First priest for cabinet post

The Tablet last week announced that a Catholic priest - Mgr David Cappo, the vicar-general of the Adelaide archdiocese - who wrote the document governing the Australian Church's response to the sexual abuse crisis, has been appointed to the South Australian Cabinet's executive committee - believed to be the first time a government in Australia has named a non-elected person to such a post.

Mgr Cappo will not be answerable to Parliament - a break from Australia's tradition, following Westminster, of appointing only MPs to Cabinet-level posts - nor will he be a minister.

"While Mgr Cappo and others who have been appointed will not be full members of the Cabinet, this move will give them a far greater influence on Cabinet decisions about how to meet the targets in South Australia's strategic plan (a 10-year programme with economic, environmental and social goals)," a spokesperson of the Australian government said .

It is always positive to note that the qualities of priests are recognized by different governments who also ask for their service in the common good.