Father Bob: I don't want to go

Father Bob Maguire, the well‑known parish priest at South Melbourne’s Church of St Peter and St Paul, says he is being made to quit his post despite wanting to stay. He is due to step down on February 1 next year under a letter he signed in 2009, but he says he was pressured into signing and that his role is integral to the church’s community work.

Yes. The article says Father Bob agreed in a 2009 letter to the Archbishop of Melbourne that he would step down. He later told reporters he was ‘pressured’ into signing that letter.

Archbishop Denis Hart says the move is consistent with canon law, which asks a priest who turns 75 to offer his resignation. He also noted that continued appointment beyond 75 depends on the local bishop’s assessment of the priest, parish and diocese.

According to the article, Father Bob says his ejection could ‘unravel’ his community work. He is best known for his outreach to the homeless and poor, and he believes his position as parish priest is integral to that work in South Melbourne’s public housing estate.

Father Bob has questioned whether his high‑profile, attention‑grabbing style — including his media appearances on TV and radio — rather than his age, is behind the decision to press him to retire.

Yes. The article reports Father Bob was named Victorian of the Year for his community service. He dedicated the award to his parishioners, saying they had joined him in reaching out to the local community.

Retirement is not automatic, according to Archbishop Hart’s comments in the article. Canon law asks priests who turn 75 to offer their resignation, but whether a priest continues in post depends on the local bishop’s assessment of the priest’s circumstances and the needs of the parish and diocese.

Father Bob resisted an attempt two years earlier to nudge him into retirement at 75 and gained an extension until next year. The current departure date—February 1 next year—stems from the 2009 letter he says he was pressured to sign.