Patheos blog
July 2, 2019
By Barry Duke
AN intransigent Vatican is digging its heels in over pressure to have priests report sexual abuse confessions to the authorities, and is complaining of anti-Catholic bias.
According to this report, a document issued by the Vatican’s Apostolic Penitentiary, which deals with issues of the sacrament of confession, said no government or law could force clergy to violate the seal:
Because this duty comes directly from God.
The document, which did not mention any countries or the sexual abuse crisis, complained of:
A worrying negative prejudice against the Catholic Church.
Most countries’ legal systems respect the religious right of a Catholic priest not to reveal what he has learnt in confession, similar to attorney-client privilege.
But the sexual abuse crisis that has embroiled the Catholic Church around the world has seen this right challenged more frequently.
In Australia, an inquiry into child abuse recommended that the country introduce a law forcing religious leaders to report child abuse, including priests told of it during confession.
So far, two of Australia’s eight states have introduced laws making it a crime for priests to withhold information about abuse heard in confession. Others are still considering their response.
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