This proposition, which suggests a potential waiver of clerical celibacy, aims to foster greater inclusivity and representation of First Nations Australians within the Church.

The views of Archbishop Coleridge (pictured) were shared during an interview with The Australian newspaper.

However, he clarified that the sensationalist headline, "End of celibacy nigh, says Brisbane Catholic Archbishop Mark Coleridge," may have exaggerated his statements.

"The headline went quite a way beyond what I actually said, but the article was fair enough," Archbishop Coleridge said in a subsequent interview with The Catholic Leader.

"Clerical celibacy is an undoubted value"

While Archbishop Coleridge doesn't foresee the complete abandonment of celibacy, he firmly believes that the question of its applicability is pertinent, particularly within Indigenous communities.

"Clerical celibacy is an undoubted value, but it's not an absolute value," he expressed.

"I have been more or less happily celibate through my life, and the Church would be greatly impoverished if celibacy were wholly abandoned.

"But the question is whether it should be mandatory for all, and the context of the question is the changing profile of the priesthood and the current needs of the People of God," the Archbishop concluded.

As the immediate past president of the Australian Catholic Bishops' Conference, Archbishop Coleridge's insights carry substantial influence.

This becomes even more pertinent with the upcoming Synod on Synodality in Rome commencing in October.

Within this historical gathering, discussions surrounding clerical matters will undoubtedly play a crucial role.

In his interview with The Australian, Archbishop Coleridge candidly predicted that mandated priestly celibacy could see significant modifications. Although he couldn't definitively pinpoint when or how this transformation might occur, he emphasised that the question itself demands attention and contemplation.

Sources

Catholic Leader

CathNews New Zealand

A product and priest of the rural diocese of Ballarat, he rose to be not only Archbishop of Melbourne but, extraordinarily, Archbishop of Sydney as well.

It was unthinkable then that the Archbishop of Melbourne would be moved to Sydney.

As was said at the time, "It was an insult to both".

It took George Pell to break the mould.

With the move to Sydney he was named Cardinal, which brought with it a further enhancement of his Vatican profile.

This eventually led to his appointment as Prefect of the Secretariat of the Economy of the Holy See, charged with leading the financial reforms begun by Pope Benedict and pursued by Pope Francis.

Then his legal troubles erupted in Australia in circumstances that remain unclear.

Pell became the victim of an outrageous injustice as he was convicted and jailed for 13 months before a final vindication.

The spiritual poise and strength he showed through all of this was extraordinary. It revealed a depth to George Pell that often went unrecognised.

Through his legal troubles, he was identified wholly with the Catholic Church and vice versa.

Pell was the Church, and the Church was Pell - big, powerful and heartless in the eyes of many. Partly this was because, in his public persona in Australia, Pell had presented himself self-consciously as the voice of the Catholic Church.

Those who didn't know him thought Pell heartless and humourless, and his media persona could suggest this.

Yet if George Pell had anything, they were a good heart and a sense of humour. It was a pity that more of this didn't show in his media appearances.

He didn't claim to be a saint; he knew he was flawed. But he did claim - and rightly - to be a man of faith and a man of the Church. He once told me how struck he was by the words on the Roman tomb of Cardinal Alfredo Ottaviani, Vehementer amavit Ecclesiam (Vehemently he loved the Church).

George said however that he'd prefer on his own tomb, Vehementer amavit Dominum et Ecclesiam (Vehemently he loved the Lord and the Church).

There was nothing bland or half-hearted about George Pell: he was strong, even vehement in his faith, his convictions, his likes and dislikes.

He could be a fierce opponent, unafraid to enter the battle.

At times this could make him seem an ideological warrior, which did not serve him well. It certainly wasn't George Pell at his best.

He was always a polarising figure, stirring strongly contrasting reactions. He had both passionate friends and passionate foes.

In part, this was because his deepest instincts were those of a politician who thrived on opposition and conflict. It was also tied to an apocalyptic view of the world seen as an arena where good and evil, life and death, light and darkness contended.

There wasn't much middle ground for George Pell, not too many shades of grey.

But that he had unusual gifts of leadership is certain - intelligence, courage, conviction, self-confidence, political nous and tenacity among them.

Though he chose a life in the Church, George Pell would have been a leader in any field he had chosen.

It will take time to assess his legacy in the Church in Australia, which will prove as complex, even as contradictory as the man himself.

For now we give thanks for the gifts George Pell brought to us and the challenges he posed.

And we pray that, beyond all the struggles and sorrows he knew, this extraordinary man of faith and of the Church, our brother George, will come now before the Lord of mercy who will say to him simply (as Julian of Norwich predicts for each of us), "Thanks for all you've done".

Eternal rest give to George, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace. Amen.

• Mark Coleridge is the Archbishop of Brisbane.

In a rare statement released on Saturday night, the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference said a Vos Estis Lux Mundi investigation was underway.

"The Holy See has initiated a canonical investigation into former Broome Bishop Christopher Saunders, with Archbishop Mark Coleridge of Brisbane appointed to oversee the investigation," the statement said.

It is believed to be the first time a Vos Estis Lux Mundi inquiry has been conducted in Australia.

The accountability protocol was introduced by Pope Francis in 2019 and guides the response to allegations made against senior clerics such as bishops.

Bishop Saunders stood aside as Bishop of Broome in March 2020 after media reports that Western Australia Police had begun investigating allegations of sexual misconduct.

At the conclusion of its investigation, Western Australia Police confirmed that no charges would be brought against Bishop Saunders.

Saunders has always strongly denied the allegations. However, he tendered his resignation to Pope Francis, which was accepted in August 2021.

This weekend, a letter being read at Masses in the Diocese of Broome says the Church investigation "could not happen" until the police inquiries ended. The letter is signed by Apostolic Administrator Bishop Michael Morrisey and Archbishop Coleridge,

"The investigation is now underway," the letter states. But it indicates it is not known how long the investigation will take.

However, the Vatican's Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith "has granted an extension beyond the normal three months for such an investigation", the letter explains.

Archbishop Coleridge has appointed a group of qualified persons to conduct the investigation.

"Their job will be to gather, as best they can, all relevant information to pursue truth and justice for everyone involved," Coleridge stated.

The archbishop also issued a decree stipulating that Bishop Saunders is to reside outside the Diocese of Broome "for the duration of the investigation".

Sources

ABC

The Catholic Leader

CathNews New Zealand

Coleridge has just returned from Rome where he and other bishops have been discussing how to address the fallout resulting from Australia's clerical sexual abuse crisis. Of particular importance in these discussions was how the Church will adopt a new approach to prevent similar abuses occurring in the future.

One of the propositions they will consider is how to include women in positions of "governance".

The fallout following the Royal Commission into clerical sexual abuse resurged after the Australian police charged Cardinal George Pell with historic sexual offences.

Pell is the former Archbishop of Sydney. He is on leave from his current role as the Vatican's Prefect of the Secretariat for the Economy while he seeks to clear his name.

Coleridge says the case was discussed with the Vatican officials but only to provide the Holy See with an insight "into the atmosphere in Australia around this case."

He says the Church has been "shaken to the core" by the clerical abuse scandal and today was being called to a "greater authenticity".

Coleridge says the current crisis is "both threat and opportunity" but the Church must adopt a new approach.

The bishops have therefore announced a plenary council to take place in 2020 which will undertake a wide-ranging review of its mission.

This will include looking at ways to give more responsibility to lay people.

One of the major criticisms of the Australian church has been clericalism, which has seen too much responsibility placed in the hands of priests and bishops.

Source

• The Tablet
• Image: ABC

The Australian delegation - which included Denis Hart, Archbishop of Melbourne, Mark Coleridge, Archbishop of Brisbane and Justice Neville Owen of the Truth, Justice and Healing Council - discussed "the restoration of trust" amid sex abuse allegations.

Current allegations before the court in Australia involve Australian cardinal George Pell, a top adviser to the pope.

Pell is currently on leave of absence from his position as the Vatican's chief financial officer, facing historical sex abuse charges. He has steadfastly denied his involvement in any sex abuse.

A press release from the Holy See says a number of topics were covered at the Australian bishops' meetings. They included the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, the relationship between the Church and society at large, the restoration of trust, and greater participation of the laity in decision-making roles in the Church.

Source

• Vatican Radio
• Washington Post
• Image: YouTube