A Catholic priest who claims he was left homeless after being removed from his ministry and expelled from his religious order has lost a bid for unfair dismissal in Australia's Fair Work Commission. The commission ruled that Father Wieslaw Pawlowski was not an employee of the Society of Christ Fathers, and therefore, could not bring an unfair dismissal claim.
Father Pawlowski, who was ordained in Poland in 1996, spent more than two decades ministering in Australia and New Zealand. The dispute began in 2021 when he reportedly refused an instruction from a senior church figure regarding money. The Society, however, stated that Father Pawlowski failed to comply with directions on three financial matters, despite warnings under Canon Law.
Following internal church complaints made by Father Pawlowski alleging harassment and abuse of power, he was suspended from ministry in September 2021 and banned from wearing clerical clothing, accused of "stubborn disobedience." Although the suspension was later revoked through church processes, the Society issued another decree the following day, removing him from his Adelaide ministry and ordering a transfer to Canberra. Subsequently, Father Pawlowski was reportedly told to return his vehicle and vacate the Society's Adelaide property, with the locks allegedly changed afterward. He stated he was left "homeless and completely destitute" without his stipend for five weeks.
Father Pawlowski did not return to the Society and refused relocation orders. He initiated a three-year campaign through church channels, seeking reinstatement or permission to join another Catholic diocese. Several dioceses expressed willingness to accept him, provided the Society released him. By 2022, he had escalated his appeals to Vatican authorities in Rome.
Fair Work Commission Commissioner Emma Thornton determined that Father Pawlowski's relationship with the Society was governed by religious vows, including a vow of obedience to the Society's Constitution, rather than an employment contract. This status meant the tribunal lacked jurisdiction over his claim. Commissioner Thornton did note, however, that "he may have had an arguable case that his treatment was 'harsh, unjust and unreasonable' had workplace laws applied."
Adding to the complexity of his case, the commission examined a JobKeeper declaration signed by Father Pawlowski during the COVID-19 pandemic, which described him as a religious practitioner pursuing his vocation "but not as an employee." An alleged "employment contract" surfaced late in the proceedings, which Father Pawlowski claimed to have found "by sheer luck" while searching through stored boxes.
Father Pawlowski was formally expelled from the Society in September 2024 for breaching its constitution and failing to uphold his vow of obedience, according to the written ruling. Commissioner Thornton acknowledged the severe personal impact of the dispute, stating, "I acknowledge the profound adverse effects on Fr Pawlowski of losing his home and car at the same time he lost his work and ministry."