Bishop Dougherty's resignation

Tag: australia

I've been reviewing the news stories about the alleged sexual abuse at St Stanislaus' College, Bathurst, and something doesn't add up.

The Pope accepted the resignation of Bathurst bishop Patrick Dougherty almost two years after canon law required Dougherty to submit it - but less than three months after the news media broke the story of the alleged sexual offences at St Stanislaus'.

Story Continues below



On 11 November 2008, the Apostolic Nunciature, the Pope's diplomatic office in Australia, announced that the Pope had accepted Dougherty's resignation as bishop of Bathurst.

The Nunciature said the resignation was presented in accordance with Canon 401 1 of the Code of Canon Law.

Canon 401 1 says that a diocesan bishop who has reached the age of 75 is requested to present his resignation to the Pope.

Dougherty turned 75 on 21 November, 2006. To comply with canon law, Dougherty would have had to submit his resignation almost two years before the Pope accepted it.

However, the Nunciature's announcement of Dougherty's resignation came less than three months after August 2008, the month that the news media broke the story of the alleged sexual offences at St Stanislaus'.

Tag: cannon_law
Tag: resignation
Tag: patrick-dougherty
Tag: vincentian-fathers st-stanislaus-college nsw bathurst

St Stanislaus College

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