Tuesday, December 08, 2009

Book launched on rebel priest Kennedy

A book about rebel Catholic priest and self-proclaimed "media tart" Peter Kennedy was launched in Brisbane on the weekend, and a documentary is under way.

The book, Peter Kennedy - The Man Who Threatened Rome, is a compilation of stories about the sacked priest, according to The Sun Herald report published in the Brisbane Times.

Contributors include former Goanna frontman and songwriter, Shane Howard, journalist Martin Flanagan, and Ross Fitzgerald of Griffith University's history and politics department.

Fr Kennedy said he thought the book was important because it raised issues the church "must face if is to remain relevant and survive the 21st century."

Issues included women in the clergy and the church's "medieval doctrines and dogma" on subjects such as the Virgin Mary, the ascension and the resurrection, he said.

"The archbishop isn't demonised in the book and some people come out against me," he said. "I feel an enormous freedom now that I'm no longer part of the church. I can see how ruthless, one-eyed and elitist it is."

Peter Hegedus, an independent filmmaker from Brisbane is making a documentary about Kennedy and St Mary's for the ABC's religious program, Compass.

"I'm still hoping to shoot an interview with Archbishop Bathersby," he said. Funding body, Screen Australia, has granted funds for the program but Mr Hegedus declined to disclose the amount.
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