Anglican Archbishop Accused of Bullying

Archbishop Dr Phillip Aspinall, who is the Anglican Archbishop of Brisbane and the Primate of the Anglican Church of Australia.

Lawyers for the Archbishop and the synod of Brisbane diocese have failed to get key elements of the sexual harassment and discrimination case thrown out of Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal…

His accuser says:

the Archbishop isolated her, failed to respond to her emails, declined to discuss important issues and was “bullying, condescending and interrogating”…

Rest here.

 

(Fr) Owen Buckton to be Ordained in Ordinariate

Fr Owen Buckton, former Administrator and Vicar General of the ACCA/TAC, is to be Ordained for the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of the Southern Cross:

Your prayers are asked for Owen Buckton who will be ordained priest in St Joseph’s Cathedral, Rockhampton on Friday Feb 1st 2013 at 10-30 am by Bishop Brian Heenan, Bishop of Rockhampton. The Ordinariate Parish of Our Lady of Walsingham will be located at St Theresa’s Church, 32 Bolsover St, Rockhampton. Sunday Mass – 9–30 am.

Also,

Your prayers are asked for Deacon Stephen Hill who will be ordained priest by Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB in St Joseph’s Church, Subiaco, WA at 7-00 pm on Friday 1 March 2013 to minister in the Ordinariate Parish of St Ninian and St Chad, 11 Susan Street, Maylands WA. Sunday Mass – 9–30 am.

+ + +

Extreme Heat in Australia

The temperature forecast for next Monday by Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology is so unprecedented – over 52C – that it has had to add a new colour to the top of its scale, a incandescent purple.

Confidential Plan to Sell Australian Anglican Churches

Well of course – it has to be – in Virtue Online:

A confidential draft report obtained by the Newcastle Herald reveals the Anglican Diocese of Newcastle could make nine of its 15 Newcastle and Newcastle West churches “redundant” as part of a future growth strategy.

Problems detailed in the report include falling congregation numbers, maintenance problems, lack of financial contributions, no on-site parking, fire risk issues and disconnect with community.

Four of the churches being considered for sale are heritage listed.

The report, put together by consultants NBRS+Partners, has created a storm among parishioners who have labelled it a “disgraceful cash grab”.

Many fear the recommendations will be pushed through before the appointment of a new bishop following the retirement of Dr Brian Farran as Bishop of Newcastle earlier this month.

Administrator of the Diocese, Bishop Peter Stuart, said yesterday he was “disappointed” that the confidential document had been leaked to the Herald.

Bishop Stuart said the review began months ago with full knowledge Dr Farran would be retiring.

“It [the report] does not represent the views of the Diocese but contains preliminary data which will be the subject of consultation in parishes beginning in January,” he said.

“A report on the review will be presented to the Diocesan Council sometime in 2013. At that time the council will consider what action to take.”

Rest here.

The Churches are pictured here. Now, if all the ACCA – TAC’s money wasn’t blown, (we won’t say on what and by who!), we could have actually done something worthwhile, like buy one or two of these buildings…

 

Sydney Ordinariate Ordination: Fr. Warren Wade

The Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of the Southern Cross:

On Wednesday 12 December 2012, the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Warren Wade was ordained to the priesthood to serve the Ordinariate of Our Lady of the Southern Cross by Bishop David Walker, bishop of Broken Bay Diocese.  It was a wonderful occasion in which Warren was supported by his parishioners, members of the Cathedral parish and fellow priests from the Diocese.

We was formerly an ACCA Priest.

 

 

Peter Slipper Cleared

Of sexual harassment:

News just in – the Federal Court has dismissed the sexual harassment case against former House of Representatives speaker Peter Slipper MP as an abuse of the court process.

Mr Slipper, you will recall, a priest of the Traditional Anglican Communion, resigned after one of his staffers accused him of sexual harassment.

The unpleasant, offensive and highly inappropriate tone of some of his text messages (and other behaviour) notwithstanding, the suspicion of a set-up occurred, after it emerged that the staffer in question remained in close contact with Mr Slipper’s liberal rival for his seat, Mal Brough (who has since been endorsed as the candidate there).
The ABC Reports that the Federal Court judge involved agreed that it was a politically motivated attack:
“Federal Court Justice Steve Rares ruled that the case brought against Mr Slipper by one of his staff members was an “abuse of process”, declaring that its “predominant purpose” was to politically damage the speaker.”

The ABC reports that:

“In his written judgement, Justice Rares said he believed that Mr Ashby and fellow staff member Karen Doane had been working with former Howard government minister Mal Brough “to cause Mr Slipper as much political and public damage as they could inflict on him”. He described the pair’s behaviour as “acts of calculated disloyalty”. “Once they had decided on their course of action, Mr Ashby and Ms Doane did not go straight to see a lawyer to air any concerns about any legal wrongs that either may have suffered,” Justice Rares wrote in his judgement. “Instead, Mr Ashby or Ms Doane contacted Mr Brough and they began working with him and [News Limited journalist] Steve Lewis.

Read on here.

 

What is Advent? Gangnam Style!

From an Australian Archdiocese:

 

 

Australian Catholic Bishops Approve ‘Ramadaan Prayer’

Australian Catholic Bishops Conference:

Prayer for Muslims

The annual celebration of the month of Ramadan provides an opportunity for members of the Catholic Church to pray for Muslims. An appropriate intercession to be included in the Prayers of the Faithful is suggested:

For our Muslim brothers and sisters, that by the bodily discipline of fasting and the spiritual devotion of their hearts, they find grace and favour in God’s eyes.

Taking inter-religious thought too far!

Melbourne Priestess to Become Queensland’s First Bishopess

Speaking of Australia, I see that Queensland is set to get a Bishopess:

The Anglican Archbishops of Melbourne and Brisbane, Dr Philip Freier and Dr Phillip Aspinall, have today announced that a Melbourne priest has been selected to lead the Southern Region of the Diocese of Brisbane as Queensland’s first woman bishop.

The Venerable Alison Taylor, Melbourne’s Archdeacon for  International Partnerships and Vicar of St John’s Anglican Church Camberwell,  has been appointed to fill the role when current Bishop, the Right Reverend Geoff Smith, takes on the role of General Manager of the Brisbane Diocese early next year.

Archbishop Freier said: “Alison Taylor’s ministry in the Diocese of Melbourne has encompassed a breadth of experience as vicar and archdeacon. I am delighted that her leadership, developed within the Diocese of Melbourne, now takes her on to this senior role in Brisbane.”

Archdeacon Taylor says that while looking forward to the new appointment, she is sorry to leave St John’s Camberwell. “I will be sad to leave the people of St John’s, but I’m confident they will soon find a new vicar to lead them into their 150th anniversary year in 2013,” Archdeacon Taylor said.

Her senior appointments following ordination included chairing Anglican Overseas Aid (formerly Anglicord). In 2009, Archdeacon Taylor was personally invited by the Archbishop of Canterbury to be a member of the Steering Group for the newly
created international Anglican Alliance for Development Relief and Advocacy.

Archdeacon Taylor has also served as Archdeacon of Kew in the Eastern Region of  Melbourne.

Archdeacon Taylor will be consecrated Bishop in St John’s Cathedral, Brisbane at 10am on Saturday 6th April 2013.

 

New Principal for Moore College, Sydney

Dr Mark Thompson has been appointed to succeed Dr John Woodhouse at the evangelical theological powerhouse, Moore College, Sydney, one of the largest Anglican seminaries in the world.

Dr Mark Thompson has been appointed to succeed Dr John Woodhouse as Principal of Moore Theological College.

The President of the governing board of the College, Dr Peter Jensen, said “I greet the appointment of Dr Mark Thompson as the next Principal with great enthusiasm. Mark is thoroughly committed to Christ as Lord, and is a fine teacher and a caring pastor”.

Dr Jensen said “His gifts as a speaker, theological educator, author and theologian have been recognised internationally as well as locally. His clear and strong affirmation of the gospel and his capacity as a leader are going to be significant gifts he brings to the College”.

The Archbishop described the college as “well positioned to meet the challenges of change.” “The campus requires development and a new building is planned. The educational opportunities are new and they offer the possibilities of extending the teaching of the College and attracting even more students. With the help of the faculty and staff of the College, Mark is well equipped both to maintain the theological stance of the College and to oversee the developments we need to best serve Christ and his people” he said.

Dr Jensen said “I ask us all to pray for Mark, Kathryn and their children as he takes up this pivotal role.”

Dr Thompson has lectured at the college since 1991. He currently lectures in Christian Doctrine and is head of Moore’s Department of Theology, Philosophy and Ethics and has served variously as Academic Dean and as acting Principal.

Internationally, he has been a member of the GAFCON Theological Resource Group and has helped strengthen Moore’s international links and build its profile overseas.

Himself a graduate of Moore, Dr Thompson was ordained in 1987, serving in parish ministry in St Swithun’s Pymble, St Luke’s Dapto and Quakers Hill Anglican. He is married to Kathryn and they have four daughters. He and his family attend St Matthew’s Ashbury.

Dr Thompson is a member of the Diocese of Sydney Standing Committee and chairs its Doctrine Commission. As an author, he has researched, lectured and published on the doctrine of scripture including his recent book A Clear and Present Word: The Clarity of Scripture (in the New Studies in Biblical Theology series). A further interest is the importance of theological education to the future of the diocese. He is also a prolific blogger.

“It is a great privilege to be invited to serve the College in this way. I’m enormously excited because I believe that Moore College is on the cusp of a range of opportunities for providing strong, clear, biblical, theological education in a rapidly changing world” Dr Thompson said. “The resources we have at our disposal — a brilliant and diverse faculty, a remarkable library, dedicated staff, a rapidly expanding online presence, but most of all a growing family of gifted graduates who appreciate what they gained from their time at Moore — these all are God’s gifts to us and we have a responsibility to use them in the most effective and strategic way possible for the mission of knowing Christ and making him known.” Dr Thompson said.

Dr Woodhouse retires as Principal in early 2013.

Dr Thompson’s blog, Theological Theology, is here. It’s all about the God who has made himself known in Jesus Christ.

 

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