It was the freest, happiest, most enveloping Communion services I have attended – one late evening at St Mary’s Catholic Church in Peel Street, South Brisbane.That was eight or so years ago. Friends had taken me. I remember it still. Today, at the Vatican’s intervention, St Mary’s and its priest of 28 years Father Peter Kennedy is sadly deep in controversy.
Brisbane’s Archbishop John Bathersby is considering whether St Mary's parish "is in communion with the Catholic Church" after a parishioner protested to the Vatican over a Buddha-like statue.
A member of St Mary's South Brisbane Church told The Courier-Mail it was understood Archbishop Bathersby is weighing up the future of the church, after complaints were forwarded from the Vatican.
"A very right wing parishioner came and was offended by some of the artwork in the church, including some indigenous art, and an image of a praying monk which they mistook as a Buddha," the parishioner said. "That person took photos and sent them to Rome and Rome wrote to the bishop."
However, the statue - which was about 1 metre tall - had since been taken out of the church by a disgruntled person and smashed. The statue is said in fact to be of a monk praying.
In a written statement, Archbishop Bathersby confirmed he had received communiqués from the Vatican about St Mary's and that they included complaints about an alleged Buddhist statue in the church's sanctuary and allegedly unorthodox masses being conducted.
The Archbishop said that since speaking with Fr Kennedy, he had received many letters from parishioners concerned that the church might be closed. He had responded by saying "the key question is whether St Mary's is in communion with the Roman Catholic Church or not." This was something he had previously raised with the church's community and "nothing has really changed since then".
In 2004, claims that incorrect language was being used during baptism were upheld and hundreds of baptisms conducted at St Mary's were ruled invalid by Archbishop Bathersby.
www links:
Future of St Mary's South Brisbane Church in doubt (Courier-Mail, 20/8/08)
St Mary's parish, South Brisbane
Posts
