St Mary's

St Mary’s South Brisbane – the heart of the matter

In Fr. Tom Elich’s article, The Heart of the Issue, he commented that, “many of our Mass texts come from the liturgical books of the sixth century.” We need to go back further. Why can’t we return to the more profound and simple celebrations of Jesus? He shared ritual meals with the outcasts of society. For Jesus, it was among these poor people that God was found and celebrated. I believe it was in these simpler celebrations that he was inviting us to, “Do this in memory of me.”

Fr. Terry Fitzpatrick

St Marys

South Brisbane

A bishop has ultimate authority in a diocese

Referring to David Pascoe’s article, By whose authority… a bishop has ultimate authority in a diocese. Unfortunately this is not the case as we witness time and time again with the ultimate authority of the bishop being undermined again and again by the centralized authority of Rome . We don’t have to look too far for examples, recently the case of the Bishop of Toowoomba attempted to address the dreadful shortage of priests within his diocese by attempting to discuss some possible creative solutions. He was met by a swift reprimand and was investigated by the Vatican for orthodoxy. The report is still pending hence placing him under continuing suspicion. Are bishops not allowed to even facilitate discussion about such important matters? And do local bishops have that much authority when they are discouraged from solving an essential issue such the leadership of parishes? What ever happened to the wonderful Second Vatican Council’s aspirations of Collegiality and Subsidiarity?

Fr. Terry Fitzpatrick

St Mary’s South Brisbane