AUSTRALIA
Canberra Times
Graham Downie
June 30, 2012
Retiring Catholic bishop Pat Power has been one of Canberra’s much-loved clerics not least because he has been prepared to take a stand on social issues, GRAHAM DOWNIE writes
Often seen as out of step with his church, Auxiliary Catholic Bishop of Canberra and Goulburn Pat Power retires today unrepentant, still willing to speak his mind across a range of issues and reaching out to those of other denominations and faiths.
He was at it again this week, taking on Cardinal George Pell no less, on the question of climate change. ”I think it’s important that another bishop shows that mainstream Australian Catholicism, and in fact the Pope himself, has been very strong in speaking in support of measures to take into account issues affecting the environment.”
But it is questionable whether the Pope would support his views on some of the big issues – including sexual abuse, married priests, the ordination of women and homosexuality – facing the church, which he sees as having missed opportunities for reform.
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