Newsletter 7: 4 June 2024

Dear Colleagues

Religious Freedom

In a speech last week at the Sydney Catholic Business Network Lunch, Archbishop Anthony Fisher, who is also Chair of the Bishops Commission for Catholic Education in Australia, prospered some important perspectives on the draft religious freedom legislation currently being considered by the Federal Parliament. Archbishop Anthony articulated concerns similar to those expressed by Father Frank Brennan SJ and former Prime Minister, John Howard.

In essence these three eminent Australians have all advocated for sustaining the right for faith-based organisations to employ people who are supportive of their ethos and world view. Certainly, this right for those involved in Catholic education, would seem a self-evident necessity. Religious liberty in Australia can be taken for granted, however, any ambiguity or indifference to the right to freedom of thought and religious beliefs is to ignore fundamental rights of human beings throughout the world, as captured in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, to which Australia is a signatory.

In this week when we Marists celebrate the Feast Day of Saint Marcellin Champagnat, the poignancy of the debates and possible changes to relevant Australian laws that may seriously impact on the realisation of our core purpose of making Jesus known and loved through quality Catholic education is reason to pause. Saint Marcellin was committed to the goal of forming “good Christians and good citizens”. This phrase was not a mere slogan, but a clear and definite statement of intent in France, a country at that time riven by revolution, political uncertainty, and deep mistrust in some of those with influence in the Catholic Church. Marcellin’s oft quoted, unconstrained aspiration to have Marists teaching in schools in every Diocese throughout the world reflects a passion for sharing the Gospel of Jesus that some in his own time thought lunacy. Here in Australia, our history of Catholic education is recognised internationally as a remarkable and sustained commitment to the right for religious freedom by literally millions of people for over 200 years.

Father Frank Brennan was a member of the Ruddock Committee, which delivered its report on religious discrimination to the Turnbull government in May 2018, finding a “major lacuna [gap] in the array of anti-discrimination legislation.” Father Frank wrote:

“A Christian school must be guaranteed the freedom to teach what Jesus taught, respectfully, reasonably and counter-culturally—respectfully because the dignity of all persons must be affirmed, reasonably because a school has a fundamental educational purpose, and counterculturally because many of the things Jesus taught will never appear in the political manifestos of the Liberal Party or the Labor Party.”1

In his address last Friday, Archbishop Anthony commented:

“Australia is a signatory to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, both of which insist on rights to freedom of thought, conscience and religion. But unlike provisions concerning racial, sexual and disability discrimination, Australia has never incorporated the provisions religious freedom into federal domestic law. Yet many social commentators agree that religion is increasingly under attack in Australia. This slide in the culture may incline us to gloom. But it can also serve as a wake-up call—a reminder that religious freedom cannot be taken for granted and a catalyst for us to do something about it.” 2

Australia’s second longest serving Prime Minister, John Howard said recently:

“I feel very strongly that if you send your child to a Catholic school you expect them to be educated in the ambience of the religion and I think it’s outrageous that that’s not accepted, and I think whatever changes are made to religious freedom and the like that has got to be respected.” 3

As we closely follow these developments, let us remain conscious of the past and present courageous sacrifices and joyful generosity of parents, teachers and staff, religious women and men, priests, and bishops in our united commitment to the freedom to make Jesus known and loved among our fellow Australians.

1.

https://www.catholicweekly.com.au/religious-freedom-debate-yet-to-strike-the-right-balance-brennan/

2.

https://www.sydneycatholic.org/addresses-and-statements/2024/religious-freedom-in-a-secular-world-doomed-or-doable-31-may-2024/#_edn23

3.

https://www.catholicweekly.com.au/former-pm-john-howard-stands-up-for-religious-freedom/