An interesting peek behind the scenes...

... of the prolonged (ten years and counting) and often contentious conflict between Bishop William Morris of Australia and Vatican leadership (including Pope Benedict XVI):

The removal of a dissident Australian bishop, announced by the Vatican on May 2, came after more than a decade of conflict between the bishop and the Vatican, and almost four years after he was originally asked to resign.

Bishop William Morris reluctantly surrendered his authority in the Toowoomba diocese as of May 2. The Australian bishop—who was only 67 years old when he stepped down, 8 years short of normal retirement age—has stressed that he did not resign.

Bishop Morris, who has complained bitterly about the manner of his departure, claims the support of most of the priests in the Toowoomba diocese, including all of the members of the diocesan College of Consultors. In addition to protesting the bishops' removal, the College of Consultors has provided a detailed report of the bishop's long history of conflict with the Vatican. CWN has obtained copies of that report, as have several Australian media outlets.

Friction between Bishop Morris and the Vatican became evident soon after he was installed in the Toowoomba diocese in 1993. "Bishop Morris, immediately, proved to have a very different style of leadership from previous bishops," the Consultors report. The new bishop eschewed the Roman collar, preferring to wear a necktie emblazoned with his episcopal coat of arms.

Read the entire (and exclusive) report on CatholicCulture.org