This video is a lecture by Michael Kirby recorded at the University of New England,Thursday, 18 July 2019 concerning human rights and sexuality. This lecture describes and explains the visit made by the Hon. Michael Kirby on 5 April 2019 to the Vatican, at the invitation of His Holiness Pope Francis, which included a private audience with His Eminence, Pietro Cardinal Parolin, the Cardinal Secretary of State of the Holy See.
The audience discussed the policy adopted by the International Bar Association in 2011 opposing imposition of criminal punishments on sexual minorities by reason of their sexual orientation or gender identity. And the desirability of a statement by His Holiness Pope Francis indicating that such criminal punishments were inconsistent with respect for human dignity and therefore contrary to the core teachings of the Catholic Church.
At the close of the audience with Cardinal Parolin, he declared that there were many similarities between the positions urged for the International Bar Association and those adopted by the Catholic Church. The dialogue is continuing. Representations were made to Cardinal Parolin by the Hon. Michael Kirby, Co-Chair of the International Bar Association Human Rights Institute; Baroness Helena Kennedy QC (Head of the Secretariat of the IBA HRI) and Dr Leonardo Raznovich (member of the IBA LGBT Forum).
