony Barich
Catholic News Service
PERTH, Australia (CNS) – Toowoomba Bishop William Morris was asked to resign six times by three Vatican congregations and Pope Benedict XVI before the pontiff finally insisted that he leave office May 2, said documents obtained by The Record, Perth archdiocesan newspaper.
The documents also showed that Bishop Morris asked Vatican congregations for more time to resign because he was dealing with a protracted case involving sexual abuse.
Pope Benedict appointed Brisbane Auxiliary Bishop Brian Finnigan as apostolic administrator of the diocese of Toowoomba in northern Queensland to replace Bishop Morris, who was ordained bishop of Toowoomba in 1993.
In a letter to Bishop Finnigan dated May 12, Australia’s bishops expressed their support and said they had spent much time at their recent meeting discussing the events surrounding Bishop Morris’ removal, a process they called “difficult and distressing.” They reaffirmed their commitment to the pope’s decision and said they would continue discussions about the process when they visited the Vatican later this year for their every-five-years “ad limina” visits.
catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/1101881.htm
By Anthony Barich
Catholic News Service
PERTH, Australia (CNS) – Toowoomba Bishop William Morris was asked to resign six times by three Vatican congregations and Pope Benedict XVI before the pontiff finally insisted that he leave office May 2, said documents obtained by The Record, Perth archdiocesan newspaper.
The documents also showed that Bishop Morris asked Vatican congregations for more time to resign because he was dealing with a protracted case involving sexual abuse.
Pope Benedict appointed Brisbane Auxiliary Bishop Brian Finnigan as apostolic administrator of the diocese of Toowoomba in northern Queensland to replace Bishop Morris, who was ordained bishop of Toowoomba in 1993.
In a letter to Bishop Finnigan dated May 12, Australia’s bishops expressed their support and said they had spent much time at their recent meeting discussing the events surrounding Bishop Morris’ removal, a process they called “difficult and distressing.” They reaffirmed their commitment to the pope’s decision and said they would continue discussions about the process when they visited the Vatican later this year for their every-five-years “ad limina” visits.
catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/1101881.htm