Bitter Bishop Hough's final farewell
Bishop Michael Hough, who has served the Ballarat Anglican diocese for the past seven years, conducted his final Ballarat and Hamilton services at the weekend.
Earlier this year there were calls for him to resign after concerns his leadership had failed.
Many cried during the sermon, including his wife as she gave a reading, praying to love those who had hurt them "by what they have said and what they have done". But it was during his homily that Bishop Hough drew the biggest response from the packed church.
He delivered a 30-minute long speech, laden with metaphors and criticisms of the diocese during his time as bishop.
"I was asked by a journalist if my going means that those who disagree with the direction of the diocese over the last few years have in fact won their guerrilla wars," he said. "From my perspective, nothing could be further from the truth."
He went on to show the congregation a ceramic chalice made by local artist Rob Hurley. Bishop Hough said he had asked Mr Hurley to make it as a way of representing him and helping him to understand how to assist the congregation.
He described it as a "beautiful pot" and one they had grown to love and cherish.
"But then along comes someone who hates the beauty of the pot, who resents the fact that it is slaking the thirst of the peoples in need of water," he said.
"He does not want the pot there as he has a pot of his own which he thinks is better ... so the bitter man gathers a few others around him who support him in his dark intent and they come and smash the pot to pieces."
With that, Bishop Hough produced a hammer, put the chalice in a bag and, in front of the shocked congregation, destroyed it in front of the alter.
"The pot is gone forever ... the evil one is happy as he can now put forward his own pot as the answer to the needy thirst of the people," he said.
No comments:
Post a Comment