Australia does not have a state religion. We were originally a Christian country, but we welcomed those of other faiths and our laws specifically demand that all people have the right to follow the religion of their choice under the protection of the law. Different religions have a very wide interpretation of what is just and moral under their teachings and all are tolerated, provided they remain within the conformity of how laws are framed in this country.
The Roman Catholic Church is proposing to insert an "Ethos" clause into new enterprise agreements which will apply to those employed as teachers in Catholic schools. Basically, this is a requirement that not only will such teachers promote Catholic values in their style of teaching but they will also live their personal lives within the boundaries of Catholic religious law.
Not all teachers in Catholic schools belong to the Catholic faith and even those that do are horrified. It seems that this seeks to arbitrarily impose all the restrictions of church outlook and teachings as a condition of employment - and this comes into conflict with many Australian laws and what is commonly accepted practice within the Australian lifestyle.
The church deplores those couples who live together without the sanctity of marriage. It totally forbids abortion, even to save the life of the mother. It is opposed to in vitro fertilization for infertile couples. It rejects gay rights and same sex marriage - and it is irrationally totally still opposed to all forms of contraception.
It seems that the Vatican is demanding the right to hold sway in the bedrooms of all it's employees and dictate the lifestyle they must maintain as a condition of employment. Of course the church elders will dismiss this claim as an over reaction and insist that no teacher will be dismissed because they are in a de facto relationship or are using the contraceptive pill as a means of family planning.
What is not so clear is the effect that lifestyle outside of Catholic morality will have on promotion prospects. Will a " straight "teacher who openly supports gay rights be denied elevation because of those beliefs and will secretive investigations into an applicants private life become part of the hiring practice for new teachers ?
The authority of the church various widely from country to country. In some places the law of the church is also the law of the land. In Australia, a sort of "smorgasbord " approach is embraced by many Catholics. They accept the majority of church dogma and simply reject the parts they choose to discard. As a result, the majority of young Catholic women openly use the pill, embrace in vitro procedures to counter infertility - and sometimes resort to abortion. It seems that this "ethos "clause is an attempt to crack the whip and bring the congregation into line.
It is curious that this imposition of morality as espoused by the church is directed at the teaching profession. Catholic schools are an institution in Australia and are widely used by non Catholic families - and in fact there are 58,000 pupils from other religions in NSW Catholic schools. The fees charged are usually lower than other private schools and teaching standards - and results - are claimed to be higher than in the state school system.
Non Catholic parents accept that their children will be exposed to Catholic dogma as part of this tradeoff with the benefits that the Catholic education system brings and it has long been evident that Catholic schools are much more disciplined - and many believe that this plays a big part in the good education results they achieve.
Many will see the hand of Cardinal George Pell in this attempt to impose church authority on all who depend on it's payroll. He is of an authoritarium nature and was recently elevated to a position of greater power in the Vatican. This attempted imposition clearly crosses both secular and legal jurisdictions - and will most likely be finally decided in the High Court.
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