The Catholic Weekly 30 January 2022

A SECOND week of pub- lic hearings on the Morrison Government’s Religious Free- dom Bill has seen Church representatives face increas- ingly sharp questions about Catholic schools’ treatment of LGBT teachers and students. Mark Edwards OMI, the Bishop of Wagga Wagga, was joined at the 20 January pub- lic hearing of the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee by Sally Egan and Dallas McIner- ney from the National Catho- lic Education Commission, and Professor of Law Roque Reynolds, from the Australian Catholic University. Labor Senator Louise Pratt and Greens Senator Janet Rice interrogated the Catho- lic representatives about their position on two submissions, from Rainbow Catholics In- terAgency for Ministry and Catholics for Renewal, both of which allege the Religious Freedom Bill will discrimi- nate against LGBT Catholics. The Bill will “fail to protect the moral equality of such individuals … for the sake of protecting institutional rather than individual rights”, Catho- lics for Renewal’s submis- sion stated, adding that the same-sex marriage plebiscite “discredited all claims by re- ligious leaders to be speaking on behalf of the individuals composing their congrega- tions”. “Do you talk to gay Catho- lics about their issues?” Pratt asked; Rice followed up with a number of questions about whether the representatives were “aware of engaging with any LGBTIQA+ Catholics in your consultation”. McInerney replied that the church does not exclude anyone from its considera- tions, “intentionally or oth- erwise”, and is not “requir- ing self-declaration before we have a conversation”. Drawing on the Catholics for Renewal submission, Rice said the Religious Freedom Bill would protect religious hierarchies at the expense of individuals who wish to make up their ownmind about mat- ters of religious faith, mor- als and doctrine. Under the CONTINUED P2 Freedomdivide deepens Catholic reps interrogated over LGBT issues at second inquiry into Religious Discrimination Bill ¾ Adam Wesselinoff SUNDAY 30 January, 2022 CatholicWeekly The www.catholicweekly.com.au THE CHURCH. ALL OF IT THE DOCTOR OF LOVE P12 $2 The Church of tomorrow Youth leaders from across the Archdiocese come together for a week of formation P4 AUTHOR BRINGS JESUS ALIVE FOR TODAY P21