AUSTRALIA
Sky News
The Catholic Church believes the seal of confession must remain intact despite the prospect of its priests facing criminal charges for failing to report child sexual abuse.
The child abuse royal commission wants a new crime of failure to report child sex abuse in institutions, including when the information came from religious confessions.
Australian Catholic Bishops Conference president, Melbourne Archbishop Denis Hart, says confession is a fundamental part of the freedom of religion that must continue to be recognised by Australian law.
‘What goes on in the confessional is between God and the person and I am there for them to know that they are forgiven,’ he told Sky news.
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