William J. Wright was the parish priest of Liverpool, Australia when he was appointed bishop of the Australian diocese of Maitland-Newcastle by Pope Benedict XVI on April 4, 2011. He was subsequently consecrated on June 15, 2011. He was appointed to succeed the very liberal Bishop Michael Malone, who was only 71 when his 'resignation' was accepted by the Pope.
Around the time of his appointment, he was embroiled in controversy over his refusal to honor the request of 37 of his parishioners for the Traditional Latin Mass to be celebrated in their parish. Unfortunately, it seems that Bishop Wright has now extended his refusal to obey Summorum Pontificum to his entire diocese. See the letter below.
In summary: it 'forbids' the regular celebration of the TLM on a Sunday, and 'permits' only a weekly weekday TLM at most. This, in a diocese that currently has no regular TLM; for 4 years, there was a monthly weekday Mass, and for 18 months or so until recently, there was an irregularly-scheduled Sunday Mass (perhaps 6-8 times a year). Rorate has been informed that the priests who offered these Masses were from outside the diocese, and that their circumstances no longer allow them to assist.
Maitland-Newcastle is, of course, far from being the only diocese where the bishop has actively blocked the application of Summorum Pontificum. Paix Liturgique's latest English newsletter tells the story of another such diocese: Viviers in France, where even the monthly Saturday hybrid TLM (with readings according to the Paul VI lectionary and done in French) promised a year ago by the bishop of the diocese has not yet materialized.
