This church will sack nurses and teachers who enter same-sex marriages
A church in Australia has said it will sack teachers and nurses, and other employees, if they get married to their same-sex partner.
The pre-emptive move by the Catholic Church in Australia comes ahead of a public vote on same-sex marriage.
Archbishop of Melbourne, Denis Hart, told Fairfax Media that employees of the church need to uphold its teachings “totally”.
He added that every single one of the 180,000 employees of the Church, if they breach the order, will be treated “very seriously”.
Australian PM Malcolm Turnbull
“I would be very emphatic that our schools, our parishes exist to teach a Catholic view of marriage,” he said.
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“Any words or actions which work contrary to that would be viewed very seriously.
“Our teachers, our parish employees are expected totally to uphold the Catholic faith and what we believe about marriage. People have to see in words and in example that our teaching of marriage is underlined.
“We shouldn’t be slipping on that,” said Archbishop Hart, who also chairs the powerful Australian Catholic Bishops Conference. He said individual hiring and firing decisions “are best dealt with on the local scene”.
The bishop was backed up by Archbishop Timothy Costelloe, the chair of the Bishops Commission for Catholic Education.
Archbishop Costelloe warned that teachers must not “undermine” their schools’ “values” if same-sex marriage is legalised.
“In accepting a role in a Catholic school, staff will recognise their responsibility to conduct themselves in such a way as not to undermine the fundamental ethos of the school,” he told Fairfax Media.
Right-wing Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull refuses to permit a free Parliamentary vote on equal marriage, while pro-LGBT opposition parties ensured the defeat of plans to put proposals to a public vote.
Turnbull in March reaffirmed his opposition to passing same-sex marriage without a public vote beforehand, despite the pleas of Australian business leaders.
He was last year banned from attending Sydney Mardi Gras because of his politics surrounding marriage equality.
And he caused controversy when he urged people not to condemn anti-gay tennis star Margaret Court for her views, and instead celebrate her tennis achievements.
An anti-gay marriage campaign is spreading outrageous lies in Australia, claiming that Pride events will become mandatory and kids will be taught how to have gay sex.
