The Vatican-forced resignation of a popular Queensland bishop has his community concerned that it could happen anywhere in Australia and they are seeking support to ensure that other Catholic communities do not suffer the same fate.Â

Catholics in the Toowoomba Diocese, which stretches from the Lockyer Valley to the Northern Territory and South Australian borders, are protesting what they see as denial of a fair process for Bishop Bill Morris, who was forced to resign in May this year after 18 years as the head of the Diocese.

A group of Catholic community leaders, including priests and lay people, has formed the Toowoomba Diocesan Leadership Group to develop a more organised protest at the way Bishop Morris was treated, including a website, petition and a public function on August 28.

Spokesman for the group, Fr Ray Crowley, said the group had formed after hearing of the forced retirement of Bishop Morris. The group, which is independently funded, is responding to Cardinal George Pell’s statements that “the diocese was divided quite badly” and “there’s been a predictable chorus from a minority” in response to Rome’s decision.

“We know that Bishop Morris has huge support across the community and we are incensed that there seems to have been such a lack of natural justice in the process that lead to him taking early retirement,” Fr Crowley said.

“We are urging people to take part in a petition that can found at a special website we have set up for Bishop Morris at http://bishopbillstory.com.au and we urge people to add their names to it by July 24.

“The whole situation stems from Bishop Morris’ efforts to seek creative and sensible pastoral solutions for the critical shortage of priests in his far flung diocese.”

Fr Crowley said that Bishop Morris had been negotiating with the Vatican since he sent a Pastoral Letter to members of his Diocese in 2006. The letter described discussions taking place around the world regarding ordination of married men, ordination of women and other models of pastoral leadership.

He said these were issues that were discussed extensively around the world, but that no-one else has been forced to retire over such discussion.

“The Vatican held an inquiry into the Bishop’s leadership, sending Archbishop Charles Chaput from Rome to investigate issues within the Diocese. Bishop Morris was summoned to Rome after the enquiry and told to resign even though he has not been given the opportunity to see the report of the inquiry.

“The majority of people in our Diocese are distraught that the Vatican has not provided Bishop Morris with natural justice and that he has had to leave his post as a result. This is a real issue for every other Diocese in Australia and we urge people to get involved.”

Fr Crowley said the petition was the most urgent of the activities, to be presented to the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference on August 2, which has agreed to consider the issue.

“People can also show their support by coming to the special celebration of thanks and appreciation for Bishop Morris at the Clive Berghofer Recreation Centre at the University of Southern Queensland in Toowoomba on Sunday, August 28 at 11am.”

“We want to show the Vatican that it needs to have a process that includes transparency in its actions. We can’t afford, as a Local Church, to be losing people of Bishop Morris’s calibre and standing,” Fr Crowley said.