Catholic Priest threatens legal action against Hobart Archbishop Julian Porteous

The Catholic priest removed from the Meander Valley parish has threatened legal action against Archbishop Julian Porteous if he doesn’t hand over a report from an investigation into the parish.

Fr Nicholas Rynne, who was appointed parish administrator in the northern Tasmanian parish in February, was removed last week after an investigation. Picture: FACEBOOK

THE Catholic priest removed from the Meander Valley parish has threatened legal action against Archbishop Julian Porteous if he does not hand over a report from a recent investigation into the parish.

Fr Nicholas Rynne, who was appointed parish administrator in the northern Tasmanian parish in February, was removed last week after an investigation by retired Melbourne bishop Peter Elliott.

The Hobart Archdiocese said it would not release the report, written by Bishop Elliott after he heard from 86 parishioners, because it contained “sensitive and personal information”.

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Fr Rynne, who is on leave, took to Facebook on Saturday to criticise Bishop Elliott’s investigation, which he said he was not given an opportunity to contribute to.

“I demand that you [Archbishop Porteous] surrender a full and complete copy of the report to me within seven days,” Fr Rynne wrote on a page set up in support of him.

“Failing your compliance I shall instruct my solicitors to obtain the report from you by court order if necessary.”

The post was removed this morning.

Archbishop Porteous asked Bishop Elliott to conduct the investigation into the parish because of “tensions” that had arisen since Fr Rynne’s appointment.

Fr Rynne introduced a traditional Latin mass to the Westbury church in addition to the standard Catholic mass.

It is understood many Meander Valley parishioners were unhappy because they felt a conservative brand of Catholicism was being forced on them.

One parishioners who complained about Fr Rynne wrote to him saying: “You accused us of being apostates when it is you who is setting up a sect within our religion and trying to indoctrinate everyone that yours is the only true religion.”

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Catholics who support the Latin mass have supported Fr Rynne on social media.

“Catholics of the world” are being asked to add their names to an online petition calling on Archbishop Porteous to reinstate Fr Rynne was launched last night. It attracted 129 signatures in 13 hours.

A Hobart Archdiocese spokesman said no decision had been made about Fr Rynne’s future.

Fr Rynne and a woman, 77, were allegedly assaulted at Holy Redeemer Church in Deloraine on March 30. Police are investigating but no charges have been laid.

Vicar-General Michael Tate celebrated mass at Deloraine on Saturday night, attended by about 50 people, and at Westbury on Sunday, also attended by about 50 people.

“The Archbishop is conscious of the need to provide pastoral care and sacramental provision for the parish. Indeed, it is his priority that a healing and unifying process be undertaken as soon as possible,” Fr Tate wrote in the weekend’s parish newsletter.

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