The Record Newspaper - 15 February 2012

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BREAKING THE SILENCE

TAKING A LEAP OF FAITH

A victim of abuse speaks out - Pages 12-13

Going beyond the physical to the spiritual - Page 14

Half a millenium for Somascans

St Jerome Somascan Youth Group members celebrate 500 years since St Jerome Emiliani was liberated by the Virgin Mary from imprisonment. Festivities were held at the Fr Barry Whitely hall at St Jerome’s parish in Munster. During the celebrations, Chris De Sousa (left) was blessed by Archbishop Barry Hickey before entering discernment of his vocation with the Somascan fathers. Natalie Ambrose (centre) and Zorana Gligor (right) enjoy the festivities with hundreds of parishioners. PHOTO: MAT DE SOUSA

Sun rises on bishop’s remarks By Robert Hiini ARCHBISHOP Barry Hickey’s comments on child welfare and de facto and same-sex family arrangements, posted on his weekly online series, gained national media attention last week. Channel Seven’s morning programme, Sunrise, extensively covered the story after it was published in The West Australian, following publication in The Record. Sunrise interviewed former president of the Australian Medical Association and same-sex marriage campaigner, Kerryn Phelps, and the Australian Christian Lobby’s Chief

of Staff, Lyle Shelton, in response to the Archbishop’s comments that unstable, non-marital family arrangements were putting children at risk of harm. Ms Phelps said the Archbishop’s advocacy of marriage for child rearing was, in effect, “a case for (samesex) marriage equality”. “I think it’s irrational and insulting to the growing number of children being raised by same-sex couples,” Ms Phelps said. Mr Shelton said the right of children to a mother and a father should be paramount and criticised gay marriage advocates for allegedly “demonising” their oppo-

nents. “If this is what the gay marriage agenda is doing to free speech in Australia, God help us all,” Mr Shelton said.

“If this is what the gay marriage agenda is doing to free speech in Australia, God help us all.” “A civil society will err on the rights of children every time ... we should be able to advocate for com-

monsense; for what we know to be the best for children.” The Archbishop’s comments were made in an episode of AWord for Today’s World, a series posted on the Faith Centre’s website, which uploads a new video every Friday afternoon. In the fourth and latest episode, Archbishop Hickey addressed the vexed issue of addiction and lack of freedom. “God’s love can heal addictions to drugs, alcohol, pornography and gambling,” the Archbishop said. “If you are struggling, ask God to lift you up, to take away your anxieties and fears and heal your

addictions,” he said. “Freedom is not just about choice. “Freedom is about choosing the good; it is about making the right choice. “People with debilitating addictions desire ‘real freedom’ which is the freedom of the spirit. “Even though this is a free country, many of us can still be imprisoned in our own selves. “We should use our freedom to reject error and harmful actions and choose truth and right actions,” he said. Episode five will be posted on Friday, 17 February on www.thefaith.org.au.


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