The Baby (auxiliary)bishop of Sydney given diocese

Bishop Anthony Fisher OP–Cardinal George Pell’s baby-faced auxiliary– was today appointed to the diocese of Parramatta in New South Wales which was established as a diocese in 1986.

The young Dominican was in charge of World Youth Day 2008 and practiced as a lawyer before he became a priest. He is one of Australia’s foremost Catholic bioethicists and received his D-Phil from the University of Oxford. He was director of the John Paul II Institute for Marriage and Family in Melbourne. Bishop Fisher turns 50 this year and has been an auxiliary bishop since 2003.

A Dominican answers questions…

Fr Philip Neri Powell OP offers a very helpful Q&A about the Anglican provision on hisDomine da mihi hanc aquam blog.

Here’s the first one:

1). What’s the difference between the current pastoral provisions for allowing married Anglican clergy to become Catholic priests and this new arrangement?

Under the pastoral provisions of John Paul II a married Anglican priest may be admitted to Catholic Holy Orders at the discretion of a local bishop. He will have to take some classes and pass a few exams before ordination. After ordination, he can be assigned to a Catholic parish as an administrator or associate pastor. He may not serve as a pastor. Whole Anglican parishes may come over as well and be included in what is called “Anglican Use” parishes. These parishes use a version of the Book of Common Prayer for their liturgies and are usually served by a former Anglican priest. In all cases, the individual priest and the parish remain under the direct jurisdiction of the local bishop.