Bishop’s letter an attack on ‘woke’
A letter circulated to all students at Hobart’s catholic schools from the Hobart Archbishop Julian Porteous has called for a “state override” position on restrictions on religious freedom laws, launching an attack on gender beliefs, abortion and conversion therapy as freedoms being “undermined”.
The pastoral letter published on Sunday, May 2, entitled “We are the Salt to the Earth”, details the “existential threat” to
Catholic schools from potential changes to legislation in the Sex Discrimination Act by the Australian government.
Currently, faith-based schools are allowed under section 38 to insist staff and students adhere to the doctrines, tenets, beliefs and teachings of the religious school.
The letter goes on to discuss gender identities as “denying the reality of who we are”, as well as describing changes to abortion and euthanasia laws as “killing” and “taking of one’s life”.
“Since this time we have seen the growth in what has been referred to as the ‘woke’ movement, seeking to overturn other traditional values and beliefs,” Mr Porteous wrote. “This has included the push for ‘diversity and inclusivity’ training in the corporate sector and the attack on the biological reality of being male or female through a radicalised transgender lobby.”
Equality Tasmania spokesman Rodney Croome said Archbishop Porteous was politicising Catholic schools and “spreading misinformation”. “He is abusing his authority by effectively turning thousands of school students into couriers for his political views,” Mr Croome said.