The Catholic Weekly 6 December 2020

catholicweekly.com.au 2 NEWS 6, December, 2020 Call 02 9649 6423 or visit www.catholiccemeteries.com.au Consecrated lawns and chapels Sydney’s only Catholic crematorium Monthly mass for the Repose of Souls Funeral directors available for a Catholic service Bereavement pastoral care Serving the Catholic community for over 150 years Law’s premise a strawman; real effect is persecution of Christians Banning prayer Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews addresses media at the Midsumma Pride March, St Kilda, Mel- bourne, in 2018. PHOTO:AAP, JAMES ROSS I n this edition Our story begins in 1839 with the Australasian Chronicle, continuing with the Freeman’s Journal in 1850. Level 13, Polding Centre, 133 Liverpool Street, Sydney, NSW 2000. Phone (02) 9390 5400 | Vol 73, No 5162. The Catholic Weekly is published by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney ABN 60 471 267 587 and is printed by ACM Australian Community Media, 159 Bells Line of Road, North Richmond NSW, 2754. SUB-EDITOR Peter Rosengren (02) 9390 5400 REPORTERS Marilyn Rodrigues (02) 9390 5410 David Ryan (02) 9390 5408 Debbie Cramsie (02) 9390 5396 SUBSCRIPTIONS Rita Ng (02) 9390 5411 ADVERTISING AND MARKETING Steve Richards (02) 9390 5404 DESIGNERS Renate Cassis Mathew De Sousa LEAVE A GIFT Archdiocese of Sydney Catholic CHARITIES Order your FREE Wills and Bequests Guide today 1800 753 959 or [email protected] myWill SUPPORTINGTHE MINISTRIES OF THE CATHOLIC ARCHDIOCESE OF SYDNEY Leaving a gift in a News Archbishop’s homily Feature story Movies, books 1-5,11 6-7 8-9 12-13 FROM PG1 fixed and inherent attribute for everyone. “This entirely ignores the fact that many people in our society are confused about these mat- ters. “The proposed law also falsely assumes that traditional religious morality can never be of assistance to anyone in such circumstances.” Australian Christian Lobby managing director Martin Iles slammed the draft law as “by far the worst and most flagrant attack on basic freedom this country has ever seen”. It was a lie to say that the bill is a response to the existence of coercion and abuse in this area, Mr Iles said. “Those practices are not hap- pening in Australia, as already noted by other state govern- ments. “The bill digs up relics of the past an excuse to ban innocent practices like the teaching of Scripture, friends praying for each other, and parents affirm- ing their kids’ biology, to name a few. “Its main effect will be to ban such benign things as Scrip- ture, prayer, voluntary support groups, and a host of other things. “Thebill is an insult to theno- tions of tolerance and diversity.” ACL Victorian spokesperson Jasmine Yuen said that ACL “does not support coercive practices directed at LGBT-at- tracted people”, however it had not seenany evidence that these practices occur in modern Aus- tralia. “ACL is also concerned that the bill could criminalise highly qualified, professional coun- selling for children with gender dysphoria or adults with LGBT attraction,” Ms Yuen said, call- ing for careful deliberation on the religious freedom, health and other adverse impacts of the bill. Father Peter Joseph, the chaplain for Courage in Sydney, an independent Catholic minis- try for people with same sex at- traction, said the proposed law is “modern-day religious perse- cution of homosexual persons, even prohibiting them from praying with others for certain of their personal intentions”. He said he did not support any coercive practices and that current laws adequately deal with harassment, bullying and intimidation by “over-zealous counsellors or ministers”. “We must congratulate the Victoriangovernment for reach- ing new heights and depths of totalitariancontrol over citizens’ behaviour,” Fr Joseph said. “Not even Stalin himself tried to outlaw private prayer practic- es, such as this bill aims to do. “[It] would specifically re- quire a priest or psychologist not to oppose an operation to change fromone sex to another. “So there must be an abso- lute freedom to have an opera- tion involving mutilation – but an absolute prohibition of pray- ingwith someonewhowants an inner change. “This bill is run by an ideol- ogy, not by a desire to protect people.” Advocacy group LGB Alli- ance Australia expressed con- cerns that the draft laws would disadvantage same-sex attract- ed people as well as children and teenagers who do not con- form to gender stereotypes. Spokeswoman Kat Karena told media that the proposed ban followed an international pattern of confusing mostly his- torical gay conversion therapy with the issue of how to help young people and children who experience gender dysphoria. Advocate for abuse survivors and former gay activist James Parker called for more commu- nity consultation before the bill is considered. He said that childhood trau- ma led him to destructive be- haviours as an adult and that he only began to experience healing through methods of therapy and prayer that would likely come under the definition of banned practices in the draft bill. “People need to be given the opportunity to make their sto- ries known to a Standing Com- mittee which takes public sub- missions,” Mr Parker said. “To fail to do so, to suppress practices which bring about positive change for people in pain, is criminal.” • Advising a person not to engage in any extra-marital sexual activity • Praying for someone who is struggling to maintain chastity • Homilies, talks or published material about Catholic teaching on human sexuality, eg. Parts of the Catechism and Pope John Soon to be illegal in Victoria? Paul II’s Theology of the Body • Support groups and ministries for individuals who wish to abide by the Church’s wisdom in the area of sexuality but struggle to do so, eg Courage • Psychotherapeutic approaches for gender dysphoria Faith in the trajectory of life catch it now at: thiscatholiclife.com.au

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