Thursday, December 31, 2015

Notes: Tuesday, December 1-Thursday, December 31, 2015

1. Some changes to this blog's sidebar

Just before posting this issue of "Notes", I added a link to What's Up With Francis-Church? to my "Blog links" section, added a link to Catholica to my "Discussion links" section, moved the "News and opinion links" section to between the "Miscellaneous links" and "Magisterium" sections, and deleted the "Posts" and "Comments" sections.

Labels: blogs

2. "The bottom line is we want families to be able to access more affordable child care so they can get to work."

The quotation in that headline comes from the transcript of a radio (2GB) interview by Mr. Ray Hadley of The Hon. Scott Morrison M.P. (Federal Treasurer) on November 30, 2015, downloaded from Mr. Morrison's Ministerial website:

http://sjm.ministers.treasury.gov.au/transcript/059-2015/

Similarly, the Federal Minister for Social Services, The Hon. Christian Porter M.P., said shortly before Mr. Morrison that
a better allocation of some[ "welfare"], and a modest amount in terms of the total of Family Tax Benefits is to reprioritise that to, generally speaking, to the same families but through another mechanism that is better, more efficiently subsidised childcare so that you engender workforce participation.
[my square-bracketed interpolation,
"Sky News To the Point" interview transcript, November 26, 2015, downloaded from Mr. Porter's Ministerial website:
http://christianporter.dss.gov.au/transcripts/sky-news-to-the-point]
See also
  • the Joint Transcript "Joint press conference - Child Care Reforms", dated Wednesday, December 2, 2015, downloaded from the Ministerial website of The Hon. Sen. Simon Birmingham (Federal Minister for Education and Training):

    http://ministers.education.gov.au/birmingham/joint-press-conference-child-care-reforms

    (That transcript is also available at Mr. Porter's Ministerial website under the apparently mistaken heading "ABC 720 Perth with Simon Birmingham", and also at Sen. Birmingham's personal website, under the heading "Joint Press Conference - Christian Porter", dated Thursday, December 3, 2015 (perhaps the date of its uploading to that website rather than the date of the press conference in question).) In the introduction he gave at that press conference, Sen. Birmingham said that
    Ultimately, we believe it[ (that is, "the Jobs for Families child care reforms")] will deliver better outcomes, lift workforce participation, help encourage more people into the work force, help encourage greater volunteering, help encourage people to study, get greater results from the $40 billion that the Government expects to invest in child care over the next few years, more than $3.2 billion of additional expenditure.

    Our number one focus is overwhelmingly on families and children – supporting families and parents in their working ambitions, supporting children accessing child care to have support for the early learning opportunities it provides. …
    In answer to a question from a journalist about why the reformed child care subsidy still goes to high income—even millionaire—households, Sen. Birmingham said that
    the greatest analysis into Australia's child care and early learning system undertaken in recent years occurred via the Productivity Commission inquiry into child care and early learning. And that inquiry recommended that there should be a floor in relation to child care subsidy that applied to all family circumstances to make sure that there was an appropriate incentive for workforce participation. You have to remember that when you are talking about family income levels it's not necessarily the family income level that matters most to a workforce participation decision in relation to child care; it's the secondary income earner that is often the decision point. And so by putting a floor in relation to the child care subsidy, there is always still an incentive there and some assistance there to help the secondary income earner step in.
    and he expressed similar reasoning in answer to similar questions a couple of days before that press conference; see his answers to the first two questions in the transcript "Interview - RN Breakfast - Alison Carabine", Monday, November 30, 2015:

    http://www.senatorbirmingham.com.au/Media-Centre/Interview-Transcripts/ID/2884/Interview--RN-Breakfast--Alison-Carabine

    and his answers to the first, second, and second-last questions in the transcript "Interview - Doorstop", Monday, November 30, 2015:

    http://www.senatorbirmingham.com.au/Media-Centre/Interview-Transcripts/ID/2882/Interview--Doorstop

    (In fairness, however, see the antepenultimate paragraph of the interview transcript "Interview - Sky News - PM Agenda - David Speers", dated Friday, November 27, 2015, downloaded from Sen. Birmingham' s personal website:

    http://www.senatorbirmingham.com.au/Media-Centre/Interview-Transcripts/ID/2880/Interview--Sky-News--PM-Agenda--David-Speers)
  • the Joint Media Release "Family Tax reform to better support Australian children", dated December 2, 2015, downloaded from Mr. Porter's Ministerial website:

    http://christianporter.dss.gov.au/media-releases/family-tax-reform-to-better-support-australian-children

    and also available at Sen. Birmingham's Ministerial website:

    http://ministers.education.gov.au/birmingham/family-tax-reform-better-support-australian-children

    (and at his personal website.)

    This is the first paragraph of that media release:
    The Turnbull Government today introduced the Jobs for Families Child Care package and Family Tax Benefit bills to Parliament to encourage workforce participation and provide a more flexible, accessible child care system.
    [italics in the original]
    and later on, Mr. Porter is quoted as saying that
    It makes sense to redirect the money from the [end-of-year FTB-B ]supplements back into families but in a way that allows parents to re-enter the workforce.
    which is clearly reminiscent of my earlier quotation—that begininning with "a better allocation of"—from him.

    Also of interest in that media release is Sen. Birmingham's mention of H.M.A. Government's proposal "to refer the legislation to the relevant Senate Committee". That committee is presumably the Community Affairs Legislation Committee, and the relevant inquiry is presumably that into the Social Services Legislation Amendment (Family Payments Structural Reform and Participation Measures) Bill (No. 2) 2015:

    http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Community_Affairs/Family_Payments_No_2

    though I didn't see any mention there of childcare.
  • the opinion piece "Government payment cuts threaten single-income families", by Marcelle Mogg (she "is the chief executive officer of Catholic Social Services Australia"), dated December 27, 2015, downloaded from the Sydney Catholic Weekly's website:

    https://www.catholicweekly.com.au/government-payment-cuts-threaten-single-income-families/

    (That article came to my attention via the version printed under the headline "Payment cuts threaten single-income families", with the same author, on p. 6 in the "NEWS" pages (though the article in question was a "Comment" piece) of the Sydney Catholic Weekly, December 27, 2015, Vol. 73, No. 4807, published by The Catholic Press Newspaper Company Pty. Ltd., and another version is available under the headline "Cuts leave two-parent families in the cold", dated December 16, 2015, at Eureka Street (Vol. 25, No. 24):

    http://www.eurekastreet.com.au/article.aspx?aeid=45821#.VoISXv_4Nes)

    In that article, Ms Mogg writes that
    The Government has provided little justification for moving away from the longstanding policy that family payments are made in recognition of the extra costs that families face compared to others with similar income.

    The disparity means two-parent families will be better off financially if they separated. Is that the kind of incentive we want built into government programs?
Labels: childcare, economic rationalism, economics, family, tax, work

3. More information on the imminent changes to Victoria's Special Religious Instruction programme is available at the webpage "Special Religious Instruction 2016" in the "Curriculum" pages of the "School Policy & Advisory Guide" section of H.M.V. Government's Education and Training website:

http://www.education.vic.gov.au/school/principals/spag/curriculum/Pages/sri.aspx

See especially the "Overview of Changes" and "Information for Parents" Word documents, both dated November 2015, available for download at the bottom of that webpage.

Labels: education, feminism, G.L.B.T., morals, multiculturalism, relativism, Victoria

4. Two points of interest from the Pacific Women Shaping Pacific Development inaugural Progress Report:
  • "Stamping out STIs in the Cook Islands", p. 45
  • "Catholic Church supports sexual health program", p. 54
The Pacific Women Shaping Pacific Development First Progress Report 2012-2015 is available here:

http://pacificwomenreport.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/PW_AR_Dec7_Approved_Final_E-Copy.pdf

See also the media release "Progress Report of Pacific Women Shaping Pacific Development", dated December 7, 2015, available at the Ministerial website of The Hon. Steven Ciobo M.P. (Federal Minister for International Development and the Pacific):

http://ministers.dfat.gov.au/stevenciobo/releases/Pages/2015/sc_mr_151207.aspx?w=%2FF8ZUhcj%2B3O78bKr86LCHA%3D%3D

and the prepared text, under the headline "Launch of the Pacific Women Inaugural Progress Report", of a speech by Mr. Ciobo, dated December 7, 2015, available at the same website:

http://ministers.dfat.gov.au/stevenciobo/speeches/Pages/2015/sc_sp_151207.aspx?w=%2FF8ZUhcj%2B3O78bKr86LCHA%3D%3D

Labels: abortion, contraception, feminism, foreign affairs

5. "“’Nostra Aetate had eliminated any language referring to hope for a conversion,” he[, viz. "Joseph Sievers, a professor at Rome’s Pontifical Biblical Institute and a member of the[ Vatican] commission[ for Religious Relations with the Jews] that produced" "THE GIFTS AND THE CALLING OF GOD ARE IRREVOCABLE",] said, “but it did not explicitly say ‘we do not want to convert Jews.’ This document wants to make that clear.”"

The quotation, excluding my bracketed interpolations, in that headline comes from the report "New Vatican Document Says Church Doesn't Seek Conversion of the Jews", by Mr. Francis X. Rocca, dated (or at least last updated) December 10, 2015, downloaded from The Wall Street Journal's website:

http://www.wsj.com/articles/new-vatican-document-says-church-doesn-t-seek-conversion-of-the-jews-1449784616

A similar interpretation of that document, or at least of one of its logical consequences, seems to have been expressed by a well-known Jewish participant in Jewish-Catholic dialogue—see the article "Catholics should not seek to convert Jews: Vatican", no byline (though the stated source was "CATHOLICCULTURE.ORG"), p. 27, the Sydney Catholic Weekly, December 20, 2015, Vol. 73, No. 4806, published by The Catholic Press Newspaper Company Pty. Ltd.—but one apparently well-informed reporter disputes that interpretation, writing that the
claim that the document explicitly says that the church does not want to convert Jews is not accurate.
["The Vatican has said Catholics don't need to convert Jews: What does this mean?", by Florence Taylor, dated December 11, 2015, downloaded from Christian Today's website:
http://www.christiantoday.com/article/the.vatican.has.said.catholics.dont.need.to.convert.jews.what.does.this.mean/73296.htm?print=1]
The document in question is available in English here (though I don't know what the original language is):

http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/chrstuni/relations-jews-docs/rc_pc_chrstuni_doc_20151210_ebraismo-nostra-aetate_en.html

Labels: Jews, Roman Curia

Reginaldvs Cantvar
Thursday within the Octave of Christmas, and the feast of St. Sylvester I., Pope, Confessor, A.D. 2015
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Monday, November 30, 2015

Notes: Wednesday, September 30-Monday, November 30, 2015 (part 2 of 2)

5. St. Augustine and St. Alphonsus de Liguori on the religious duties of kings, as kings

See respectively the answers to the questions "What do the Fathers of the Church have to say about this?" and "Are the Doctors of the Church unanimous on this point?" at this The Angelus Online webpage, giving part seven of a serialisation of Fr. Gaudron's Catechism of the Crisis in the Church:

http://www.angelusonline.org/index.php?section=articles&subsection=print_article&article_id=2660

(The stated sources for the relevant quotations from St. Augustine are his Letter 185, Chap. 5, §19, PL 33, col. 801 and "Four Books in Answer to the Grammarian Cresconius," Retractations, Chap. 51, §56, and the stated source for the quotation from St. Alphonsus is Fedelta dei Vassali (June 1777), quoted by Augustin Berthe, C.SS.R., St. Alphonse de Liguori 1696-1787 (Paris: Reteaux), II, 440-41.)

(St. Alphonsus's and St. Augustine's opinions came to my attention via the S.S.P.X. Sydney Priory bulletins of yesterday and two weeks ago, respectively.)

Labels: Church and State, Confessional State, Fathers, morals, Social Reign of Christ

Reginaldvs Cantvar
St. Andrew's Day, A.D. 2015
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Notes: Wednesday, September 30-Monday, November 30, 2015 (part 1 of 2)

1. Some recent announcements by H.M.A. Government concerning foreign affairs

1.1 Australia will "provide $7 million over three years to support the United Nations’ Joint Programme for Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health in the Pacific."

The quotation in that headline comes from the media release "Promoting Economic Growth in the Pacific", dated September 29, 2015, downloaded from the website of the Minister for Foreign Affairs (currently The Hon. Julie Bishop M.P.):

http://foreignminister.gov.au/releases/Pages/2015/jb_mr_150929a.aspx?w=tb1CaGpkPX%2FlS0K%2Bg9ZKEg%3D%3D

(That iniative came to my attention via this article at The Australian's website.) According to a press release issued jointly by the United Nations Children's Fund (U.N.I.C.E.F.), the United Nations Population Fund (U.N.F.P.A.), and the World Health Organisation, Ms Bishop "noted that the AU$7 million investment will support the UN Secretary General’s Global Strategy for Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’ Health". That Strategy can be downloaded from its official website here:

http://globalstrategy.everywomaneverychild.org/

Or go straight hither:

http://globalstrategy.everywomaneverychild.org/pdf/EWEC_globalstrategyreport_200915_FINAL_WEB.pdf

(And the aforementioned press release is available under the headline "Joint Media Release: Australian commitment to UN joint programme for Pacific mother, child and adolescent health kicks off investment in Global Goals for Sustainable Development", dated September 30, 2015, at U.N.I.C.E.F.'s website:

http://www.unicef.org/pacificislands/1852_24727.html

and under the headline "A JOINT PRESS RELEASE: Australian commitment to UN joint programme for Pacific mother, child and adolescent health kicks off investment in Global Goals for Sustainable Development", same date, at the U.N.F.P.A.'s website:

http://countryoffice.unfpa.org/pacific/2015/09/30/12827/a_joint_press_release_australian_commitment_to_un_joint_programme_for_pacific_mother_child_and_adolescent_health_kicks_off_investment_in_global_goals_for_sustainable_development/)

Labels: abortion, contraception, feminism, foreign affairs

1.2 Were it to be elected to "the United Nations Human Rights Council for the 2018-2020 term", Australia's "focus would be on empowering women and girls, strengthening governance and democratic institutions, promoting freedom, freedom of expression, and advancing human rights for all", and it "would be unrelenting in [its] efforts to secure abolition of the death penalty."

The quotations, excluding my square-bracketed replacement of the word "our", in that headline come from the text prepared for the spoken national statement by Australia's Minister for Foreign Affairs (The Hon. Julie Bishop M.P.) in the United Nations General Assembly (seventieth session), dated September 29, 2015, downloaded from the official Minister for Foreign Affairs website:

http://foreignminister.gov.au/speeches/Pages/2015/jb_sp_150929a.aspx?w=tb1CaGpkPX%2FlS0K%2Bg9ZKEg%3D%3D

See also the media release "United Nations Security Council & Human Rights Council", dated September 29, 2015, downloaded from the same website, in which Ms Bishop says similarly that
We are an international leader in advancing the rights of women and girls, strengthening governance and democratic institutions, and promoting freedom of expression.

As a member of the Human Rights Council, Australia would bring a clear focus on addressing human rights violations and holding perpetrators to account. Australia would also be a leading advocate for global abolition of the death penalty.
[http://foreignminister.gov.au/releases/Pages/2015/jb_mr_150929.aspx]
Labels: death penalty, democracy, feminism, foreign affairs, human rights, liberalism

2. "The tensions for parents, educators and children in building a sustainable culture of ethical and respectful relationships early in life" is the project title of taxpayer-funded (to the tune of $198992) research which "hopes to move the debate around sexuality and sexual relationships away from being viewed as problematic for young people to that of building a culture of ethical and respectful relationships in early life."

The quotations in that headline come from the Western Sydney University (W.S.U.) "RESEARCH DIRECTIONS" flyer "Building Children’s Ethical Relationship Skills with Parents and Educators", dated December 2011, presumably published by W.S.U.'s Office of Research Services, downloaded from W.S.U.'s website:

https://www.uws.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/248057/071211_KidsEthicalRelationships_Robinson.pdf

(That project came to my attention via the print version of the article "Let's talk about sex, knowledge, health and well-being, baby", by Fran Molloy, dated October 12, 2015, downloaded from The Sydney Morning Herald's website:

http://www.smh.com.au/national/tertiary-education/lets-talk-about-sex-knowledge-health-and-wellbeing-baby-20151008-gk44ht.html?skin=text-only)

See also Prof. Robinson's staff profile here or here.

Labels: feminism, G.L.B.T., morals, sex ed

3. On the second day of the recently-concluded Synod, H.H. The Pope made His Holiness's "first direct intervention at the Synod in the course of the past two years"; in that intervention, The Pope said "that thus far the only official Synod documents which enjoy full ecclesiastical approval are the two discourses he himself delivered at the opening and closing of the Extraordinary Synod last October, as well as the "Relatio Synodi" or final document of the Extraordinary Synod which he approved."

The quotations in that headline come from the article "Pope Francis makes first direct intervention; was Cardinal Erdö undermined?", by The Rev. Fr. Nicholas Gregoris, dated October 6, 2015, downloaded from The Catholic World Report's website:

http://www.catholicworldreport.com/Blog/4239/pope_francis_makes_first_direct_intervention_was_cardinal_erd_undermined.aspx

(That article came to my attention via this blog post by Fr. Zuhlsdorf.) Interestingly, the Vatican revoked Fr. Gregoris's press credentials the next day; see the article "Vatican revokes Catholic priest’s press credentials after he challenged archbishop", by Mr. Patrick B. Craine, dated Monday, October 12, 2015, downloaded from LifeSiteNews.com:

https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/breaking-vatican-revokes-catholic-priests-press-credentials-after-he-challe

Labels: Francis Bergoglio

4. "ultimately, the package is about trying to devise ways to increase female workforce participation amongst mums, single mothers, mothers in couple families. Historically, we know that that is occurring, we would like to keep it occurring, it can and should be a great engine room of the Australian economy and it’s great way to increase family wealth and prosperity."

The quotation in that headline comes from the transcript of an interview of The Hon. Christian Porter M.P. (Federal Minister for Social Services) on Sky News on October 22, 2015, downloaded from Mr. Porter's Ministerial website:

http://christianporter.dss.gov.au/transcripts/sky-news-pvo-newsday

(That transcript is also available here, at Mr. Porter's electorate website.) See also
  • the official webpage of the Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee inquiry into the Social Services Legislation Amendment (Family Payments Structural Reform and Participation Measures) Bill 2015

    http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Community_Affairs/Family_Payments

    whence you can download, among other things, the inquiry report and the official submission of the Australian Catholic Council for Employment Relations (the latter is especially worth reading for the historical perspective which it provides).
Labels: economic rationalism, economics, family, tax, work

Reginaldvs Cantvar
St. Andrew's Day, A.D. 2015
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Tuesday, September 29, 2015

Notes: Tuesday, August 11-Tuesday, September 29, 2015

1. "A CNA [(Catholic News Agency) ]investigation has found that millions of dollars have been poured into efforts to combat religious freedom exemptions in the United States."

The quotation, excluding my square-bracketed interpolation, in that headline comes from the article "LGBT grant-maker wants to win religious liberty fight within three years", by Mr. Kevin Jones, dated July 29, 2015, downloaded from CNA's website:

http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/lgbt-grant-maker-wants-to-win-religious-liberty-fight-within-three-years-96064/

(That article came to my attention via the "In Brief"—"UNITED STATES" article headlined "Benefactors turn against religious freedom", on p. 3 in the "NEWS" pages of the Sydney Catholic Weekly, August 9, 2015, Vol. 73, No. 4787, published by The Catholic Press Newspaper Company Pty. Ltd.)

Labels: G.L.B.T.

2. Australian "taxpayer funding of the International Planned Parenthood Federation" includes "$651,801 for “core funding to strategic plan (Asia)”, $769,800 “Contribution to IPPF (global)” and $30 million to “Pacific Regional Partnerships for Reproductive Health Program (Pacific)”."

The quotations in that headline come from the opinion piece "Miranda Devine: Planned Parenthood scam shows us evil has a way of creeping into the world", by Ms Miranda Devine, dated July 25, 2015, downloaded from the Sydney Daily Telegraph's website:

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/opinion/miranda-devine-planned-parenthood-scam-shows-us-evil-has-a-way-of-creeping-into-the-world/story-fni0cwl5-1227456749468

(That article is also available as a blog post at Ms Devine's blog and it came to my attention via the opinion piece "Children are more than the sum of their parts" by Monica Doumit in "The Catholic Talk Column" on p. 19 ("COMMENT") of the Sydney Catholic Weekly, August 9, 2015, Vol. 73, No. 4787, published by The Catholic Press Newspaper Company Pty. Ltd., available online under the same headline, in the same column, with the same author, but dated August 6, 2015, here.) This might be the source for what Ms Devine wrote:

http://dfat.gov.au/about-us/corporate/Documents/contracts-for-the-period-1-january-2014-31-december-2014.pdf

(That report came to my attention via the comment by Nick Barnes of 6.8.15 / 4pm in the combox at this blog post by Mr. Muehlenberg.)

Labels: abortion, contraception, feminism, foreign affairs

3. Some recent information on morbid propaganda in Australian public schools

3.1 Beginning in 2016, the thirty minutes each week which is currently devoted to, or at least is available for, non-compulsory Special Religious Instruction in Victorian public schools (Prep to Year 10) will instead be devoted to, or at least available for, compulsory indoctrination of pupils in "healthy, respectful relationships" ideology (presumably a blend of sodomy, Feminism, Moral Relativism, and Multiculturalism)

See the media release "New Curriculum Supports Students To Build Healthy Relationships And Understanding", from The Hon. James Merlino M.P. (Victorian Minister for Education) and The Hon. Fiona Richardson M.P. (Victorian Minister for the Prevention of Family Violence), dated Friday, August 21, 2015, downloaded from the official Premier of Victoria website:

http://www.premier.vic.gov.au/new-curriculum-supports-students-to-build-healthy-relationships-and-understanding

(That media release came to my attention via the print version of the article "Relationship advice to replace religious instruction", by Ms Natasha Bita, dated August 21, 2015, downloaded from The Australian's website:

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/education/relationship-advice-to-replace-religious-instruction/story-fn59nlz9-1227492123139

The same website also has a much shorter article ("Vic religious education classes axed", no byline (though the stated source is the A.A.P.), same date) on that topic:

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/latest-news/vic-religious-education-classes-axed/story-fn3dxiwe-1227492687675)

See also
  • the article "State to axe religious education", by Mr. Robert Hiini, on p. 6 in the "Catholic education" pages of the Sydney Catholic Weekly, August 30, 2015, Vol. 73, No. 4790, published by The Catholic Press Newspaper Company Pty. Ltd., available online under the headline "Victoria axes state religious education", with the same author, dated August 26, 2015, downloaded from The Catholic Weekly's website:
    https://www.catholicweekly.com.au/state-to-axe-religious-education/
  • the opinion piece "NSW wolves baying at Vic move", by Mr. Jude Hennessy (director of the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine for The Diocese of Wollongong), on p. 23 in the "News" pages of the Sydney Catholic Weekly, September 6, 2015, Vol. 73, No. 4791, published by The Catholic Press Newspaper Company Pty. Ltd., available online under the headline "Wrong to compare state religious education programs", with the same author, dated September 2, 2015, downloaded from The Catholic Weekly's website:
    https://www.catholicweekly.com.au/nsw-wolves-baying-at-victoria-sre-move/
Labels: education, feminism, G.L.B.T., morals, multiculturalism, relativism, Victoria

3.2 Australian "education ministers agreed yesterday[, that is, the 18th instant.,] to change the[ national] curriculum again, to introduce teaching of “respectful relationships’’."

The quotation, excluding my square-bracketed interpolations, in that headline comes from the article "Phonics, faith and coding for primary school kids", by Ms Natasha Bita, dated September 19, 2015, downloaded from The Australian's website:

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/education/phonics-faith-and-coding-for-primary-school-kids/story-fn59nlz9-1227534083014

(That article came to my attention via the version printed under the headline "Phonics, faith and coding for primary kids as schools go back to basics", by the same author, on p. 1 (continued on p. 10 in "THE NATION" pages under the headline "Phonics, faith and coding as schools go back to basics") of The Weekend Australian, September 19-20, 2015, Second Edition, No. 15837, ISSN 1038-8761, published by Nationwide News Pty. Limited.) That development came less than a week after the Sydney Daily Telegraph reported that
The Minister Assisting the PM for Women, Michaelia Cash, has written to Education Minister Christopher Pyne to encourage programs in the school curriculum that promote respectful relationships.
["Domestic violence: Abbott Government to offer panic alarms and security upgrades to women at risk", by Renee Viellaris and Steven Wardill, dated September 13, 2015, downloaded from The Daily Telegraph's website:
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/national/domestic-violence-abbott-government-to-offer-panic-alarms-and-security-upgrades-to-women-at-risk/story-fnii5v71-1227525367267
Follow that link for more details—I don't want to infringe copyright by quoting too much.
(Other versions of that article are available via the following two links:
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/domestic-violence-abbott-government-to-offer-panic-alarms-and-security-upgrades-to-women-at-risk/story-fni0cx12-1227525473657
http://www.news.com.au/national/queensland/domestic-violence-abbott-government-to-offer-panic-alarms-and-security-upgrades-to-women-at-risk/story-fnii5v6w-1227525367267)]
Shortly after that report, The Australian reported that
The Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Women, Michaelia Cash, has written to the chairwoman of the Education Council, Queensland Education Minister Kate Jones, on behalf of her state counterparts expressing support for additional measures in schools.
["Schools to tackle domestic violence", by Rosie Lewis and Sarah Elks, dated September 15, 2015, downloaded from The Australian's website:
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/education/schools-to-tackle-domestic-violence/story-fn59nlz9-1227527187249
(The "additional measures" are presumably of the 'respectful relationships' variety—see the fourth-last paragraph of that article (which (paragraph) also reports Mr. Pyne's action in response to Sen. Cash's letter to him).)]
And now, in the latest development,
$5 million will also be provided as a longer-term measure to change the attitudes of young people to violence, through expanding the Safer Schools website to include resources for teachers, parents and students on respectful relationships.
["Release: Women’s Safety Package to #StoptheViolence", dated September 24, 2015, downloaded from the electorate website of The Hon. Malcolm Turnbull M.P. (Prime Minister):
http://www.malcolmturnbull.com.au/media/release-womens-safety-package-to-stoptheviolence
See also the "Transcript of joint press conference: Women’s Safety Package to Stop the Violence", also dated September 24, 2015, downloaded from Mr. Turnbull's Prime Ministerial website:
https://www.pm.gov.au/media/2015-09-24/transcript-joint-press-conference-womens-safety-package-stop-violence]
Labels: education, feminism, G.L.B.T., morals, multiculturalism, relativism

3.3 What Safe Schools Coalition/Wear It Purple Day events look like

See
  • the opinion piece "Purple has become the colour of thought control", by Mr. Mark Powell ("a Presbyterian minister from the Cornerstone Church in Strathfield" who was involved in opposing the planned pro-sodomite activities), on p. 52 in the "OPINION" pages of the Sydney Daily Telegraph, Thursday, September 3, 2015, ISSN 1038-8745, published by Nationwide News Pty. Ltd., apparently not available at the Tele's website. In that article, Mr. Powell relates that a Burwood Girls High School parent told him by e-mail that
    on Friday the 28th of August classes for all years would be cancelled for two periods and everyone was instructed to wear pur-ple clothing as well as eat purple cup-cakes and then join in a special parade “under the rainbow flag.”
    (the dashes resulted from words spanning two lines)
    It seems that "Initially there was no “opt out.”", but "Later the school sent out another communi-cation saying you could “opt out” of viewing the film but not regarding participation in the rest of the day."
  • the article "NSW Education Minister bans schools from screening gay film" by Mr. Eryk Bagshaw, dated August 26, 2015, downloaded from The Sydney Morning Herald's website:
    http://www.smh.com.au/national/education/nsw-education-minister-bans-schools-from-screening-gay-film-20150826-gj7sid.html?skin=text-only
    Mr. Bagshaw reports therein that
    The NSW Education Minister, Adrian Piccoli, has banned every public school in the state from screening a documentary about children with gay parents during school hours.

    […]

    Up to 50 schools across Australia, including 20 in NSW had organised a simultaneous broadcast of the film as part of a nationwide Wear it Purple day campaign of sexual inclusion in schools.
  • the article "Purple rain: true coulours shine after ban", by Mr. Eryk Bagshaw, on p. 3 in the "NEWS" pages of The Sydney Morning Herald, Weekend Edition, August 29-30, 2015, Issue No. 55500, published by Fairfax Media Publications Pty. Ltd., available online under the headline "Gayby Baby uproar: Schools defiant on Wear It Purple day", with the same author and date, at The Sydney Morning Herald's website:
    http://www.smh.com.au/national/education/gayby-baby-uproar-schools-defiant-on-wear-it-purple-day-20150828-gj9pr6.html?skin=text-only
    In the online version, Mr. Bagshaw reports that
    At Burwood Girls High almost 2000 purple cupcakes were consumed while principal Mia Kumar spoke of the tough week the school had endured.

    The girls had come out stronger because of it, she told the 1000-strong crowd that included NSW police officers in bespoke purple uniforms.
    and that Mr. Piccoli "has been a vocal supporter of Wear It Purple day in the past." (In another article by Mr. Bagshaw—"Gayby Baby: Education Minister Adrian Piccoli and Premier Mike Baird ban film without seeing it", dated August 27, 2015—he says similarly that Mr. Piccoli "has previously been a vocal supporter of the inclusiveness of LGBTI (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex) issues in schools", and Miranda Devine describes Mr. Piccoli as "driving the Proud Schools program" (see her opinion piece "DENIALS, FEAR AND A LACK OF REAL TOLERANCE", dated August 28, 2015, at the Tele's website or at her blog.)

Labels: education, G.L.B.T., N.S.W.

4. A man who regards himself as having three parents is "calling on NSW Attorney-General Gabrielle Upton to allow for changes to the Status of Children Act 1996 (NSW) to reflect that a child might have more than two parents."

See the article "Hugo Atkinson's fight to have three parents recognised on his birth certificate", by Lucy Cormack, dated August 27, 2015, downloaded from The Sydney Morning Herald's website:

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/hugo-atkinsons-fight-to-have-three-parents-recognised-on-his-birth-certificate-20150827-gj9anp.html?skin=text-only

Labels: polyamory

5. Mr. Webster on Mr. Turnbull's "support of last year's Bingham Cup in Sydney": "He donated personally to the tournament - he was one of the top 15 individual sponsors - and lent his considerable presence to a score of functions, including a pledge from the chief executives of the major sporting codes to implement anti-homophobia and inclusion policies."

The quotations in that headline come from the article "NRL finals 2015: Sydney Roosters wary of Canterbury Bulldogs' tackling style", by Mr. Andrew Webster, dated September 17, 2015, downloaded from The Sydney Morning Herald's website:

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/nrl-finals-2015-sydney-roosters-wary-of-canterbury-bulldogs-tackling-style-20150917-gjopyo.html?skin=text-only

Labels: G.L.B.T., sport

6. A couple of items concerning the death penalty

6.1 More from H.H. The Pope on capital and custodial punishment

On capital punishment:
… The Golden Rule also reminds us of our responsibility to protect and defend human life at every stage of its development.

This conviction has led me, from the beginning of my ministry, to advocate at different levels for the global abolition of the death penalty. I am convinced that this way is the best, since every life is sacred, every human person is endowed with an inalienable dignity, and society can only benefit from the rehabilitation of those convicted of crimes. Recently my brother bishops here in the United States renewed their call for the abolition of the death penalty. Not only do I support them, but I also offer encouragement to all those who are convinced that a just and necessary punishment must never exclude the dimension of hope and the goal of rehabilitation.
[from the Address of the Holy Father to the U.S. Congress, Thursday, September 24, 2015, downloaded from the Vatican's website:
http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/speeches/2015/september/documents/papa-francesco_20150924_usa-us-congress.html
also available at the U.S. Congress's website here:
https://www.congress.gov/congressional-record/2015/09/24/house-section/article/H6191-8?loclr=twtho
and here:
https://www.congress.gov/crec/2015/09/24/CREC-2015-09-24-pt1-PgH6191-8.pdf]
On custodial punishment:
This time in your life can only have one purpose: to give you a hand in getting back on the right road, to give you a hand to help you rejoin society. All of us are part of that effort, all of us are invited to encourage, help and enable your rehabilitation. A rehabilitation which everyone seeks and desires: inmates and their families, correctional authorities, social and educational programs. A rehabilitation which benefits and elevates the morale of the entire community and society.
[from (a translation from Spanish of) the Address of the Holy Father to detainees at Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility in Philadelphia, U.S.A., Sunday, September 27, 2015, downloaded from the Vatican's website:
http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/speeches/2015/september/documents/papa-francesco_20150927_usa-detenuti.html]
Labels: death penalty, Francis Bergoglio, morals

6.2 Jean-Jacques Rousseau and John Paul II., respectively, on the death penalty:
  • We may add that frequent punishments are always a sign of weak-ness or remissness on the part of the government. There is not a single ill-doer who could not be turned to some good. The State has no right to put to death, even for the sake of making an example, any one whom it can leave alive without danger.
    [the first dash there occurred because the word "weakness" spanned two lines,
    p. 212, in an extract from The Social Contract or Principles of Political Right (from The Social Contract and Other Discourses by Jean Jacques Rousseau, translated by G. D. H. Cole, Everyman's Library; the quotation in question comes from (the translation of) Book II, Chapter V, "The Right of Life and Death") which (extract) was printed in Society, Law, and Morality, edited with introductions by Frederick A. Olafson, published by Prentice-Hall, Inc., Englewood Cliffs, N.J., 1961]
  • It is clear that, for these purposes[ (apparently retribution, defence, and rehabilitation)] to be achieved, the nature and extent of the punishment must be carefully evaluated and decided upon, and ought not go to the extreme of executing the offender except in cases of absolute necessity: in other words, when it would not be possible otherwise to defend society. Today however, as a result of steady improvements in the organization of the penal system, such cases are very rare, if not practically non-existent.

    In any event, the principle set forth in the new Catechism of the Catholic Church remains valid: "If bloodless means are sufficient to defend human lives against an aggressor and to protect public order and the safety of persons, public authority must limit itself to such means, because they better correspond to the concrete conditions of the common good and are more in conformity to the dignity of the human person".
    [my square-bracketed interpolation,
    paragraphs two and three of §56 of (a translation of) the Encyclical Letter Evangelium Vitae, March 25, 1995:
    http://w2.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_jp-ii_enc_25031995_evangelium-vitae.html
    This is the official Latin version of the two paragraphs in question:
    Patet tamen omnia ut haec impetrentur proposita, modum et genus poenae diligenter omnino aestimanda esse decernendaque neque ad exstinguendum extremo consilio reum descendere licere nisi absoluta instante necessitate, cum videlicet aliter prorsus non potest defendi societas. Atqui hodie, propter convenientiorem institutionis poenalis temperationem, admodum raro huius modi intercidunt casus, si qui omnino iam reapse accidunt.
    Quidquid id est, valet etiamnum in novo Catholicae Ecclesiae Catechismo significatum principium, ex quo: « Si instrumenta incruenta sufficiunt ad vitas humanas defendendas ab aggressore et ad ordinem publicum tuendum simulque personarum securitatem, auctoritas his utatur instrumentis, utpote quae melius respondeant concretis boni communis condicionibus et sint dignitati personae humanae magis consentanea ».
    italics in the original,
    p. 464, Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Vol. 87, A.D. 1995:
    http://www.vatican.va/archive/aas/documents/AAS-87-1995-ocr.pdf
    The official Latin version of Evangelium Vitae is also available here:
    http://w2.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/la/encyclicals/documents/hf_jp-ii_enc_25031995_evangelium-vitae.html]
Labels: death penalty, John Paul II. Wojtyla, morals

Reginaldvs Cantvar
Michaelmas, A.D. 2015
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Monday, August 10, 2015

Notes: Tuesday, May 26-Monday, August 10, 2015 (part 2 of 2)

6. Some changes to this blog's links

Between posting part 1 and part 2 of this issue of "Notes", I combined this blog's sidebar's two blog links sections into one section and added a link to Call Me Jorge..., rearranged some of my links into order of frequency and timing of use rather than (mostly) alphabetically, and added a link to Geoscience Australia's "Compute Sunrise, Sunset & Twilight Times" webpage (which came to my attention via this Wikipedia page) and another link, to The Bureau of Meteorology's website, to the "Miscellaneous links" section.

Labels: blogs

Reginaldvs Cantvar
Feast of St. Lawrence, Martyr, A.D. 2015
Posted by at 1 comment:
Labels:

Notes: Tuesday, May 26-Monday, August 10, 2015 (part 1 of 2)

1. Some items connected with the 2015 Australian Federal Budget

1.1 Mr. Morrison on workforce participation as the whole, or at least the principal, purpose for Federal subsidies of childcare

See the transcript of Mr. Neil Mitchell's interview of The Hon. Scott Morrison M.P. (Federal Minister for Social Services) on May 1, 2015, downloaded from Mr. Morrison's Ministerial website:

http://scottmorrison.dss.gov.au/transcripts/3aw-with-neil-mitchell-1may2015

(Mr. Morrison's statements came to my attention via the article "More help for more work as childcare subsidies tightened" by Mr. David Crowe, dated May 2, 2015, downloaded from The Australian's website:

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/more-help-for-more-work-as-childcare-subsidies-tightened/story-fntfa2d0-1227330846433

or the version printed under the headline "More help for more work", by Mr. David Crowe and Ms Tessa Akerman, on p. 2 in "THE NATION" section of The Weekend Australian, May 2-3, 2015, Second Edition, No. 15718, ISSN 1038-8761, published by Nationwide News Pty. Limited.)

Labels: childcare, economics, family, tax, work

1.2 "Tony Abbott’s families package is not child-friendly. The government will punish mothers financially if they can’t find a job, don’t have time to study or prefer to care for their own kids while they are young."

The quotation in that headline comes from the opinion piece "Budget 2015: Families package punishes children", by Ms Natasha Bita, dated May 13, 2015, downloaded from (behind the paywall at) The Australian's website:

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/budget-2015/budget-2015-families-package-punishes-children/story-fntfbo7f-1227352625754

Labels: childcare, economics, family, tax, work

1.3 "Big families at present qualify for a supplement for their fourth and subsequent children, but from July 1, 2016, will lose $321 a year for their fourth child and every subsequent child."

The quotation in that headline comes from the article "Federal budget 2015: Large families to lose out amid big boost to childcare funding", by Ms Judith Ireland, dated May 12, 2015, downloaded from The Sydney Morning Herald's website:

http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/federal-budget-2015-large-families-to-lose-out-amid-big-boost-to-childcare-funding-20150512-1mzhke.html?skin=text-only

Labels: family, tax

1.4 "The Australian Government will also establish a $50 million competitive gender equality fund to strengthen gender equality and women's economic empowerment in our region."

The quotation in that headline comes from the media release "2015 Foreign Affairs Budget", dated May 12, 2015, downloaded from the Ministerial website of The Hon. Julie Bishop M.P. (Minister for Foreign Affairs):

http://foreignminister.gov.au/releases/Pages/2015/jb_mr_150512.aspx

(The gender equality fund came to my attention via an opinion piece by Ms Miranda Devine.) See also the following webpages at H.M.A. Government's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade website:
Note the reference at the second of those webpages to the Pacific Women Shaping Pacific Development programme; more information on that programme can be found at the third of those webpages and in item 1 of this "Notes" post.

Note also that, according to Ms Bishop recorded in Hansard (Tuesday, June 16, 2015, 1328-1333 hours), "initiatives supported under the gender equality fund will complement gender activities currently funded through country and regional programs"—complement rather than replace, I take it. (And see the rest of that portion of Hansard for further information on Australia's overseas Feminist propaganda.)

Labels: feminism, foreign affairs

1.5 The Jobs for Families childcare package is "going to be financed by cuts to the only govern-ment support for single income families, and that’s FTB"; (Family Tax Benefit part B "is currently paid until a family’s youngest child turns 16" but is "set to cease when the youngest child turns six; substantive-ly dismantling the Howard government’s support for single-income households")

The quotations, including the dashes where a word spanned two lines, in that headline come from the article "Budget move on child care ‘punishes those who look after kids at home’", by Mr. Robert Hiini, on p. 5 of the Sydney Catholic Weekly, May 17, 2015, Vol. 73, No. 4775, published by The Catholic Press Newspaper Company Pty. Ltd., apparently not available online; the first quotation was attributed to Ms Terri Kelleher of the Australian Family Association.

Labels: childcare, economics, family, tax

1.6 "Shorten backs plans to abolish tax break for non-working spouses"

The quotation in that headline is the headline of an article by Ms Katherine Towers, dated June 9, 2015, downloaded from The Australian's website:

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/shorten-backs-plans-to-abolish-tax-break-for-non-working-spouses/story-fn59niix-1227389648458

See also the article "Labor cuts deal with Coalition to end tax break for spouses", by Mr. Phillip Coorey, dated June 8, 2015 (updated June 9, 2015), downloaded from The Australian Financial Review's website:

http://www.afr.com/news/policy/tax/labor-cuts-deal-with-coalition-to-end-tax-break-for-spouses-20150609-ghiqfm

A transcript of the interview in which The Hon. Bill Shorten M.P. (Leader of H.M.A. Opposition) confirmed Labor's support for the policy in question is available under the headline "Doorstop: Melbourne – Retirement of Chris Judd; Tony Abbott’s cuts to Family Tax Benefit payments Dependent Spouse Offset", provided by Mr. Kieran Barns-Jenkins, dated Tuesday, June 9, 2015, at Mr. Shorten's website:

http://billshorten.com.au/doorstop-melbourne-retirement-of-chris-judd-tony-abbotts-cuts-to-family-tax-benefit-payments-dependent-spouse-offset

Labels: family, marriage, tax

2. Some recent Gay-related data

2.1 Some recent data on the Queer proportion of the population

2.1.1 "In 2014, over half a million people or 3.0% of the adult population identified as gay, lesbian or 'other'. This includes 268,000 people who identified as gay or lesbian and 255,000 people who identified as having an 'other' sexual orientation."

The quotation in that headline comes from the webpage "General Social Survey: Summary Results, Australia, 2014" (catalogue no. 4159.0), dated June 29, 2015, downloaded from the Australian Bureau of Statistics's website:

http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/4159.0

Labels: demography, G.L.B.T.

2.1.2 Judging by the latest version of the HILDA Statistical Report, between 1.8 and 4.8% of men are Gay and between 1 and 4.7% of women are Lesbian.

See p. 85 of The Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia Survey: Selected Findings from Waves 1 to 12, by Associate Prof. Roger Wilkins, released on Wednesday, July 15, 2015, ISSN 2205-0566 (Online), © Commonwealth of Australia 2015, downloaded from the HILDA Survey webpage:

https://www.melbourneinstitute.com/hilda/

or go straight hither:

https://www.melbourneinstitute.com/downloads/hilda/Stat_Report/statreport_2015.pdf

Labels: demography, G.L.B.T.

2.2 "International research has shown that compared with the general population, HIV-negative Gay and Bisexual men are up to 20 times more likely to be diagnosed with anal cancer"

The quotation in that headline comes from the article "Anal Cancer Webinar Reduces Stigma Around Overlooked Disease", dated July 1, 2015, downloaded from acon's website:

http://www.acon.org.au/about-acon/latest-news/#anal-cancer-webinar

Labels: G.L.B.T., health

3. Australia refused to support a recent U.N. Human Rights Commission resolution "because it ascribed rights to the family as a unit instead of to individuals and failed to recognise the diversity of families, including same-sex families."

See the article "Julie Bishop makes stand for same-sex families", by Mr. Dennis Shanahan, dated July 18, 2015, downloaded from The Australian's website:

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/julie-bishop-makes-stand-for-same-sex-families/story-fn59niix-1227446546090

(That article came to my attention via the version printed on pp. 1 f., under the headlines "Bishop’s stand for same-sex families" for the first part and "Bishop in same-sex stand at UN" for the second, by the same author, in "THE NATION" pages of The Weekend Australian, July 18-19, 2015, Second Edition, No. 15784, ISSN 1038-8761, published by Nationwide News Pty. Limited.)

Labels: family, feminism, foreign affairs, G.L.B.T., human rights, U.N.O.

4. "Archbishop [Stephen ]Langton whole­heartedly embraced the scriptural thesis that civil government is not God’s original plan for humankind but rather a result of original sin."

The quotation, excluding my square-bracketed interpolation, in that headline comes from the article "MAGNA CARTA AT 800 Magna Carta understood as its drafter intended it to be", by Dr. Augusto Zimmermann, dated August 1, 2015, downloaded from News Weekly's website:

http://newsweekly.com.au/article.php?id=57014

Labels: law, morals, States

5. A couple of recent items regarding H.H. The Pope

5.1 One of the official presenters of Laudato si' at the press conference for that Encyclical's presentation was "Professor John[ or Hans Joachim] Schellnhuber, founder and director of the Institute for Climate Impact in Potsdam, Federal Republic of Germany, representing the field of natural sciences, with which the encyclical enters into profound dialogue, and who was recently appointed as an ordinary member of the Pontifical Academy of the Sciences".

The quotation, excluding my square-bracketed interpolation, in that headline comes from the item "Press conference for the presentation of the Encyclical Laudato si'", dated June 18, 2015, in the Holy See Press Office's Vatican Information Service's daily e-mail bulletin of June 18, 2015, Year XXII, No. 114; that item is also available under the same headline, with the same date, at NEWS.VA:

http://www.news.va/en/news/press-conference-for-the-presentation-of-the-encyc

H.H. The Pope's appointment of Prof. Schellnhuber as an ordinary member of the Pontifical Academy of (the) Sciences was reported in the item "Other Pontifical Acts", dated June 17, 2015, in the Holy See Press Office's Vatican Information Service's daily e-mail bulletin of June 17, 2015, Year XXII, No. 113; that item is also available under the headline "Pontifical Acts - 17 June", with the same date, at NEWS.VA:

http://www.news.va/en/news/other-pontifical-acts-677

Labels: Francis Bergoglio

5.2 "The Pope receives B'nai B'rith International and recalls the work of St. John XXIII and St. John Paul II to promote friendship between Jews and Christians"

The quotation in that headline is the headline of an item dated June 25, 2015 in the Holy See Press Office's Vatican Information Service's daily e-mail bulletin of June 25, 2015, Year XXII, No. 119; that item is also available under the same headline, with the same date, at NEWS.VA:

http://www.news.va/en/news/the-pope-receives-bnai-brith-international-and-rec

Labels: B'nai B'rith, Francis Bergoglio, Freemasons, Jews

Reginaldvs Cantvar
Feast of St. Lawrence, Martyr, A.D. 2015
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Monday, May 25, 2015

Notes: Tuesday, February 3-Monday, May 25, 2015 (part 2 of 2)

6.2 Prof. Ahdar and Prof. Leigh on the question of whether religious establishment is compatible with religious freedom

See the article "Is Establishment Consistent with Religious Freedom?", by Prof. Rex Ahdar and Prof. Ian Leigh, on pp. 635-681 of the McGill Law Journal, Vol. 49, A.D. 2004, downloaded from that journal's website here:

http://lawjournal.mcgill.ca/en/issue/2347

or go straight hither:

http://lawjournal.mcgill.ca/userfiles/other/4692476-Ahdar_and_Leigh.pdf

Labels: Church and State, Confessional State, law, morals, religious liberty

6.3 Some information on religious establishment in the pre-U.S. colonies is available in The Catholic Encyclopedia's "Penal Laws" article:

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11611c.htm

Labels: Confessional State, law, U.S.A.

7. A couple of recent pronouncements by H.H. The Pope

7.1 More from H.H. The Pope on the death penalty

See the March 20, 2015 Letter of His Holiness to the President of the International Commission against the Death Penalty:

http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/letters/2015/index.html

(That Letter came to my attention via the item "Pope Francis: the death penalty is inadmissible" in the Holy See Press Office's Vatican Information Service daily e-mail bulletin of March 20, 2015, Year XXII, No. 56; that item is available here:

http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-francis-the-death-penalty-is-inadmissible)

Labels: death penalty, Francis Bergoglio, morals

7.2 H.H. The Pope on, among other things, 'the emancipation of women' and 'equal pay for equal work'

See the text of His Holiness's General Audience of April 29, 2015:

http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/audiences/2015/index.html

or see the ample extracts from that speech in the item "General audience: the dignity of marriage" in the Holy See Press Office's Vatican Information Service daily e-mail bulletin of April 29, 2015, Year XXII, No. 80; that item is also available here:

http://www.news.va/en/news/general-audience-the-dignity-of-marriage

Labels: economics, feminism, Francis Bergoglio, morals, work

8. The New Mass's Offertory prayers "are based on Jewish blessings taken not from the Old Testament, but rather from the 5th century Babylonian version of Talmud (T.B.), a central Jewish text which codified oral law and teaching."

The quotation, including the italics, in that headline come from the blog post "ASK FATHER: Using the traditional offertory prayers in the Novus Ordo. Wherein Fr. Z rants." by The Rev. Fr. John Zuhlsdorf, dated April 20, 2015, downloaded from Fr. Z's Blog:

http://wdtprs.com/blog/2015/04/ask-father-using-the-traditional-offertory-prayers-in-the-novus-ordo-wherein-fr-z-rants/

Labels: N.O.M.

Reginaldvs Cantvar
Whitmonday, A.D. 2015
Posted by at 88 comments:
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Notes: Tuesday, February 3-Monday, May 25, 2015 (part 1 of 2)

1. A court judgement which might prove useful for countering the diversion of public discourse about Gaiety away from behaviour towards 'identity'

See the article "'Polyamorous' woman loses fight with Catholic Church", by Marianna Papadakis, dated February 17, 2015, downloaded from The Sydney Morning Herald's website:

Warning: This article contains references which might scandalise some readers:

http://www.smh.com.au/national/polyamorous-woman-loses-fight-with-catholic-church-20150217-13gtv9.html?skin=text-only

Labels: Dennis Altman, G.L.B.T.

2. Dr. Himmelfarb on a couple of the principles of Liberalism

2.1 "Inevitably the elevation of the idea of liberty has led to the debasement of the idea of authority. As particular authorities have become suspect, so also has the very idea of authority. Deprived of legitimacy, of any presumption of right, authority is reduced to nothing more than the exercise of power or force."

The quotation in that headline comes from p. 8 of the introduction to John Stuart Mill's On Liberty, edited with an introduction by Dr. Gertrude Himmelfarb, published, in Pelican Books, by Penguin Books, Harmondsworth, Middlesex, England, 1974. Cf. error no. 60 of the Syllabus of Errors:
Auctoritas nihil aliud est nisi numeri et materialium virium summa.
[p. 174, Acta Sanctæ Sedis Vol. III (A.D. MDCCCLXVII):
http://www.vatican.va/archive/ass/documents/ASS-03-1867-ocr.pdf
Dr. Deferrari translated that as
Authority is nothing more than numbers and the sum of material strengths (26).
(the "(26)" is a reference to the Allocution Maxima quidem, whence the error was proximately derived)
Dz. 1760, p. 440, The Sources of Catholic Dogma, translated by Roy J. Deferrari from the Thirtieth Edition of Henry Denzinger's Enchiridion Symbolorum, definitionum et declarationum de rebus fidei et morum, published by Loreto Publications, Fitzwilliam, New Hampshire, U.S.A., third Loreto printing 2007]
That quotation from Dr. Himmelfarb led me to see that error in a slightly different light to that in which I had previously viewed it. Previously, I had seen it as a condemnation of an error about the nature of authority, but that quotation makes me think that, although the condemnation does of course apply to such an error, it can also be seen as a condemnation of a denial of the very existence of authority, so that the condemned error could also by expressed as something like 'There is no such thing as authority; when people talk about authority, they really only mean the possession of physical force'.

Labels: liberalism, morals

2.2 "Against the [Wolfenden ]Commission’s claim that private morality and immorality were ‘not the law’s business’, [Lord ]Devlin argued that ‘the suppression of vice is as much the law’s business as the suppression of subversive activities; it is no more possible to define a sphere of private morality than it is to define one of private subversive activity’."

The quotation, excluding my square-bracketed interpolations, in that headline comes from p. 41 of the introduction to John Stuart Mill's On Liberty, edited with an introduction by Dr. Gertrude Himmelfarb, published, in Pelican Books, by Penguin Books, Harmondsworth, Middlesex, England, 1974. Cf. the following:
With his customary intuition, Marcel Lefebvre immediately got to the heart of the CDF theologian’s argument[ in the C.D.F.'s March 9, 1987 reply to Msgr. Lefebvre's Dubia concerning Dignitatis humanæ which were submitted in October 1985]: it was the so-called “social space of autonomous activity” where because of his dignity the person can act publicly in religious matters without the State intervening."
[p. 546, Marcel Lefebvre, by Msgr. Bernard Tissier de Mallerais, translated from the French by Brian Sudlow, with additional material from Rev. Sebastian Wall of The Society of St. Pius X., published by Angelus Press, Kansas City, Missouri, U.S.A., first printing—April 2004]
For more discussion of Lord Devlin's thesis, see the article "The Limits of Law" (especially §2), by Dr. John Stanton-Ife, downloaded from The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy's website:

http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/law-limits/

Labels: law, liberalism, morals

3. "Women dance in St Mary's Cathedral last Sunday, 8 February, as members of Sydney's Sudanese Catholic community celebrate the feast of St Josephine Bakhita[. … ] The Mass, presided over by the Archbishop of Sydney, Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP, and attended by more than 1000 worshippers, was both a colourful and proud occasion in typical African style, full of singing and dancing as the community came together in celebration."

The quotation, excluding my square-bracketed interpolation replacing some of the original text, in that headline is part of the three-line caption of a half-page photograph, in the centre of its page, headlined "Sudanese sing, dance on their saint's day", no byline (though the photo was credited to "GIOVANNI PORTELLI", i.e., Giovanni Portelli Photography), p. 3 (though really the front cover, because the first, second, second-last, and last pages (the latter two were pp. 27 and 28, respectively) of that week's issue of The Catholic Weekly were an advertising wrap-around), The Catholic Weekly, February 15, 2015, Vol. 73, No. 4762, published by The Catholic Press Newspaper Company Pty. Ltd.

See also
  • the Catholic Communications, Sydney Archdiocese, report "Sydney's Sudanese Community to Celebrate Their Feast Day With Archbishop at St Mary's Cathedral", dated February 5, 2015, downloaded from The Archdiocese of Sydney's official website, which (report) mentions that "the Mass will feature more than 50 Sudanese dancers" who "have been in rehearsals for more than eight weeks" (the latter quotation is part of one attributed to "Sudanese-born Anna Dimo, the Archdiocese of Sydney's full-time Pastoral Worker for the Sudanese Catholic Community"; see also the accompanying photo of the dancers rehearsing in a church):
    http://www.sydneycatholic.org/news/latest_news/2015/201525_1572.shtml
  • the Catholic Communications, Sydney Archdiocese, report "Sudanese Catholic Community give Thanks to Archbishop Anthony", dated February 9, 2015, downloaded from The Archdiocese of Sydney's official website, in which (report) Ms Dimo is quoted as saying that "[w]e thought there'd be 50 Sudanese dancers but on the day we had 66 dancers" and that the "choir, dancers and musicians have been rehearsing since last November":
    http://www.sydneycatholic.org/news/latest_news/2015/201529_1659.shtml
  • the Giovanni Portelli Photography page on Facebook (I'm not on Facebook, so I haven't seen that page myself, but it came up on Google)
Labels: Anthony Fisher, liturgical dancing, liturgy, N.O.M.

4. Some recent Gay/sport items

4.1 "Mardi Gras 2015: Anti-homophobia sports float will be highlight of parade"

The quotation in that headline is the headline of an article by Mr. Michael Koziol, dated March 4, 2015, downloaded from The Sydney Morning Herald's website:

http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/mardi-gras-2015-antihomophobia-sports-float-will-be-highlight-of-parade-20150306-13upsz.html?skin=text-only

Labels: G.L.B.T., sport

4.2 "NAB chief executive Andrew Thorburn said the bank approached the AFL last year about using the NAB Challenge as a platform to raise awareness of the LGBTI community", and now "footy’s first [Gay ]“Pride Cup” match will be played between Sydney and Fremantle during this month’s NAB Challenge" (and such a match might become an annual A.F.L. event)

The quotations (excluding my square-bracketed parenthesis) and other information in that headline come from the article "AFL set to launch gay pride game to tackle homophobia during NAB Challenge", by Mr. Michael Warner, dated March 4, 2015, downloaded from the Herald Sun's website:

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/afl-set-to-launch-gay-pride-game-to-tackle-homophobia-during-nab-challenge/story-fni5f22o-1227248255109

(That article came to my attention via the version printed under the headline "AFL's rainbow warriors", with the same author, on p. 71 in the "SPORT" section of the Sydney Daily Telegraph, Thursday, March 5, 2015, ISSN 1038-8745, published by Nationwide News Pty. Ltd.)

There are some hearty laughs to be had in the comments section there, though some of it is low-brow.

Labels: G.L.B.T., sport

4.3 "Getting sportsmen together on a [Gay Mardi Gras ]float was an idea that came from NSW Sports Minis-ter Stuart Ayres"; he "wrote to all the major sports' CEOs late last year to encourage them and their athletes to participate."

The quotations, excluding my square-bracketed parenthesis, in that headline (note that the dash in "Minister" was because the word spanned two lines) come from the article "Sports stars get on board in Mardi Gras show of support", by Mr. Phil Rothfield ("SPORTS EDITOR-AT-LARGE"), on p. 108 in the "NRL" pages of the "SPORT" section of the Sydney Daily Telegraph, Friday, March 6, 2015, ISSN 1038-8745, published by Nationwide News Pty. Ltd., apparently not available at the Tele's website.

Labels: G.L.B.T., sport

4.4 "Football Federation Australia is set to unveil an advisory group focusing on anti-homophobia and the organisation's Head of Community and Women's football, Emma Highwood, says the next stage will turn its attention towards the A-League which has the greatest reach to football's widest audience."

The quotation in that headline comes from the article "Football gets onboard with other athletes to support the Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras", by Mr. Dominic Bossi, dated March 6, 2015, downloaded from The Sydney Morning Herald's website:

http://www.smh.com.au/sport/soccer/football-gets-onboard-with-other-athletes-to-support-the-gay-and-lesbian-mardi-gras-20150306-13wxdw.html?skin=text-only

(I first read that article in the version printed under the headline "FFA set to lead way in battle against homophobia", with the same author, on pp. 52 f. in the "FOOTBALL" pages of the "SPORT" section of The Sydney Morning Herald, weekend edition, March 7-8, 2015, Issue No. 55351, ISSN 0312-6315, published by Fairfax Media Publications Pty. Ltd.)

Labels: G.L.B.T., sport

4.5 "Three weeks ago the game's[, i.e., rugby union's,] governing body internationally, World Rugby, signed a historic memorandum of understanding with International Gay Rugby, to work together to promote equality and eliminate homophobia in rugby."

The quotation, excluding my square-bracketed interpolation, in that headline comes from the article "Stephen Moore, Michael Cheika back David Pocock on homophobia stance", by Georgina Robinson, dated March 24, 2015, downloaded from The Sydney Morning Herald's website:

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/union-news/stephen-moore-michael-cheika-back-david-pocock-on-homophobia-stance-20150324-1m6i6t.html?skin=text-only

See also
  • the press release "World Rugby signs historic agreement with International Gay Rugby", dated March 5, 2015, downloaded from World Rugby's official website:
    http://www.worldrugby.org/news/59705
  • the news item "2015-03-05: World Rugby signs historic agreement with International Gay Rugby", downloaded from International Gay Rugby's official website:
    http://igrab.net/news-2015-03-05.htm
Labels: G.L.B.T. sport

5. "for the first time, we have ensured that 80 per cent of Australian foreign aid investments must address gender issues"

The quotation in that headline was attributed to The Hon. Sen. Michaelia Cash (Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Women) in the opinion piece "Deadline: 2015 the year to end violence against women", by Dr. Anne Summers A.O., dated March 6, 2015, downloaded from The Sydney Morning Herald's website:

http://www.smh.com.au/comment/deadline-2015-the-year-to-end-violence-against-women-20150305-13wbws.html?skin=text-only

(That article came to my attention via the version printed under the headline "Our top 2015 non-negotiable priority", with the same byline, on p. 36 in the "NEWS REVIEW" section of The Sydney Morning Herald, weekend edition, March 7-8, 2015, Issue No. 55351, ISSN 0312-6315, published by Fairfax Media Publications Pty. Ltd.)

Labels: feminism, foreign affairs

6. Some recent items regarding 'established religion'

6.1 March 9, 1826: "Letters patent issued in London form a Church and School Corporation, giving the Anglican Church the status of an established religion in NSW with the right to Crown land and control of the school system."

The quotation in that headline comes from the item for the year 1826 in the "ON THIS DAY" column, no author credited (though Mr. Troy Lennon is credited as the history editor in the page's main article), of the history page (p. 28 of the relevant issue) of the Sydney Daily Telegraph, Monday, March 9, 2015, ISSN 1038-8745, published by Nationwide News Pty. Ltd.

See also item 10.2 of this "Notes" post.

Labels: Anglicans, colonialism, N.S.W.

Reginaldvs Cantvar
Whitmonday, A.D. 2015
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