The bishop's conference made the comment in a submission to Parliament's Justice Committee on the Conversion Practices Prohibition Legislation Bill.

"Any harmful, coercive or abusive practice under any name is abhorrent to the Church and the Gospel of Jesus Christ," the statement says.

While 'in general' they support the Bill, the bishops stopped short in giving it their full support, cautioning that parents and advisers to young people should not be restricted in giving advice for fear of breaking the law.

The bill seeks to ban conversion practices that seek to change or suppress a person's sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression is in line with the Catholic social teaching principles of human dignity and the common good, the bishops say.

"The Catholic Church in Aotearoa NZ does not support, provide or participate in any kind of ‘conversion therapy', by which we understand to be any programme that seeks by medical, psychological and/or spiritual means to 'convert' people from a homosexual or transgender orientation or identification towards a heterosexual one," their submission says.

Bishop Stephen Lowe and National Centre for Religious Studies resource developer and lecturer Lyn Smith spoke to the Justice Committee by Zoom (see image) on behalf of the New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference.

Smith told the committee that Catholic teaching was pastoral and promoted the dignity of the human person made in the image and likeness of God.

"Children and young people seek out those in their lives they feel comfortable talking to when it comes to matters regarding sexuality," she said.

"The Church's pastoral approach to this area, especially under the guidance of Pope Francis and our bishops here in New Zealand, means that staff in Catholic education need to feel safe in continuing to provide this vital support to children and young people without the risk of or fear of prosecution."

Lowe told the committee that "conversion therapy" did not respect a young person's sacred journey from childhood to adulthood, and that was why the Catholic Church supported the legislation.

"At the same time, I would like to say… that I am concerned that there are many influences that our society is putting on our rangatahi which are sexualising them far too young and encouraging them to make big decisions before they have adequately come to adulthood," he said.

Source

• Supplied NZ Catholic Bishops Conference
• Image: NZ Catholic

The document is titled He Anga Whakamarama - Te Matauranga Hokakatanga: He puka arahi ma nga hapori Katorika o Aotearoa (Framing Document - Human Sexuality Education: A guide for Catholic communities in Aotearoa New Zealand).

It examines the Catholic Church's understanding of human sexuality and the reasons why it is an essential area for exploration and teaching within Catholic schools and communities.

"The Framing Document offers both the foundations for why we should teach about human sexuality as well as practical guidance for what should be taught, how and by whom at appropriate ages," says Colin MacLeod Director of the National Centre for Religious Studies.

"It also places this rich Catholic teaching in the context of Aotearoa."

In his forward Bishop Patrick Dunn says: "He Anga Whakamarama, Te Matauranga Hokakatanga: He puka arahi ma nga hapori Katorika o Aotearoa provides a considerable level of detail and thoughtfulness to support human sexuality education in Aotearoa."

"It is grounded in rich Catholic understanding and gives practical and constructive guidance for educators working in this field, particularly for those in Catholic schools".

"The Catholic Bishops of Aotearoa New Zealand wish to commend this document as a guide for human sexuality education in this land, and to assure educators and whanau of their prayerful support."

Macleod says the National Centre for Religious Studies believes that the document will be a significant reference, particularly for Catholic schools, and a resource for broader dialogue about this wonderful area in the development of the human person.

Click here to read He Anga Whakamarama - Te Matauranga Hokakatanga: He puka arahi ma nga hapori Katorika o Aotearoa

Source:

• Supplied: David McLoughlin
  Communications Adviser, NZ Catholic Bishops
  Te Huinga o nga Pihopa Katorika o Aotearoa
• Image: screenshot faithcentral

Stop transgender teaching in New Zealand schools was published on January 29 and has garnered 31,190 signatures as of last Wednesday evening.

The petition request: That the House of Representatives urge the Ministry of Education to remove learning intentions for teaching gender diversity in the sexuality education guide and to remove the gender diversity teaching resources on the Te Kete Ipurangi website.

The reason the petitioner, Helene Houghton, offers for her request is that she believes "that teachers are already required to create a safe environment for all students regardless of race, religion, language, disability and sexuality".

They do not have a separate requirement to teach the content of minority groups in the curriculum, therefore why should there be a new expectation to include the teaching of gender diversity.

Houghton believes that endorsing gender discordance as normal via public education and legal policies will confuse children and parents.

Last year the Catholic National Centre for Religious Studies released a document that provides Catholic schools with guidance about how to navigate issues pertaining to gender diversity among young people today.

Gender Complexity in Schools, which is endorsed by the New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference, acknowledged that gender dysphoria is real.

A statement released by the NZCBC explained that the document provides a point of reference for schools in the support and accompaniment of children and young people "who may be experiencing gender dysphoria in our schools".

Ellen MacGregor-Reid from the Ministry of Education told 1 NEWS: "Effective education in this area can equip students with the skills, attitudes and understanding necessary to support positive environments and relationships for themselves and their peers - including those with diverse cultures, genders or sexuality".

Source

• newshub.co.nz
• parliament.nz
• nzcatholic.org.nz
• tvnz.co.nz
• Image insidehr.com.au