Dismissal of Australian Bishop William M. Morris: The Rest of the Story Emerges

What is emerging is an ongoing struggle over many years between the Holy See and the Bishop over very serious issues. At one point the Bishop was summoned to Rome and refused to go. The record reveals a Bishop who was not following his call to obedience to the Church and her Magisterium. He was asked to resign twice back in 2007. Then again, twice in 2008. He refused. Then, personally by the Pope in 2009.

VATICAN CITY (Catholic Online) - On May 2, 2011 the official bulletin of the Holy See announced "the Holy Father, Benedict XVI, has dismissed from the pastoral care of the diocese of Toowoomba (Australia) H. E. Bishop William M. Morris." In an article for Catholic Online on this matter I wrote "Such an extraordinary action by the Vatican signals very serious matters. This is particularly clear when the action is taken after a thorough investigation and upon a formal report submitted by one of the finest Bishops in the United States selected to oversee the investigation of this entire affair, Archbishop Charles Chaput of the Archdiocese of Denver, Colorado." Apparently, the dismissed Bishop will not go quietly into a life of prayer and service. The Catholic News Agency reported on Tuesday that "a newly disclosed internal report indicates that the Vatican had been trying since late 2006 to get Australian Bishop William Morris to correct his abuses of Church doctrine and liturgy before finally removing him as head of the Toowoomba diocese earlier this month. "The document was prepared by two priests loyal to Bishop Morris, Father Peter Schultz, the diocese's judicial vicar, and Fr. Peter Dorfield, former vicar general of the diocese. The new document confirms that the Vatican removed the bishop for flagrant abuses in the celebration of the Sacrament of Penance and for advocating women's ordination to the priesthood. "Leaked to the Australian press, the confidential document offers a unique glimpse into the workings of the Vatican's disciplinary process. It also reveals that the bishop's sacking was the conclusion of a long and sometimes tense back-and-forth with the Vatican - and not the consequence of a sudden decision, as the Australian bishop suggested in a letter last week." "The document, entitled "Summary History of Bishop Morris' dispute with the Roman Dicasteries" is an addendum to a seven-page defense of Bishop Morris that was sent April 29 to priests, leaders and the head of Christian denominations in the Toowoomba region. The two documents are part of a deliberate campaign described in the summary to discredit the Vatican's investigation and present Bishop Morris as a victim of injustice in the affair." The Bishop sent a letter to supporters on his own behalf. In it he claimed, "While the overwhelming majority of you have been supportive of me and have worked collaboratively with me to ensure the ongoing life of the diocese, and its mission to be a bearer of the Gospel to the wider world, a small group have found my leadership and the direction of the diocese not to their liking. "While I have tried to deal with all people fairly and to involve all in the ministry and mission of the diocese I have not always been able to succeed. Some of those who have been disaffected by my leadership have exercised the option of making complaints about me. "This led to an Apostolic Visitation and an ongoing dialogue between myself and the Congregations for Bishops, Divine Worship and Doctrine of the Faith and eventually Pope Benedict. The substance of these complaints is of no real import now but the consequences are that is has been determined by Pope Benedict that the diocese would be better served by the leadership of a new bishop."  The Bishop complained about an alleged lack of "natural justice" in the process. However, the timeline disclosed by the Catholic News Agency paints a very different story. It can be found in "New document reveals years of Vatican efforts before ousting Toowoomba bishop"  What is emerging is an ongoing struggle over many years between the Holy See and the Bishop over very serious issues. At one point the Bishop was summoned to Rome and refused to go. The record reveals a Bishop who was not following his call to obedience to the Church and her Magisterium. He was asked to resign twice back in 2007. Then again, twice in 2008. He refused. Then, personally by the Pope in 2009. The faithful of the Catholic Church have a right to receive the true and complete teaching of the Magisterium of the Church from their Bishop. After all, that is his primary task. They have a right to participate in Holy Mass and receive the Sacraments without suffering novelty or infidelity. The priests of every diocese, as well as the deacons, have a right to receive the kind of pastoral care that reflects a Bishop who understands his ecclesial office and call to communion with the Vicar of Christ and eagerly and lovingly fulfills his vocation.

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