As with the rest of mainstream society, the church reflects this and is a dysfunctional family, but as Father Kennedy said, “You don’t just walk away because it is dysfunctional” – one has to admire him for this.

A rather hypocritical letter to Peter Kennedy from the ‘Most Rev' John A Bathersby has this in its content,
“…Peter, making these decisions gives me no satisfaction whatsoever. The separation of Christians is contrary to all that Christ prayed for. Nor does such division promote the Kingdom of God. You have had ample time to make a considered decision. Please God the division that exists at the present time will be healed in the future, probably not in my time…. In this matter I pray also that Mary the mother of Jesus will be our inspiration and guide as we seek her prayerful support for the healing of the Archdiocese of Brisbane, and St Mary’s Parish.

Sincerely in Christ
Most Rev John A Bathersby DD
ARCHBISHOP OF BRISBANE”

His ousting could be delayed indefinitely as the case might be determined in Rome, before an ultimate decision by the Pope, however Kennedy, although wishing to remain a Catholic, said he didn’t have faith in the Pope. Strictly speaking, I guess that ‘non-belief’ ousts him anyway.

"It's not we who are in schism with the Catholic Church, The Catholic Church is not in sync with its own people." – Father Kennedy

I have been in Father Kennedy's church at a dinner for refugees. Although I am not a Catholic I felt a fellowship with the people there and appreciated very much what Father Kennedy had done in giving refugees the support that Ruddock and Howard didn't give them. He has given the disinherited and downtrodden support in other instances. I don't believe that Archbishop Bathersby is the villain in this case. I think he is a nice man without a great deal of courage who is pushed by the Vatican and Opus Dei to get rid of Father Kennedy.

Father Kennedy is a most decent man who is in the spirit of John XXIII. Unfortunately there is no room in the current Catholic Church for such men.

From by favourite Spiritual "philosopher"---re the inherent totalitarian nature of the said "orthodox-religion".

"The Monotheistic "creationist-religion" is an exclusively exoteric institution which is intent upon controlling and managing the entire human world and even the conditionally arising universe itself.

The "sacred power" that such "religion" claims it brings (or would extend) into the human world is, it says, the "Creator-God" of the universe--whereas, in fact, the power that such "religion" actually exercises (or would everywhere exercise) is that of of the humanly-governed political, social, economic, cultural, and altogether, merely exoteric INSTITUTIONALIZATIO of the totality of humankind.

The institutionalizing-power that such "religion exercises (or would everywhere exercise, if allowed to function at will and unimpeded) is of an inherently intolerant nature---because it is self-possessed by a reductionist, and tribalistic, and exclusively exoteric mentality, that cannot accept any non-"orthodox", extra-tribal (or extra-instutional) non-monotheistic, or, otherwise, esoteric exceptions to its "Rule".

One of the key characteristics that such "religion" has is the persistent will to dominate and assimilate ALL other traditions and cultures---while otherw be either influenced or assimilated."

Hence "god's" Rottweiler.

If step 1 is to abandon faith in the Pope, then surely step 2 is to abandon faith in God. Let Father Kennedy turn the church into a social club and invite Buddhists, Hindus and Moslems to come and join in the guitar sing-along and the marshmallow campfires.

Until he is prepared to do this, however, he remains a card-carrying officer of a church based on the tenet of central authority, and is obliged to follow the rules.

The main reason Catholicism has survived in its current form is because it will not tolerate dissent. Presumably Father Kennedy knew this when he joined up. If he doesn't like it, he knows where the door is.

I don't know that there is anything wrong with the Church ousting Kennedy's congregation. Quite simply, it is not a Catholic community. It doesn't follow Catholic rules and it picks and chooses which Catholic beliefs it will follow. Bathersby hasn't shut down the congregation - he has simply noted that, because the St. Mary's congregation don't want to play by the Church's rules, the Church will stop funding them and will also take back its building.

As for the Church's "only hope for survival" being the ordination of women, etc, we see these things through a curiously secular Australian perspective. Stroll past St. Peter's on a Wednesday morning and tell me that the Church is dying; visit one of the many devoutly Catholic countries in the world and tell me the Church is dying. Many other denominations have brought in all or some of these modernisations and still the Catholic Church is the biggest denomination. I'm not sure that changing the entire structure of the Church to inspire Australians back into the fold is the way of the future.

if the catholic church wants to change their structure, in order to survive, that's their business. if the catholic church doesn't want to change their structure, in order to remain a narrow-minded and divisive and sex-obsessed cult, that's still their business. but let's see this outdated barbarism for what it is. to hell with them.