Rebel Australian parish defies archbishop with invalid baptisms
October 06, 2008
A rebellious parish in the Archdiocese of Brisbane, Australia, has defied orders from Archbishop John Bathersby by using an invalid formula for Baptism. A video of a ceremony at St. Mary's parish shows the priest "baptizing" a child "in the name of the creator, sustainer, and liberator of life"-- a formula the Vatican has condemned as invalid. Archbishop Bathersby had ordered the parish clergy to use the proper formula as far back as 2004; in August of this year he warned that the parish could be shut down because it was no long authentically Catholic but had "established its own brand of religion."
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Further information:
- Brisbane church defies Pope on baptism (The Australian)
- Australian bishop rebukes priests for invalid baptisms (CWN story, Nov. 23, 2004)
- Australian archbishop warns: a renegade parish may be shut down (CWN story, Aug. 25, 2008)
- Brisbane parish promises response to archbishop's concerns (CWN story, Aug. 26, 2008)
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