Supporters of a Catholic priest removed from a Tasmanian parish call for him to be reinstated

An online petition has been launched calling on Hobart Archbishop Julian Porteous to reinstate Fr Nicholas Rynne.

Fr Nicholas Rynne. A Catholic priest allegedly assaulted at a northern Tasmanian church has been removed as administrator less than two months after his arrival. The Archdiocese of Hobart said Fr Nicholas Rynne had ceased to work in the Meander Valley parish because of “recent disturbances”, and that he was now on leave. Picture: FACEBOOK

AN online petition has been launched calling on Hobart Archbishop Julian Porteous to reinstate Fr Nicholas Rynne, who was removed from a Northern Tasmanian Catholic parish last week.

“Catholics of the world” are being asked to add their names to the petition that had received 170 signatures by yesterday afternoon.

Fr Rynne was removed as Meander Valley parish administrator following “disturbances” in the parish since his arrival in February. He is on leave and no decision has been made about his future.

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It is understood many parishioners were unhappy because they felt a conservative brand of Catholicism was being forced upon them by Fr Rynne, who came to Tasmania from Sydney.

Retired Melbourne bishop Peter Elliott conducted an investigation into the parish, hearing from 86 people.

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After his report was received, Archbishop Julian Porteous announced Fr Rynne’s departure.

The Archdiocese has said it would not release the report because it contained “sensitive and personal information”.

In a Facebook post that has since been removed, Fr Rynne threatened Archbishop Porteous with legal action if the Archbishop did not hand over Bishop Elliott’s report.

Another Facebook post on the page set up to support Fr Rynne, correspondence a North-West priest sent to senior Catholic figures has been published and described as “the type of opposition a good young priest gets”.

In the letter, Fr John Girdauskas wrote of his concern for the parishioners at Deloraine and Westbury. Fr Girdauskas also said he was concerned about the way Fr Rynne’s supporters were using social media to criticise Meander Valley parishioners.

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