Sacking Divides Church, The Daily, February 23, 2009

Sacking Divides Church

The Daily
February 23, 2009

http://www.thedaily.com.au/news/2009/feb/23/sacking-divides-church/

Father Joe Duffy at Stella Maris Parish church, Maroochydore comments on St Mary's Church controversy in Brisbane
Photo by Greg Miller

Sunshine Coast Catholics have mixed feelings over the sacking of controversial Brisbane priest Peter Kennedy, but are united in sharing the pain of the dispute.

The rebel priest, who was sacked for unorthodox practices, says he will continue to defy the Catholic Church and lead his South Brisbane parish because his dismissal was unjust.

Father Kennedy conducted mass at St Mary’s Catholic Church yesterday despite being stood down last week by Brisbane Archbishop John Bathersby.

Yesterday one Sunshine Coast priest backed the church over its decision, but another was less willing to support either side.

Stella Maris Catholic Church parish priest Joe Duffy said Archbishop Bathersby had no choice but to remove Fr Kennedy.

But the North Coast Dean of the Catholic Church, John Dobson, refused to back the church’s actions.

Fr Duffy said he understood Archbishop Bathersby had to protect the “purity of doctrine in his diocese”.

He said he had spoken to many of his parishioners and while there was support for some of the controversial practices Fr Kennedy had implemented, most parishioners supported the archbishop.

“The Catholics of this parish have great loyalty towards their archbishop and regard him as a profoundly spiritual man,” he said.

“As one parishioner said, ‘He’s the only archbishop that would tolerate this kind of behaviour (for so long).’ “

The church sacked Fr ?Kennedy for a litany of practices at odds with its doctrine, including blessing same sex marriages and allowing women to preach the homily.

Fr Duffy said some of the practices at St Mary’s parish were generally supported by Catholics across the country, namely its concern for the poor and the sharing of ministries.

“But because of the in your face attitudes that are emanating from St Mary’s, it’s difficult?…?it puts us in a difficult situation,” he said.

Fr Dobson said there was support within his diocese for both Fr Kennedy and the church but most people he had spoken to were simply saddened it had got to this stage.

When asked if the church had done the right thing, he said, “That’s a very complex question.

“Most people are concerned about the pain and hurt that’s being developed.”

More than 1000 people attended yesterday’s service in support of Fr Kennedy at the South Brisbane church.

He promised the parish he would not stand down and to continue to attend mass despite the church appointing a new priest, Fr Ken Howell, to lead St Mary’s.

Archbishop Bathersby said an independent mediator would most likely be called in to solve the impasse.

“The Church is fully entitled to have this decree obeyed and to have its ownership of the St Mary’s Church respected,” the archbishop said.

“In this difficult situation, I believe a sensible next step would be to have an experienced, independent and eminent mediator meet with the archdiocese and Fr Kennedy to attempt to achieve a peaceful and dignified outcome to the current impasse.”

But Fr Kennedy said any mediation should include the church community.

“If the archbishop wants to mediate, he has to mediate with the community,” he said.

“He has unjustly sacked me and in sacking me he has sacked the community.”

Fr Howell stayed away from the mass after being advised by police not to attend, following revelations on Saturday that Archbishop Bathersby had been the target of a bomb threat.

Fr Kennedy rejected the idea of a parish member resorting to bomb threats, saying no one wanted a confrontation.