Church Sacks Renegade Priest

[cappie]

Following months of warnings, the leader of a renegade Brisbane Catholic Church has been sacked by the Vatican after his church refused to stop its unorthodox practices, including blessing homosexual marriages.

St Mary's Roman Catholic Church at South Brisbane had been accused by the Archbishop of Brisbane, John Bathersby, of performing unorthodox mass and for disrespecting the church hierarchy.

Archbishop Bathersby had previously warned the parish's leader Father Peter Kennedy to stop disregarding church rules or face the sack.

Father Kennedy and his congregation have caused uproar for blessing homosexuals and allowing females to preach, amongst other unsanctioned practices. However, unlike many other Catholic congregations which are suffering dwindling membership, St Mary's had continued to attract cinstsently large numbers of worshippers.

In a letter received on Friday, which was distributed to the congregation and media today, Archbishop Bathersby outlined that he would be terminating Father Kennedy's appointment at St Mary's Parish from the February 21, 2009.

The letter said the Archbishop had requested changes "time and time again".

Archbishop Bathersby said any members of the parish who chose to follow Father Kennedy to a breakaway Christian church following his sacking would "not be in communion with the Roman Catholic church or the Archdiocese of Brisbane".

He also said a number of baptisms performed at the congregation were not valid and would need to be re-performed by the new administration.

Speaking at a press conference today, Father Kennedy thanked the community for its support and maintained that he believed he and his church had done nothing that warranted the Catholic Church's actions.

"I'm not a cult leader and not about starting up a break away church," he said.

"The Archbishop needs to heed the voice of the people. This action of exclusion and division will not bring healing.

"We (the St Mary's Parish) would like to reach out to John Bathersby so he can experience the vitality, love and joy of this community...we are all about reaching out and embracing people from all walks of life, not making judgement."

Father Kennedy appealed to Archbishop Bathersby to reconsider his decision.

While the sacking did not come as a surprise to 700-strong parish members, many were devastated once their fears were realised.

Nadine McAllister and her family, of Everton Park, have attended St Mary's for the past three years and had her two-year-old daughter baptised there.

Mrs McAllister was in tears upon hearing that the Vatican did not recognise her daughter's baptism.

"We are disgusted. That was a ceremony where she was entered into the church," Mrs McAllister said.

"It dis-empowers you."

Gwenneth Roberts, of Greenslopes, who has attended the parish for more than a decade said she believed many people who were marginalised in the South Brisbane community would be at a disadvantage without Father Kennedy.

"This is the most inclusive community I have ever been in," Ms Roberts said.

"There are simply no conditions to be accepted.

"It doesn't matter if you are gay or black or Muslim - everyone is welcome."

An Archdiocesan spokesmen, after being contacted by brisbanetimes.com.au, said Archbishop Bathersby would not comment on the situation until he had received a personal response from Father Peter Kennedy to his letter.

[qfnol31]

Yay! Deo gratias. Edited February 8, 2009 by qfnol31

[cmotherofpirl]

Can we borrow this bishop for about a year?

[Apotheoun]

I pray that the Vatican acts quickly in appointing a new bishop to the Latin diocese in Oakland California.

[CatholicCid]

From Brisbane to Oakland? Quite a far leap across the pond there.

[eagle_eye222001]

[quote]"This is the most inclusive community I have ever been in," Ms Roberts said.

"There are simply no conditions to be accepted.

"It doesn't matter if you are gay or black or Muslim - everyone is welcome."[/quote]

Yeah. Everyone is welcome. But not just anything goes.

[Apotheoun]

Yes, everyone is welcome, because everyone is called to conversion from sin.

[puellapaschalis]

Making sure that your child's Baptism was done properly is MUCH more important than you feeling "empowered" or not.

[Archaeology cat]

[quote name='Apotheoun' post='1775652' date='Feb 8 2009, 06:37 AM']Yes, everyone is welcome, because everyone is called to conversion from sin.[/quote]
Exactly.

[quote name='puellapaschalis' post='1775771' date='Feb 8 2009, 02:38 PM']Making sure that your child's Baptism was done properly is MUCH more important than you feeling "empowered" or not.[/quote]
Most definitely!

[Brother Adam]

[quote name='cmotherofpirl' post='1775639' date='Feb 8 2009, 02:19 AM']Can we borrow this bishop for about a year?[/quote]

Get in line

[CatherineM]

I don't remember anything in the Catechism about blacks being excluded by the church. I also don't remember anything about being empowered by your child's baptism. I'm not even sure what that means exactly. It's as if they have all been thrown a bunch of catch phases instead of solid proper catechism. What Kennedy doesn't understand is that you can fill you church to the rafters by flowing with the tide of fashion, but fads change pretty fast. We need a solid foundation, and if that means smaller numbers, than so be it. Tell people the truth, let them really understand what the Catholic Church is, what we have inside the doors, and we will have people pounding down the doors to get inside. Trying to be popular isn't what Jesus or his church is about.

[Winchester]

We apologize for the fault in the theology. Those responsible have just been sacked.

[puellapaschalis]

[quote name='Winchester' post='1775968' date='Feb 8 2009, 11:06 PM']We apologize for the fault in the theology. Those responsible have just been sacked.[/quote]

This has been a public salvation announcement from your local Diocese. Have a nice day!

[T-Bone _]

[quote]Speaking at a press conference today, Father Kennedy thanked the community for its support and maintained that he believed he and his church had done nothing that warranted the Catholic Church's actions.

"I'm not a cult leader and not about starting up a break away church," he said.

"[b]The Archbishop needs to heed the voice of the people.[/b] This action of exclusion and division will not bring healing.[/quote]

Perhaps the people need to heed the voice of the Church?

[Veridicus]

[quote name='Winchester' post='1775968' date='Feb 8 2009, 04:06 PM']We apologize for the fault in the theology. Those responsible have just been sacked.[/quote]


Haha. That is fantastic.

We apologize for the interruption of the reinstitution of proper theology in your diocese. Those responsible for the sacking have now themselves been sacked.