CATH NEWS REPORT: From Bishop William Morris' biography page on the Catholic Diocese of Toowoomba website
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Bishop Toowoomba Bishop William Morris says he's not angry he's been forced into early retirement by the Church, reports the Courier-Mail, expressing instead a sadness for the Church.
He said he doesn't think the Vatican likes being questioned and that his leadership was questioned because he was seen as being too open and too inclusive."I'm sad for the local church, but not for myself. I'm not angry but I've been trying to get a process of justice ... if it affects me it affects the wider community."
"When I had a meeting with the Pope in 2009 he quoted back to me basically what cardinals had quoted back to me - and that was a misinterpretation of my pastoral letter."
He says he has concerns about the way he was treated by the Vatican.
"I believe the Vatican hasn't given me a voice,'' he said. "If it hasn't given me a voice, it means it hasn't given the people a voice. My leadership was questioned as too open ... and there was the misreading of my letter, of course.
He said he had not advocated for women as priests, only calling for an openess to options "so that the Eucharist can be celebrated in our community".
"I think - and I'm not the only one - that there is a creeping centralism in the church at the moment. There's a creeping authoritarianism.''
Bishop Morris said he is grateful for the love and affection he is being shown by his community.
Meanwhile, two vigils have been held in Toowoomba to protest against the sacking, with one group of about 200 gathering 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, an AAP report in the Sydney Morning Heraldsaid.
The two demonstrations of sympathy for the bishop were to combine at the cathedral because of bad weather, said Father Peter Dorfield, the vicar general of the Toowoomba diocese.
Eight Toowoomba diocese priests on Tuesday issued a statement expressing support for the bishop. "In our view, Bishop Morris has not been treated fairly or respectfully," the joint statement says. "We find his removal profoundly disheartening."
The National Council of Priests has also released a media statement criticising the process that led to the bishop's early retirement. "We are appalled at the lack of transparency and due process that led to this decision by Church authorities," writes NCP chairman Father Ian McGinnity.
"We are embarrassed about the shabby treatment meted out to an outstanding Pastor of this diocese who has faithfully ministered in the Church in Queensland and throughout Australia since his priestly ordination in 1969.
"We are concerned about an element within the Church whose restorationist ideology wants to repress freedom of expression within the Roman Catholic Church and who deny the legitimate magisterial authority of the local Bishop within the Church.
"We appeal to the Bishop of Rome in his acknowledged role as first among equals and the source of communio within the Church to listen and build bridges of trust, faith and love with those who have been hurt by this decision."
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