Seminarian Daniel O’Kelly is preparing to go to Rome to finish his studies soon, but before he leaves, he has a special gift for the parishioners of St Catherine’s Laboure Gymea in Sydney, Australia. During a brief Advent placement at St Catherine’s in 2022, Daniel’s dedication to the church was evident. Returning for his long-term Read more
Asking young men to take their clothes off in the context of confession… This extremely serious act – which the Catholic Church of France euphemistically translated as “voyeurism” – is exactly what Bishop Michel Santier did when he was the director of a School of Faith and leader of a new community. One is initially Read more
The Vatican has been informed of a French bishop’s alleged spiritual abuse for sexual purposes. Bishop Michel Santier (pictured), was quietly disciplined by the Vatican and, in 2021, he reported to his diocese he resigned for “health reasons”. However, the weekly Famille Chrétienne revealed Santier was also removed for “using his influence over two young Read more
The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse has published a 2000-page three volume Criminal Justice Report. One of its recommendations is that the states and territories “create a criminal offence of failure to report targeted at child sexual abuse in an institutional context”. If such an offence were created, those of us who 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
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