Ted Kennedy (priest)

Edward Phillip Kennedy, (1931-2005), prominent Australian clergyman and activist.

Ted Kennedy was known throughout Australia as the priest of St Vincent’s Roman Catholic church in the Sydney inner-city suburb of Redfern. He arrived there in 1971.

The area has a significant Aboriginal population, and Kennedy identified with the many social problems and challenges the Aboriginal community faced. He worked to bring justice for Aboriginal Australians. His presbytery and church community became a place of refuge for Indigenous Australians travelling from all parts of the nation. He befriended Aboriginal activist Mum (Shirl) Smith, and worked closely with her until she died in 1998.

His example of personal poverty and commitment influenced other individuals and organisations. In 1975 Frank Brennan S.J. worked at Redfern with Ted, and thus began a lifelong connection and influence. While he was priest at Redfern, South Sydney Uniting Church donated property to the Black Theatre and the Sisters of Mercy gave property to the Redfern Aboriginal community in 1978 in which the Aboriginal Medical Service was established. The service now provides medical, dental, aged care, drug and alcohol services to around 55,000 patients each year.

Kennedy was a controversial figure, not all Catholics or all Australians supported his radical views, and he was often in conflict with the Church hierarchy for his activism – though in 2001 his work received direct support from Pope John Paul II with the reception of a letter to Dr Naomi Mayers, CEO of the Aboriginal Medical Service supporting their work at the Aboriginal medical centre. On 22nd November 2001, the Pope issued in Rome the document Ecclesia in Oceania , in which he referred to "the shameful injustices done to indigenous peoples in Oceania" and to the "special case" of the "Australian Aborigines, whose culture struggles to survive".

He wrote his book Who is Worthy, The role of conscience in restoring hope to the church in response to controversy in the Archdiocese of Sydney over the proper role of individual conscience, a debate triggered through comments by Cardinal George Pell, who had argued that the "doctrine of the primacy conscience should be quietly dropped".

Kennedy promoted reparation and reconciliation with Indigenous Australians. Through his personal contacts, he established networks of influence through the local community, and through the indigenous communities of the nation. Kennedy preached and taught against what he perceived as exclusion and marginalisation of all kinds, whether because of race, income or sexual orientation, and progressive Catholics from all over Sydney travelled to Redfern weekly to be part of the parish community Kennedy led.

Ted's national connections and influence were not confined to Indigenous activism. Before he went to Redfern, he was also chaplain to the University of Sydney, and he likewise befriended and influenced artists and intellectuals such as Australian poet James McAuley and musician Richard Connolly. Partly through Ted’s introduction and encouragement Connolly and McAuley became the most significant duo creating Australian Catholic hymnody to date.

In 2001 Ted Kennedy was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia for his service to the Aboriginal community.

References

Kennedy, T. Who is Worthy? The role of conscience in restoring hope to the church, Pluto Press, 2000, ISBN 1 86403 087 9

External links

Australian Roman Catholics | Recipients of the Order of Australia Medal

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References

External links