A proposed break-up of the state’s largest Catholic diocese should not have any negative impact on parishioners, school students or church employees, says Bishop Kevin Manning, reports the Parkes Champion-Post.
Bishop Manning, the apostolic administrator for Wilcannia-Forbes, said the proposal to reconfigure the 414,000 square kilometre diocese would be discussed at the Australian Bishops Conference, which gets underway this week (May 4-10).
The proposal would mean the creation of a new Wilcannia diocese, covering the north-west quarter of the state, with other former Wilcannia-Forbes parishes to be integrated with the existing Bathurst, Wagga Wagga and Armidale dioceses.
The parishes of Parkes, Forbes, Condobolin, Trundle and Peak Hill would become part of a much larger Bathurst diocese, along with Narromine, Trangie and Warren.
Bishop Manning said the proposed break-up is expected to be accepted by the Australian Bishops and would then be sent to the Vatican for confirmation.
FULL STORY No negative impact (Parkes Champion-Post)