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Bishop Bill Wright
Most Reverend William (Bill) Wright is the eighth Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle and is the pastoral leader of more than 150,000 Catholics in the region.
September is a great month. Shivering in single digit temperatures and blustery winds in August, I found myself several times assuring newcomers to the country that ‘It won’t last much longer’.
Everyone knows the Catholic Church is opposed to abortion in principle, and for a very simple reason. But I will come to that soon. For now, let me just note that I say “in principle” because of the tendency for opponents of the church to suggest that, by being against abortion, the church is condemning all women who have had a termination, or is just anti-woman to start with. That, of course, is absurd. The church understands that many women resort to abortion in desperation, feeling they have little or no choice. They are not bad people. It’s a fault in our society that there is not more support available.
In December 2018 Cardinal George Pell was convicted for the sexual abuse of two choirboys at St Patrick’s Cathedral in 1996 and 1997. It was the second trial, after the first trial’s jury failed to reach a verdict.
Last month I wrote from Rome but before the Australian Bishops’ Ad Limina visit had begun. I think it will not be too boring if I also set today’s column in that ancient city, but this time with views inside the Vatican and, indeed, the Apostolic Palace itself.
The private member’s bill to decriminalise abortion in NSW hardly comes as a surprise, but it has been introduced into the Legislative Assembly very quickly since it was announced last week.