The Catholic Weekly 17 May 2020

catholicweekly.com.au 5 17, May, 2020 NEWS Help us to keep the flame of faith alive in those places where it is most at risk. Make an offering today. www.aidtochurch.org 1800 101 201 In the ruins of World War II, we sent chapel trucks across Germany bringing the Sacraments to the people. Behind the Iron Curtain, we trained seminarians and formed Sisters and Brothers. In Asia, Africa and Latin America we supported fledgling Catholic communities by building churches. Today the coronavirus pandemic is causing a new havoc for suffering Christians. As the only international Catholic charity dedicated to the support of suffering and persecuted Christians, we need your help. We receive no government funding and rely totally on the support of the Catholic people. NOW THEN VICTORIAN LAW now allows children to alter the sex re- corded on their birth certifi- cate. The law, passed last August, took effect on 1 May. It allows people born in the state to change the record of sex shown on their birth cer- tificate, without needing reas- signment surgery, at a maxi- mum of one time in every 12 months. It also makes it easier for people born elsewhere to change how their sex is recog- nised. Adults can apply and par- ents can apply on behalf of their child. Victorians can choose any sex descriptor they wish as long as it is not obscene, of- fensive or impractical (for example, it is too long or con- tains symbols). At the same time the Vic- torian government intends to outlaw so-called ‘conversion therapy’, a term under which may be included any therapy such as counselling to discov- er and treat issues related to a child’s expressed gender con- fusion. In April Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt also re- jected calls for a national in- quiry, despite calls from the medical profession, into the rise of the number of trans and gender-diverse children and affirmative therapies be- ing used for them including puberty-blockers and surgery. The phenomena is seen in a small but rapidly grow- ing number of children, with 336 new referrals to Mel- bourne’s Royal Children’s Hospital gender clinic in 2019, which is an increase of 1,767 per cent since 2012 AUSTRALIAN CATHOLIC University has established seven new research centres, investigating contemporary issues including migration, gender, brain health and digi- tal impacts on education. Three research centres will be a grouped under a new- ly-established Institute forHu- manities and Social Sciences. The Research Centre for Refugees, Migration, and Hu- manitarian Studies will ex- plore the historical and con- temporary displacement of refugees across the world. The Gender and Women’s History Research Centre will build on established research in gender and political participation. The Research Centre for So- cial and Political Change will address social and political change, social and political theory, and political and so- cial mobilisation. Two research centres will contribute to improv- ing knowledge of health. The Healthy Brain and Mind Re- search Centre will bring to- gether existing strands of re- search excellence in mental health, addiction neurosci- ence, and disability and devel- opment. The Research Centre for Sports Performance, Recov- ery, Injury and New Technol- ogies (SPRINT) will advance knowledge in the areas of per- Victorian parents can now change the record of children’s sex ¾ ¾ Marilyn Rodrigues Law facilitates gender change according to a recent report. The Australian Christian Lobby this month joined the call for a careful scruti- ny of the “astonishing surge in life-changing treatments by minors”. But Transgender The new law now allows Victorians to choose any sex descriptor they want. PHOTO: COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA/ CC BY 3.0 AU Victoria’s Executive Director Margot Fink told media the new laws represented a “huge relief” for members of her community. Pope Francis has repeated- ly spoken against the promo- tion of gender theory and the idea that people can choose their genders, particularly to children. “It would make everything homogenous, neutral,” he said in an interview for the book San Giovanni Paolo Magno published about St John Paul II this month. “It is an attack on differ- ence, on the creativity of God and on men and women,” Pope Francis said. Victoria is the fifth juris- diction to change its law after Tasmania, Northern Territory, South Australia and the ACT. It would make everything homog- enous, neutral ... It is an attack on difference, on the creativity of God and on men and women.” Pope Francis Research powers ahead at ACU formance, recovery, and inju- ry in the sporting domain. Another centre, the Re- search Centre for Digital Data and Assessment in Education, affiliated with the Institute for Learning Sciences and Teacher Education, will ad- dress a global knowledge gap in how new and emerging technologies are transforming the practices and experience of education in and outside schooling. The Research Centre for Studies of the Second Vatican Council will advance under- standing of the Second Vati- can Council (1962–1965). ACU Vice Chancellor Pro- fessor Greg Craven said each centre will function to seed research activity and support research culture in faculties. Meanwhile, with most stu- dents and staff now working off campus due to the COV- ID-19 pandemic, ACU’s North Sydney and Strathfield Cam- pus Ministry Teams have gone online with a range of initia- tives to care for the pastoral needs and spiritual wellbeing of staff and students. A new campus ministry website has been launched by ACU’s Vice President, Father Anthony Casamento csma, who said it meant that cam- pus ministry staff can provide on-going pastoral care for the ACU community. ACU Vice Chancellor Prof Greg Craven. PHOTO: GIOVANNI PORTELLI Helping build a brighter future for children and families in crisis. Dunlea Centre 35A Waratah Road Engadine NSW 2233 Phone 02 8508 3900 AUSTRALIA'S ORIGINAL BOYS' TOWN A place for change... www.dunleacentre.org.au