By Christie Peucker
Geelong Advertiser
February 8, 2010
http://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au/article/2010/02/09/144535_news.html
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| Bishop Gow has denied allegations he has harassed residents in Elaine. |
A MAN who calls himself the catholic Bishop of Elaine has denied stalking and intimidating members of the small farming community.
Bishop Rodrick Gow, also known as Father James, also refuted claims yesterday he had sent inappropriate letters, made harassing phone calls and exposed himself to residents as they walked past his home.
His denials come as seven community members took steps to seek intervention orders against him, claiming he's subjected them to years of verbal and psychological abuse.
Four residents, Aileen McKee, and Paul, Kevin and Shirley Ryan, instigated formal complaints at the Ballarat Magistrates' Court yesterday, and will appear on February 25 to pursue their cases.
Bishop Gow last night said he had never inappropriately exposed himself to residents.
``I go to the back verandah with a shirt on and powder my backside after a shower so it doesn't get on the floor inside,'' Bishop Gow said.
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``You would have to be purposely looking this way to see anything at all.''
Threats to ``destroy'' Elaine General Store operator Paul Ryan were also dismissed as ``fantasy''.
``There has been a vendetta waged against me,'' Bishop Gow said.
``I have been, at all times, willing to sit down with the Ryans.''
Mrs McKee alleges Bishop Gow started sending her letters questioning her mental stability after she contacted Roman Catholic Bishop of Ballarat Peter J Connors with concerns the public was being misled.
``A number of these sorts of articles were sent back to me. It was not my writing on them. It did not bare any resemblance to my handwriting, nor did I send them,'' Bishop Gow said.
Last week, the Geelong Advertiser revealed Bishop Gow started proceedings with the Equal Opportunities Commission on grounds of religious vilification after the Meredith and District News published a Letter to the Editor by Bishop Connors.
In the letter, he told all Catholics not to approach Bishop Gow for the administration of the Sacraments and not to attend the Eucharist he celebrated.
He said Bishop Gow was misleading residents by calling himself a catholic priest.
Bishop Gow claims he is a Bishop of the Australian Catholic Church, which is not in communion with the Roman Catholic Church.
He also denied name calling or making late night threatening phone calls including one where a resident was allegedly told a psychiatric van was coming to collect her.
``My telephone records are here and I'm happy to show them to anyone,'' Bishop Gow said.
It is alleged Bishop Gow saw Mrs Ryan in a Ballarat supermarket where he taunted her along the aisles.
Bishop Gow confirmed he had seen her in a supermarket but that he only greeted her with pleasantries.
``I said `Hello Shirley, what are you up to?','' he said.
Claims that he or someone he instructed defaced the Elaine General Store, leased by the Ryan family, were also denied.
``I did not do that. There is no witness, no proof to say I did that,'' he said.
Staff at the store also claim to have been threatened.
Bishop Gow said he had never had other intervention orders taken out against him and said he had only reacted to, not instigated, any of the feud.
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