Bathersby ousts Kennedy at St Mary's
http://www.cathnews.com/article.aspx?aeid=11626 Published: February 09, 2009 Emacs! Brisbane Archbishop John Bathersby is replacing St Mary's, South Brisbane administrator, Fr Peter Kennedy. In a letter received on Friday, Archbishop Bathersby said Fr Kennedy and "the community have not budged an inch", the ABC reports. It says Father Kennedy's appointment will be terminated on February 21, unless he resigns first. Speaking at a press conference today, Fr 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, The Brisbane Times reports. "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." Fr Kennedy appealed to Archbishop Bathersby to reconsider his decision. Earlier he had said he was considering his options. "I've been here 28 years and I know this community is solidly behind me, and so we could go elsewhere," he said. In the letter, Archbishop Bathersby says parishioners cannot be stopped from breaking away but has warned them they will not be in communion with the Roman Catholic Church. Archbishop Bathersby also appointed Dean Ken Howell from St Stephen's Cathedral as temporary administrator of St Mary's from February 21, The Courier-Mail reports. But the church's steering committee today vowed that it would be business as usual from February 21, insisting Fr Kennedy would stay on and parishioners would pay his stipend from the regular money collection take up during masses. Archbishop Bathersby also told Fr Kennedy that if he "wished to retire from active service, the archdiocese will assist as it does with other priests who retire". He warned that any parishioners loyal to Fr Kennedy will be excluded from the church if they followed the priest to any new venture. "Those who follow you should realise that they will not be in communion with the Roman Catholic Church and the Archdiocese of Brisbane," Archbishop Bathersby wrote. "... Time and time again St Mary's has chosen to go its own way." The Australian adds that Fr Kennedy has appealed to the archbishop to change his decision. Parishioner Karyn Walsh told The Australian that the community was deeply upset by the decision and was behind Fr Kennedy's plea. Ms Walsh said the parish's gay and lesbian community in particular felt discriminated against by the archbishop's decision. She said the parish did not consider the liturgical reasons given for Fr Kennedy's termination were good ones. "They are really no reason to take away such a strong sense of community that exists at St Mary's," she said. "There's certainly a strong feeling that people don't want to go anywhere." Earlier, Archbishop Bathersby had confirmed that a letter has been sent to Fr Peter Kennedy, who did not divulge its contents until after a parish meeting and press conference Sunday morning. "At this stage the Archbishop doesn't wish to make any further comment about the letter. If Father Kennedy chooses to reveal the contents of the letter the Archbishop will respond accordingly," a Brisbane archdiocesan spokesperson told The Courier Mail. SOURCE Catholic Church sacks renegade priest (Brisbane Times) <http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,25024481-5005961,00.html>'Rebel' priest sacked in mass row (The Australian) <http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,25024257-952,00.html>Fr Peter Kennedy to be sacked but not excommunicated (Courier-Mail) <http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/02/08/2485449.htm?section=justin>Brisbane priest sacked over Catholic feud (ABC News) <http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,25018662-952,00.html>Vatican to excommunicate South Brisbane priest Fr Peter Kennedy (Courier-Mail) LINKS <http://southbrisbane.wordpress.com/>St Mary's, South Brisbane <http://media01.couriermail.com.au/multimedia/08-02-09_Kennedy/[email protected]_20090208_114355.pdf>The dismissal: Archbishop's letter (The Australian) ARCHIVE Radio - The Conversation Hour with Richard Fidler St Mary's ready for a move Bathersby lists matters not addressed by St Mary's Vatican a bully: South Brisbane priest "We are Catholic": St Mary's replies Power clarifies comments Excommunication looms for St Mary's Jesus not God: Bathurst priest St Mary's PP accused in camera incident Brisbane church's controversial baptism Albs at St Mary's Pray for St Mary's: Bathersby Divorcees remarried at St Mary's: Allegations St Mary's parishioners "love the Vatican II" Bathersby delivers ultimatum to St Mary's Strife at St Mary's over "Buddha" statue <*}}}>< <http://www.halfthekingdom.org/on+allposters+today.html>on AllPosters today <*}}}><<*}}}>< <http://astore.amazon.com/halthekin-20>Catholic on Amazon <*}}}>< + <*}}}>< <http://www.holypostage.com/>Holy Postage <*}}}>< <*}}}><<http://www.halfthekingdom.org/>Half the <http://www.halfthekingdom.org/>Kingdom!<*}}}>< + "The fruit of abortion is nuclear war" - Bl. 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