Bishop's sacking sparks protest

BY V1VIANE HEWITT
Europe-wide this week following the Vatican's unprecedented decision to "relieve" a leading French bishop of his diocese.
After a series of official admonitions, including a personal intervention by Pope John Paul II ten days ago, Bishop Jacques Gaillot was removed from his diocese of Evreux Normandy for persisting in expressing controversial views opposed to Church moral teaching.
But the Vatican decision has fuelled protests in France and other parts of Europe.
Vatican sources confirmed that messages of protest have been arriving in Rome, to the Congregation for Bishops, by fax and telephone.
In Paris, Vienna, Berlin and Liege thousands of faithful have been marching in the streets in support of the rebel 59-year-old bishop, and members of his own diocese have taken to the streets with anti-Rome placards.
Meanwhile eight Germanspeaking theologians, including Catholicism's "black sheep", Hans Kung, have sent notification of their anger at Rome's decision, describing it as "an arbitrary act of the Pope". They have requested Bishop Qaillot's re-integration.
It is considered unlikely, however, that John Paul will review his decision to punish Bishop Gaiflot, famed in France for his declared support of such social issues as gay marriages, divorce for Catholics and the "day after" abortion pill.
Another recent "forced" resignation is imminent that of Bishop Samuel Ruiz of the troubled Chiapas region in Mexico. He is charged with excessive political involvement incompatible with Church teaching, and he has already received a letter from the Vatican asking him to step down.
In general, experts pointed out, the Vatican requests a bishop's resignation, as occurred with two American bishops, Eugene Marino of Atlanta and Robert Sanchez of Santa Fe; and with the former bishop of Galway, Eamonn Casey. All three were at the centre of allegations that they had broken their vows of chastity.
But observers agree that at least in the past few decades there has been no case of a bishop being arbitrarily "relieved of pastoral government". Gaillot, who will remain a bishop without the ability to perform episcopal acts, has been the focus of Vatican attention since 1987.
On three occasions Cardinal Bernardin Gamin, Prefect of the Congregation for Bishops, expressed the Church's "disquiet" at his behaviour.
Some of the activities considered unacceptable were his regular appearances in French television debates in which he espoused the cause of gay marriages, claiming that "homosexuals will be in heaven before the rest of us".
The Vatican this week pointed out that Gaillot was still a priest and bishop and that he could assume another kind of ministry.