Catholic Archbishop's Refusal to Comply with Sexual Abuse Reporting Laws "Disgusting', Child Victim Says

By Tom Maddocks
ABC News
March 29, 2019

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-03-28/child-advocate-condemns-archbishop-over-confessional-laws/10949054

PHOTO: Christopher Prowse said he did not expect the issue of child abuse to be raised in the confessional. (ABC News)

The head of a leading child safety organisation has condemned comments made by Canberra's Catholic Archbishop, who indicated the church would not comply with new laws forcing priests to break the seal of confessional by reporting child sex abuse claims.

Speaking to ABC Radio Canberra, Archbishop for Canberra and Goulburn Christopher Prowse said it was not the church's role to report crimes, adding that he did not expect the issue of child abuse to be raised in the confessional.

He was responding to reforms passed by the ACT Government last week that would make it an offence for any adult not to report suspected child sexual abuse to police.

The law extends to the Catholic Church confessional.

"All these reportable things, deal with them please before you come into the confessional so that we don't have to deal with crime punishment, when we're really there as experts on the merciful picture of the lord in our midst today," Archbishop Prowse said.

In a statement the Catholic Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn said sexual abuse was "both a crime and a sin", but said the church's role was not to deal with crime.

"Civil authorities deal with crime and punishment. The community of faith deals with sin and forgiveness, support and healing," the statement said.

"The proposed legislation requires mandatory reporting by priests in relation to child abuse disclosed during the Sacrament of Confession. We understand the Government's safeguarding intention. However, the changes to the Crimes Act noted above address this issue."

But Bravehearts ambassador and abuse survivor Damian De Marco slammed the Archdiocese's position, saying it was "unconscionable" the Catholic Church was still failing to prioritise child safety.

"I think the majority of the community will be disgusted that they still don't get it," Mr De Marco said.

"[The] community would be wondering why they are still licensed, given they won't comply with state laws."

Breaking confessional seal unnecessary: Prowse

Under the changes to the Crimes Act passed last week, all adults would be mandated to report child sexual abuse or face two years in jail.

It has posed a quandary for priests.

Anglican theologian Andrew Cameron said Cannon law prohibited priests from breaking the seal and any priests who did so risked being excommunicated.

"It's not just like a made up local thing, this covers all Catholics everywhere," Dr Cameron said.

"No Catholic bishop, or anyone really, is at liberty to change that."

Archbishop Prowse argued sufficient change had already occurred, negating any need for priests to break the confessional seal.

"I would hope that with this changed attitude in our society that people coming in with reportable conduct into a confessional would no longer be needed," he said.

But Mr De Marco described that as a "very strange interpretation", given that Archbishop Prowse was refusing to follow the new reporting laws.

"The Catholic Church has acted above the law and wanted to for hundreds of years … and now we're at the point where it's time for society to take back that control and say 'No, the people make the rules and any institution, any organisation needs to follow the laws of the land'," he said.

"You'd have to say it's untenable for any organisation that refuses to stop a child being raped in their care can be licensed to care for our children."

ACT Attorney-General Gordon Ramsay said it was everyone's responsibility to report child sex abuse and there were no exceptions.

"There's no justification for any excuses," Mr Ramsay said.

"I don't believe it's appropriate for any leader of any institution to be finding reasons why they should not be implementing this legislation."

Despite suggesting the church would not comply with the incoming laws, Archbishop Prowse insisted the local diocese had taken a number of steps to prioritise child safety in its procedures.

"We have learnt from our mistakes … it's been like a bushfire in the Catholic community," he said.

The new ACT laws have been introduced in response to 307 recommendations handed down by the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse and followed a report commissioned by the ACT Government.