It is time to end the Ireland’s confessional wars, public debate about mandatory reporting of sexual abuse and focus on real issue, the protection of children says Gary O’Sullivan in the Irish Catholic. “A Church/State conflict over the confesional seal will not serve either party,” argues O’Sullivan. So far Cardinal Sean Brady and Ireland’s Minister for Children, Read more
A priest in Londonderry has said he would be prepared to go to jail rather than break the seal of confession.
Father Paddy O’Kane was responding to the Irish justice minister, Alan Shatter, who said that forthcoming child protection measures, will “apply regardless of any internal rules of any religious grouping”.
A priest could be convicted of a criminal offence if they were told of a sexual abuse case and failed to report it to the civil authorities, under the new legislation.
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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 Read more
Catholic priests in Ireland say they will not reveal peoples’ sins told to them in confession, despite the Irish government requiring priests to report alleged incidents of child abuse. “More than any other issues, it is probably the one that will unite both the liberal and conservative winds of the Church,” Fr Tony Flannery said Read more
In light of the ‘souring’ relations between the Irish Government and the Vatican, Pope Benedict’s visit to Ireland is likely to be ‘shelved’. Relations between Ireland and the Vatican have cooled recently in response to the revelations that the retired bishop of Cloyne, John Magee, allegedly acting under Vatican orders, failed to report that 19 Read more
The Seal of the confessional is generally respected in most western jurisdictions, whether constitutionally or by custom and practice. To date, in the Republic, Northern Ireland and Britain it is respected under custom and practice, while in the US it is protected under two constitutional amendments. Legislation to breach the seal of the confessional would Read more
Priests in Ireland who with-hold information about alleged child abuse, even when told to them in the Sacrament of Confession, will soon be liable for up to five years prison. The new laws are an unprecedented display of tough action against the Catholic Church, in what was traditionally a Catholic country. “The law of the land should Read more
Penance or confession, is the sacrament of the forgiveness of sin. You can’t beat it for convenience. It’s available practically whenever. Tell a priest you want to go to confession and you’ll get his attention. Sr Mary Ann Walsh relates that a bishop was cornered on an airplane. Another passenger figured out what was going on and Read more
The inventor of the drive-through confessional has himself confessed to the idea being an April Fool’s joke. The brain-child of Australian priest, Fr Bob McGuire, he said he was wanting to get with the times. “We’d do it (confession) like the fast food joints, because there’d be a menu, the 7 deadly sins. They’d be numbered.” Read more
Mea Culpa is the simplest and safest way to remember those sins you need to confess the next time you stop in at the confessional. Among it’s features, it offers 400 sins that you can choose from, easy navigation between them, and for your convenience they’re pre-packaged into lists of Venial and Mortal. With an Read more