Opinion: Cardinal rules to own belief

LET'S get one thing straight. Cardinal George Pell is well within his rights to be part of the stem cell debate and to want principals and religious education co-ordinators of the Catholic archdiocese to commit to a vow of fidelity. To do otherwise would be a dereliction of duty.

As the Archbishop of Sydney and a Cardinal he is the most senior-ranking member of the Catholic Church in Australia and is obliged to advise Catholics on moral issues. Whether they accept his advice is up to them. But let's be clear.

Cardinal Pell is advising only the 5.2 million Catholics who make up 26 per cent of the population and not the other 74 per cent of the population. As to his wishes for Catholic principals to swear an oath of fidelity, he is only asking them to abide by church teachings.

Those that don't like it do not have to teach within the Catholic system nor do parents have to send their children to a Catholic school. To be a Catholic is a choice. Nobody forces you to be one.

For too long some parents have been sending their children to Catholic schools simply because it is the cheapest form of quality private education. Not because they want their children to be taught the doctrines of the church. It is perfectly reasonable to expect principals of Muslim and/or Jewish schools to fit in with the school's philosophy so why not Catholics?

Instead, it was this week labelled unquestioning fundamentalism . Predictably, the Greens jumped at the chance to say if the vow was to become compulsory, NSW and federal governments should be challenged on the $1 billion of taxpayer money for Catholic schools. There are 239,366 students in the NSW Catholic education system, whose parents pay tax like everyone else.

In regards to the sentiment that Cardinal Pell's opposition to embryonic, but not adult, stem cell research shows an uncaring attitude to those battling illness and suffering, you need only to look to the wider role of the Catholic Church when it comes to health. Catholic Health Australia is the largest non-government provider of health and community services in Australia. I can however, understand the concern over his unfortunate use of the word consequences when referring to Catholic ministers who vote in favour of the research.

More unfortunate though, was Utilities Minister Nathan Rees likening him to boofhead Sheik Taj el-Dene Elhilaly. If you don't want to listen to Dr Pell's opinion for fear his views cross the line between the separation of church and state, then do not go near his schools nor use his hospitals. Celebrity kids hair today and tomorrow Celine Dion with Rene- Charles in and (inset) Elle's ex Arkie Busson with their son Aurelius Cy, Cindy Crawford with son Presley and Victoria Beckham with Romeo.

Click on image for a larger view. THIS is the current magazine's Canadian edition with singer Celine Dion and her son on the front cover. Yes, her son.

What's with celebrity mothers growing their young sons' hair so long? Or is it just the ultimate cool fashion accessory? Models Elle Macpherson and Cindy Crawford, Victoria Beckham and actress Kate Hudson have all gone to great lengths for their sons to achieve the look.

Surprisingly though, Hudson's son Ryder's long hair isn't in tribute to his hippy-looking rocker father Chris Robinson but for religious reasons. I just couldn't cut it, she said last year. I'm part Jewish, Hasidic Jews they don't cut their kids' hair until they're three.

But what's the others excuse? Having their own homegrown supply of hair extensions? HAVING been to a preview screening of this week I am convinced George Clooney was born to wear a tuxedo.

Shame though that he and his gorgeous cool mates can't save the film. They should have stopped at like the sequel, is a lazy script relying only on the cast's great looks. I'M not sure the modern family Julio Iglesias-style is for everyone.

The 63-year-old crooner and his longtime girlfriend Miranda Rijnsburger recently became parents again, with the arrival of their fifth child earlier this month. There at the birth were all of his seven other children, including three from his former wife. With a crowd like that in the labour ward I'm surprised he didn't just stage the event in a stadium like he does his concerts.

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