AUSTRALIA
7 News
By Simon Frazer, ABC
June 5, 2013
Two retired Australian bishops have called for a fundamental shake-up of the Catholic Church, officially launching a worldwide petition they hope will lead to an “Arab Spring” revolution within the church.
Retired bishops Geoffrey Robinson and Pat Power say the royal commission into child sexual abuse will not go far enough.
Bishop Robinson, who retired nearly a decade ago because of disillusionment with the church’s efforts to deal with clerical abuse, released a book on Tuesday outlining what some will consider radical ideas to put the church on a modern footing.
His long list of changes includes making celibacy voluntary, moderating the moral authority conveyed on priests, and greatly expanding the role of women in the church.
Bishop Robinson says change must come from within the church, because while the royal commission can help victims and target offenders, it does not have the power to solve the deeper problems behind the abuse.
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