CANBERRA, Australia, June 13 (UPI) -- An Australian bishop had some harsh words for the Roman Catholic Church as he announced he is retiring at the end of the month.
Bishop Pat Power of Canberra told The Age he is not leaving the church and plans to work as a priest. He said he has long planned to leave at 70, five years before the statutory retirement age.
Power described the sexual abuse scandal as a "terrible stain on the church." He suggested the church needs to rethink issues like clerical celibacy, women in the church and its generally authoritarian structure.
He believes many in the hierarchy are out of touch with the concerns of Catholics.
While Power has a habit of openly challenging the Vatican, he said other leaders work differently. He said Archbishop Philip Wilson has tried to work behind the scenes, conveying a similar message.
Paul Collins, a former priest, said the church in Australia and elsewhere is having trouble finding priests willing to become bishops.
''All this goes back to the total failure of leadership and the failure to tackle controversial issues," he said. "I'd say a third to half the bishops agree with Pat, but are not prepared to speak out.''
