The Rt Hon Helen Clark ONZ PC said this in response to a question put to her by former Labour party cabinet minster Winnie Laban, who had asked her about the role of religion in addressing the world's problems.

"Absolutely critical and I say that as a person of no faith whatsoever, but most people aren't like me. Most people to have some adherence to faith and so faith communities have enormous influence."

Clark spoke particularly of the influence of Pope Francis.

"You take a faith leader like the Pope. He has influence that transcends religion. I said to someone the other day, 'I am not a religious person but thank God for the Pope'."

Clark said it would be obvious she did not agree with everything the Pope said. In this regard she singled out sexual and reproductive health.

"But on the basic issues of poverty, climate, justice - this man is speaking for the hopes of so many."

Clark said the importance of working with faith leaders on the local, national and global level is well acknowledged across agencies such as the United Nations Development Programme, the United Nations Population Fund and UNICEF.

It is critical, she said, to have the local faith leaders involved in the issues of gender.

"In something like trying to stop female genital mutilation, cutting - to have faith leaders come out against that [practice] and back the women in the community who are obviously trying to trying to stop it, is just critical.

"It is extremely important to bring the faith leaders with us and engage with them so that their voice can be heard on these issues," she said.

Clark was taking part a conversation with Dr Gill Greer, at Te Papa on 29 June.

The Conversation was Broadcast on RNZ National on Sunday August 6.

Greer has been CEO of Volunteer Service Abroad since July 2012. She leaves the organisation this month.

From 2006-2011 Greer was the Director General of the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF).

Listen to the podcast

Source

• Transcript taken from RNZ podcast " Helen Clark in Conversation with Gilll Greer"
• Image: Amritapuri

Fortunately, New Zealanders of all people have a solution right under their noses. In referring to God, we can take sexual distinctions right out of the equation by adopting the Maori words. Read more

The guidance, endorsed by the New Zealand Catholic Bishops' Conference, is for principals, boards of trustees, staff and whanau.

It provides a point of reference in the support and accompaniment of children and young people who may be experiencing gender dysphoria in New Zealand's Catholic schools.

The director of the National Centre for Religious Studies, Colin MacLeod, says the document is intended to provide appropriate and practical guidance regarding this complex issue in our schools.

"It does not cover every aspect but acknowledges the need to treat every person with love and respect and to support students in their growing self- identity in a kind and sensitive manner," he said.

Gender Complexity in Schools, guided by faith, spirituality and the sacraments, sets out principles for the Catholic school community which has a responsibility to ensure that all young people are respected and accepted.

Complexity in Schools is available online at www.tci.ac.nz/ncrs.

The document looks at the faith and theological context, the sociological context, and the school and cultural context.

It provides some points for consideration and some practical suggestions.

It concludes: "Catholic schools are committed to providing a kind, nurturing, faith-filled environment that respects everyone's dignity and personhood.

"Every situation is unique and demands caring, prudent and wise accompaniment.

"The example of Jesus, in responding to so many different people with diverse needs and concerns in the Gospels, consistently shows us that love and truth needs to be at the heart of our response - and in a particular way when supporting and accompanying children and young people who may be vulnerable in our schools."

Source

• Supplied: Gregan NZCBC
• tci.ac.nz
• Image: onlineparentingcoach.com

The Rector of St Patrick's, Neal Swindells, told her the Catholic perspective still plays a huge part.

However, he believes that creating a sense of guilt was " the worst thing the Catholic church did in the 1960s and 70s" . This is no longer occurring, he says.

"I don't think our kids have that now, and I don't think the church authorities would want us to have it."

Swindells told Thomas he did not like the word abstinence.

"I always like to say your sexuality is a gift, it's something precious, and the church teaches us we should save it till we're married.

"But we also understand not everyone can do that, and we're not sitting in judgment.

"In a way, the new Pope has given us considerable freedom to try to be relevant to the kids and the times that we're teaching in."

Different types of contraception - including the IUD, the pill and the emergency contraceptive are taught at the school under an umbrella of "fertility awareness".

Director of religious education Sarah Parkinson is realistic about what students are up to.

She knows there are some sexually active year nines at the school, she knows what research says about pornography and she knows some students are gay.

Recently a student stood up in assembly and said they wanted to start an LGBT group. Now it has about ten members and roughly four staff who support it.

The students say accepting minority groups all comes down to the greatest commandment - treat others as you would like to be treated.

"It coincides with when we get taught about human dignity - everyone has the same value of life," year 12 student Bernard Tolovaa says.

Sexuality education is one of seven key areas of learning in Health and Physical Education in the New Zealand Curriculum.

In December 2001 it became a requirement for sexuality education to be taught within a broader programme up to and including Year Ten.

At senior levels, students' achievements can be assessed against unit or achievement standards within the National Qualifications Framework.

Boards of trustees are required to consult their community at least every two years on how the school intends to implement their draft health curriculum.

Schools try hard to respect differences in culture and religion.

A parent or caregiver has the right to withdraw their child from particular parts of sexuality education by writing to the principal.

Source

• Stuff
• TKI
• Ministry of Education
• Ministry for Women
• Image: Stuff

In their interim report, the working group recommends that there should be "no alteration to the formularies of this Church" and that dioceses and bishops should be allowed "to authorise individual clergy within their ministry units to conduct services blessing same gender relationships." Continue reading

The report upheld the "traditional doctrine of marriage", which defined marriage as being "between a man and a woman ... life-long and monogamous".

However it proposed a compromise solution which would allow the blessing of same gender couples who are already civilly married.

While both Tikanga Maori and Tikanga Polynesian agreed they could adopt provisions of the A Way Forward report, the seven New Zealand dioceses asked for more time to address misgivings about the two services of blessing posed.

The Synod moved into conference mode, and requested space to operate with only members and those with speaking rights present.

After the discussion, the Synod appointed a new working group to draft an alternate response to the A Way Forward report.

It consisted of seven members - two from each tikanga and a legal adviser.

This working party presented its proposal on Wednesday.

Agreement could still not be reached.

And so the report "lies on the table" with the Synod coming back to it after further work in two years time.

Church spokesman Rev Jayson Rhodes said the synod decided that "it needs more work and time to create a structure that can allow for blessing of committed life-long monogamous same-sex relationships".

"The synod has asked for a working group to ensure there is a structure that can safeguard different views concerning the blessing of same-gender relationships, and that will be considered in two years' time at the next General Synod," he said.

The the original working group said that the proposed new rites of blessing are "additional formularies" rather than doctrinal changes.

"It is the view of the majority of the group that the proposed liturgies do not represent a departure from the Doctrine and Sacraments of Christ, and are therefore not prohibited by [the Church's constitution]"

The proposal was modelled on what happened in France, where "everybody gets married in the town hall and comes to church the next day".

On Monday, Bishop Jim White, who was part of the working group, told the Synod that blessings would require the legal union to take place elsewhere at an earlier time, then the couple themselves would be blessed by the Church, not their marriage.

This provided an opportunity for blessings but kept the Church's understanding of marriage intact.

Some church members think the proposed blessing ceremonies looked too much like a marriage, he said.

Others have criticised the report saying it creates a second class ceremony for same gender couples.

Bishop Kito Pikaahu, also one of the report writers, said different groups inside the Church must learn to be tolerant, particularly when disagreeing with others.

Other working group members said the report was designed to spark discussion and was not a final solution.

They said there was not unanimous agreement within the working group and the report offered recommendations to be debated.

Prior to the presentation of the report two dioceses had already intervened.

The Christchurch Diocesan Synod proposed a motion that states that the General Synod "does not adopt any recommendations without first referring the report to the Synods . . . of this Church for discussion, and resources a significant period of education, discussion and discernment throughout this Church."

The Nelson Diocesan Synod have tabled a motion calling for "at least four years of intentional theological reflection, education and discussion across our Church on the substance and impact of the [proposed changes]."

Source

• stuff.co.nz
• radionz.co.nz
• episcopaldigitalnetwork.com
• nzherald.co.nz
• www.gaynz.com
• Image: anglicantaonga.org.nz

Family First national director Bob McCoskrie is questioning the reasoning behind the move to introduce a new gender category.

He says it only fuelled gender-identity politics.

"I've seen even trans advocate group say that it's open to harmful misuse or misinterpretation, so when those groups themselves are saying that it's problematic, then I think Statistics NZ are going to realise just how problematic the whole issue is."

He said Statistics New Zealand should stick to what is objective and measurable, namely male and female categories only. Continue reading

American Samoa Attorney General Talauega Eleasalo Ale hasn't been ready to take that step.

"We're still reviewing the decision to determine its applicability to American Samoa, and I have no specific comments at this time," he said.

Asked if same-sex marriage is legal in the territory, Ale said, "I don't know. We're reviewing the law."

• "It should be unquestioned," said Rose Cuison Villazor, a professor at University of California, Davis' law school and an expert on territorial law. "The Supreme Court's decision was pretty strong."
• For gay marriage to be recognized in American Samoa, there needs to be a voluntary decision or litigation, said Chimene Keitner, an expert on territorial status issues at University of California, Hastings College of the Law.
• U.S. territories have some self-governance rights. The right to marry, however, isn't a question of self-governance, said Omar Gonzalez-Pagan, staff attorney for national gay rights group Lambda Legal. "This is a question of individual right, individual liberty," he said.

Christian churches with conservative social views dominate in American Samoa, home to about 50,000.

The government's motto is "Samoa, Let God Be First."

The territory has a tradition of embracing faafafine - males who are raised as females and take on feminine traits.

There are many faafafine who aren't supportive of gay marriage out of "respect for our Samoan culture and religious beliefs," said well-known faafafine Princess Auvaa.

Auvaa said she wants gay marriage to be legal in American Samoa. If it's determined that it is, she said, "I would be the first person to apply for a marriage license - if I had a boyfriend who would agree to marriage."

Source

• nzherald.co.nz
• Image: aleteia.org

He was speaking on the issue in the light of the United States Supreme Court decision upholding same gender marriage.

"Firstly, it's for their own good, because of the complementary nature of the two sexes they bring wholesome to the other."

"Secondly it's open to procreation and because of that their love overflows into the wider society."

"According to the church this is what we understand by marriage, any relationship that falls short of this cannot be called marriage," Archbishop Chong explained.

The Ministry of the iTaukei Affairs will never at any time support same sex marriage according to Deputy Permanent Secretary Apakuki Kurusiga

When the Fiji Sun posed the question on same sex marriage to him he said - "No way; it is against our culture and tradition."

He said marriage to the iTaukei people was a very sacred ceremony and there were traditional protocols to be followed leading to the wedding proper.

Most iTaukei people in villages are members of different religious groups and these groups, he said, firmly believed marriage was a union between a man and a woman.

Spokesmen for The Methodist Church in Fiji and Sanatan Dharm Pratinidhi Sabha of Fiji have also expressed the belief that marriage should be defined as a union between a woman and a man.

Same sex marriages are not a priority of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) community, says Sulique Waqa, the co-ordinator of the Haus of Khameleon which is a safe haven for LGBTQ members.

"Because we feel like before we start talking about same-sex marriage we need to equally look at the critical issues that we have been fighting for the past decade and the past years as LGBTQ activists in the Pacific," she said.

According to data retrieved from the Council of Global Equality, a number of countries within the Pacific have criminalised homosexuality and only six countries within the Pacific region have decriminalised homosexuality.

Fiji is one of the six who have.

Ms Waqa added if a discussion were to be struck on same-sex marriages, homosexuality needs to first be decriminalised in the region.

Source

• fijitiems.com
• fijitimes.com
• fijisun.com.fj
• Image: transform.fairfaxregional.com.au

Loretta M. Pangelinan and Kathleen M. Aguero, both 28, sued after the registrar refused them a license because Guam law defines marriage as a union between two people of the opposite sex.

The Attorney-General said a licence should be issued but the Governor opposed the move asking for a stay until a similar case is resolved by the US Supreme Court in June.

Last Friday the District Court of Guam ruled that the two women must be allowed to wed, making it the first U.S. territory to to make same gender marriage legal.

More than 80 percent of the residents of Guam are Catholic.

The Catholic Church helped defeat a bill seeking to legalise same gender unions in 2009.

Since the legal challenge was raised, the Church has continued to speak out against same gender marriage.

In April, in the local Catholic newspaper Umatuna Si Yu'os the archdiocese called on the governor, the Guam Legislature and people of goodwill, "To end this assault on the very foundation of our traditional, cultural and religious patrimony."

Father Francis Walsh, from the Redemptoris Mater Seminary in Yona, was reported as saying the church is "not against persons who may have homosexual tendencies" but is opposed to same-sex unions because "it is a threat to the very definition of marriage."

"When we take the gift of sexuality and use it for other purposes we are turning it inside upside down and therefore it becomes intrinsically disordered when it is no longer ordered to express love in the service of life," he said.

The lawyer for the Guam couple likely to be the first same-sex couple to marry in the Pacific says he is proud the island has recognised marriage equality.

In the other two US Pacific territories, American Samoa and the Northern Marianas — no gay or lesbian couples have made a legal case for marriage rights.

Source

• radionz.co.nz
• bustle.com
• nytimes.com
• kuam.com
• khon2.com
• Image: kuam.images.worldnow.com

The bylaw, or qanun, was approved on April 30 by district legislators.

According to Fauzan Hamzah, who heads the legislation committee of the district's legislative body, the law calls for separate classrooms for male and female students in junior high school and senior high school, as well as universities. The order, he said, was in line with sharia regulations.

"Separation will help prevent students from social intercourse which violates the ethics and the sharia law," he told local news website kompas.com

The qanun also prohibits unmarried men and women from riding motorbikes together and bans traders from selling inappropriate clothes. Additionally, it bans keyboard and karaoke performances at wedding ceremonies and other activities held in schools, universities and offices.

Source

• ucannew.com
• The Malaysian Insider
• Image: c1.staticflickr.com

The headline for the news item read "Catholic crusader Peter Westmore blesses daughter's gay marriage in New Zealand."

Liberal Democrat senator David Leyonhjelm's Freedom to Marry bill, was scheduled for debate in Australian Federal Parliament on Thursday.

When asked about it Westmore said his daughter's wedding had his blessing. "She always has my blessing in everything she does."

Asked if he still supported the his lobby group the National Civic Council's (NCC) opposition on same sex marriage he said: "Of course I do."

Fairfax Media reported that Westmore did not respond when asked about the apparent hypocrisy in his personal and political positions on the issue.

It went on to say that he asked for his family's privacy to be respected.

The word respect was placed in quotation marks.

When contacted by the media Westmore's daughter did not return the call.

Australian Marriage Equality national director Rodney Croome said Westmore's support for his daughter's wedding was a reminder that marriage equality affected Australian families across the political spectrum.

"Some people will call Mr Westmore hypocritical for opposing marriage equality, but my hope is that, like many other people of faith, he's on a journey towards supporting it."

Source

• The Age
• Image: Stuff.co.nz

"The city's subpoena of sermons and other pastoral communications is both needless and unprecedented," Alliance Defending Freedom attorney Christina Holcomb said in a statement. "The city council and its attorneys are engaging in an inquisition designed to stifle any critique of its actions." Continue reading

They went by horse-drawn carriage to a reception at the Cloud on the Auckland waterfront, followed by a honeymoon paid for by Tourism Fiji. But less than a year later, it seems to be all over. Read more

Prime Minister John Key, a regular attendee, arrived fresh from seeing Australia's leader Tony Abbott.

He used his time on stage to call for people to vote National, but afterwards said the day was not about politics. continue reading