Pope Francis Excommunicates Melbourne Priest
Cardinal Pell recently said Pope Francis' popularity with the press was, "too good to last." That may come sooner than we all thought. This may send shock waves through the secular media and the dissenting wing of the Church who still don't understand Pope Francis, or that mercy and charity often involve discipline.
Pope Francis just excommunicated a priest in Melbourne.
From The Age in Australia: (Edit - this is quoted text and I'm sure part of it is in error, in particular, when it suggests he was disciplined for support for 'gays.' One doesn't get disciplined for supporting people with SSA but that support does not include affirming people in engaging in any sexual activity outside the context of Sacramental Marriage.
Dissident priest Greg Reynolds has been both defrocked and excommunicated over his support for women priests and gays - the first person ever excommunicated in Melbourne, he believes.
The order comes direct from the Vatican, not at the request of Melbourne Archbishop Denis Hart, and apparently follows a secret denunciation in the best traditions of the inquisition, according to Father Reynolds.
The excommunication document - written in Latin and giving no reason - was dated May 31, meaning it comes under the authority of Pope Francis who made headlines on Thursday calling for a less rule-obsessed church.
Father Reynolds, who resigned as a parish priest in 2011 and last year founded inclusive Catholics, said he had expected to be laicized (defrocked), but not excommunicated. But it would make no difference to his ministry.
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