AUSTRALIA
7 News
AAP
Updated November 14, 2012
Priests could forced to break the “inviolable” Catholic seal of the confessional, after calls for the royal commission into the handling of child sex abuse to examine the controversial church rule.
Prime Minister Julia Gillard says using the seal of the confessional to cover up child abuse is a “sin of omission” because all adults have a duty of care towards children.
“It’s not good enough for people to engage in sin of omission and not act when a child is at risk,” she said.
Australia’s most senior Catholic, Cardinal George Pell, insisted on Tuesday the seal of confession was inviolable, even if a fellow priest confessed to child sex abuse.
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