I WRITE in support of Archbishop John Bathersby’s handling of the St Mary’s, South Brisbane, matter.
I believe most Brisbane Catholics would have been impressed with Archbishop Bathersby’s very caring, balanced and pastoral calling for the parish to conform to practices required of Catholics in communion with the Church.
When Jesus chose the leadership of the Church from “the stone rejected by the builders” He Made it fairly clear that the Church would be in the hands of flawed human beings and it certainly has not changed in over 2000 years.
We have enjoyed brilliant, inspirational and holy leadership along with varying degrees of the opposite.
Just as there is a lot to admire in our 21st century Church there is equally as many instances where we seem to drag our feet.
We must never forget though that the Church is the mother to a wide variety of Her children in age, nationality, culture – left, right and centre. I see our parishes as being a microcosm of this vast, worldwide Church.
It must cater for every type and be a spiritual sanctuary to all of us.
The structure of our Church and its leadership is the model Christ left for us, with all its imperfections.
Change may be glacial but imagine the institution we would develop if we were permitted to “cherry pick” the bits we liked and disregard the rest.
I’m sure all Catholics pray that St Mary’s will discern their future to be in harmony with the Archbishop’s wishes.
At the same time we should recognise what a great Christian leadership example we have seen from the Archbishop.
PETER TOOHEY
Rainbow Bay, Qld
