The Most Reverend Barry Hickey, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Perth, has approached the Art Gallery of Western Australia with a request that it censor the work of Mike Brown, a Sydney-born artist that the clergyman considers extraordinarily blasphemous.

The Archbishop's letter to the gallery asks that one of Brown's paintings, titled "You're Welcome" be removed.

Over a sixth month period the galley has played host to Brown's painting. During this period no complaints were received. Only recently did it come to attention of Archbishop Hickey that there was written matter on the painting that included slogans such as "F*ck the Bloody Pope" and "Kill God".

Although Archbishop Hickey had not personally seen the painting he said that he'd had complaints from offended visitors to the gallery who hoped Roman Catholic officials would take a stand against it.

Hickey said that he didn't think that Roman Catholics should be forced to tolerate such insults, especially to their Pope.

"I have got no desire to see it, but from what I am told, it is unnecessarily provocative and offensive to us and our beliefs," Archbishop Hickey told Australian reporters.

The Archbishop, according Gallery director Alan Dodge, has been the only person to complain about the painting during the six months it has been on display.

Dodge said that he considered the entire matter "a storm in a teacup," and explained that the work of Mike Brown is well known in the Australian art world. Brown has used popular culture to reflect societal currents, he said.

"While I appreciate the Catholic Church's point of view, I defend the right to freedom of expression," Brown told the press.

Serrano's "Piss Christ"

Last year in Melbourne, Australia, a similar controversy arose over New York photographer Andres Serrano's "Piss Christ" when that work was displayed in the National Gallery of Victoria. The Roman Catholic Church took its complaint to Australia's Supreme Court. On another occasion, Archbishop Hickey went into a snit when an Australian magazine published by students showed a crucified Jesus whose genitals, he thought, after a careful inspection, were abnormally large.