Reports concerning Pope Francis’s homophobic comment keep hitting headlines. Francis reportedly used a homophobic word when he discussed the question of gay candidates for priesthood with Italy’s bishops on May 20. The official Church position is that they should be barred from ministry if they are sexually active. Francis’s word for “sexually active” was reported Read more
A letter which Archbishop of Hobart Julian Porteous sent to all Catholic schools last month has drawn ire from a Hobart Catholic primary school. The letter In the May 2 letter, Porteous railed against the “radicalised transgender lobby”, same-sex marriage and the “woke movement”. “What we are now witnessing in our Australian society is the Read more
The full ambivalence of Pope Francis’ pastoral approach to the issue of homosexuality has come into view, first during his television interview with CBS News’ Norah O’Donnell, and now with the news that he told the Italian bishops’ conference that gay men should not be allowed to enter the seminary. Is this the same pope who, early Read more
Pope Francis has apologised for what has been taken as a vulgar, homophobic slur. He “never intended to offend or express himself in homophobic terms, and he apologises to those who felt offended” says Holy See press office chief Matteo Bruni. The remarks are at odds with the pope’s track record to date. He has Read more
Teachers at a controversial Christian school in Brisbane are being asked to sign employment contracts that warn they could be sacked for being openly homosexual. The Citipointe Christian College is at the heart of yet another scandal after a former teacher lost his job for refusing to sign the document last month. The private primary Read more
The Vatican has intervened with the Italian state in a proposed “anti-homophobia” law, saying that the legislation violates freedoms of the Catholic Church in Italy. Local media have called the Vatican’s intervention in Italian law “unprecedented” in the history of the relationship between the two states. According to the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, a Read more
Steven Anderson, an extremist Christian preacher from the United States, is planning a visit to New Zealand. Anderson made headlines last month when he attended a ‘Make America Straight Again’ conference in Orlando, Florida. In his YouTube post, he said he now planned to conduct a soul-winning and preaching event in New Zealand. He just Read more
In February two gay men were assaulted by Joden Martin who claimed he was offended by the fact that Aziz Al-Sa’afin and his friends were standing beside a church. When Martin appeared for sentencing in the court last Friday, Al-Sa’afin said there is no place for extremist views in the church. Martin’s lawyer had said Read more
Australia’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison is vowing to bring in new laws to protect religious people after rugby star Israel Folau was sacked for sharing a message from the Bible. Morrison says he wants to make a bipartisan deal to bring in the new laws. When asked if he thinks Folau has been persecuted for Read more