A proposed law change by Australian Independent Senator, Nick Xenophon, requiring priests to disclose the sins of penitents, has been dismissed by Fr Brian Lucas, Secretary of the Australian Catholic Bishops’ Conference.
“His proposal does nothing to protect children and flies in the face of a fundamental right of people to practice their religion,” Father Lucas said. “No Catholic priest . . . would ever betray a penitent.”
“Priests have gone to their death” rather than break the confessional seal, he added.
Xenophon following the lead of Ireland has suggested that priests in Australia should also be forced to break the seal of confession.
“There is no contest when it comes to protecting the innocence of a child or maintaining a religious practice,” Xenophon said.
“Why should someone be absolved of their sins … when it comes to child abuse because they’ve got a pat on the back from their priest?”
“No church should be complicit in the cover-up of child abuse just so some pedophile can try and clear their conscience,” he continued.
“The laws of the land should always trump religious practices. The protection of children should come before any other consideration. Freedom of religion is one thing, but it shouldn’t mean anyone is free to ignore their obligations to report this most serious of crimes.”
However, Australia’s federal Attorney General, Robert McClelland said that the matter falls under the jurisdiction of local state government.
Xenophon responded saying he would write to the attorneys general around Australia seeking support for the idea.
Geelong Catholic priest Father Kevin Dillon said the proposed change could scare offenders away from confession, which otherwise could be a first step towards seeking treatment or surrendering to police.
And he feared the anonymity of the confessional might lead to damaging false identifications.
“For most people, when the confession is heard, the priest would not necessarily be able to identify who the person is anyway,” Father Dillon said.
“I could certainly not identify many of the people whose confessions I hear.”
Sources