Friday, July 29, 2011

Brisbane Archbishop to offer resignation

Brisbane's Roman Catholic Archbishop John Bathersby turned 75 Tuesday and offered his resignation to the Pope.

Catholic bishops are required to retire at 75, but the Pope has yet to accept the resignation or announce a successor.

Archbishop Bathersby this year celebrated 25 years as a bishop and 50 in the priesthood.

He has been the Archbishop of Brisbane since December 1991, and says he is ready to retire to his home town of Stanthorpe.

"Read books, try and write a bit of history, and above all climb mountains," he said. "Provided my legs will stay with me I'll climb mountains as long as I can."