Exiled Priest Suspended

Local News, By hazyinseptember, 19th June, 2009

Rogue priest Father Kennedy [top picture] has been suspended by Brisbane Archbishop John Bathersby [bottom picture]. He’s not allowed to perform any church duties anywhere in the world, which includes preaching, hearing confessions and officiating at weddings.

As reported by ABC News, the church congregation of St Mary’s, currently known as St Mary’s in Exile, are without a priest who can bless the congregation.

Father Adrian Farrelly, Chancellor of the Archdiocese, said that it’s a very serious matter.

“However, Father Kennedy has consistently ignored a series of formal directives, following years of informal requests from the Archbishop to conform to universal Catholic practices,” he said in a statement.

“Father Kennedy’s beliefs and practices have separated him and those with him from the church, local and universal, and caused confusion. The action of the Archbishop is a strong call to Father Kennedy to return to accepted Catholic teaching and practice.”

Father Kennedy came under the attack of the Catholic Church for ‘unorthodox practices’, including having a statue of Buddha in the church, letting women preach and blessing gay couples.

He has described the ban as ‘ruthless and vindictive’ and will defy the ruling by continuing to work. He also says he is expecting the church to take further steps against him.

“The ex-communication will come, they will pursue this to the bitter end,” he said.

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Your Thoughts

jimjazz

said ages ago

Love Father Kennedy! I'm not a christian but this is what spiritual practise is about; not ancient rules made up by ignorant people to control their version of spirituality. Go Father Kennnedy!!!!! Who's ya daddy?

Kyle2009

said ages ago

Meanwhile, the CC covers up yet another case of child abuse, and this man cannot even bless a gay union. Go figure.

Brightside05

said ages ago

Him blessing gay unions doesn't mean jack shit, I don't know why people go on about it. You can't be catholic and like homosexuality, if you do then you arn't doing it right and shouldn't call yourself catholic.

Hels85

said ages ago

and yet it is catholic preists who are being charged with sexually assaulting young boys at bording schools..........

Christian Taylor

said ages ago

seems to be the way... i'm glad i've never had to try and get my head around wanting to be both gay and religious.

Kyle2009

said ages ago

How many religious people do you think eat shellfish? How many religious men would have sex with a woman while she has her period? How many religious women wear long pants? How many religious men wear their hair long? All of these are condemned in the Bible, yet we ignore them. Jesus was a sinner because he had long hair, yet Catholics overlook this. One can be religious and gay, I have many gay friends who also believe in God. Not everyone believes every single thing in the Bible.

Brightside05

said ages ago

Don't worry, men with long hair is next on old benny's hit list. But yeah, the catholic church publicly condemns homosexuality like right now. The convenient catholic. Is it in the bible that jesus had long hair? Or is that just how he is depicted, as a white man in a land of Palestinians. Of course they do, they couldn't bear the thought of having wasted their only chance pinging off their head on Oxford Street. We all want to go to heaven so we can eat our favourite food all the time and fuck all the hot people.

Asherbella

said ages ago

The thing I don't understand is this - if 'rogue' priest Father Kennedy wants to keep a statue of Buddha in his Catholic Church: why doesn't he just leave Catholicism & become a Buddhist monk? Buddhism & Catholicism are at odds with each other theologically. Buddhism purports that the existance of a higher being is irrelevant to one's spiritual enlightenment: Catholicism believes in the Holy Trinity & the 'Holy Spirit' of Jesus. Father Kennedy can't have his cake & eat it to. While I'm no fan of the Catholic Church, Father Kennedy is knowingly disobeying the dogma of the religion he vowed to uphold. He's going against his vows. If he wants to reform the Catholic Church he can do so as an activist: not as a priest.

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