"Catholic Archbishop" may violate law if he restricts altar service to boys: gov’t official

PATRICK B. CRAINE lifesitenews.com "HOBART, Tasmania, Sept. 20, 2013 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Tasmania’s Anti-Discrimination Commissioner has suggested the state’s new Catholic Archbishop may be found in violation of state law if he restricts altar serving to boys, raising questions about religious freedom in the state. Archbishop Julian Porteous was installed as head of the Archdiocese of Hobart, the state’s only diocese, on Sept. 18th. Archbishop Julian Porteous The same day the Archbishop told the Australia Broadcasting Corporation that the Church has traditionally seen service at the altar as a preparation for the priesthood and so he would like to bar girls from serving once they reach high school age. 'When you move into high school, I think it's more appropriate that we have men, young men, who are serving on the altar,” he said. “But certainly girls of primary school age, that's no problem at all.' But Robin Banks, the state’s Anti-Discrimination Commissioner, told the news agency that such an action may not qualify for a religious exception under the state’s Anti-Discrimination Act." to read more click here: lifesitenews.com