Australian Bishops Conference Response to Royal Commission into Historic Child Abuse

  • Thread starter Thread starter Roseeurekacross
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
Not in Australia. All it means is you acknowledge risk

That’s why it’s so hard to get insurance for contact sports
 
Last edited:
Again, that breaks the Seal of Confession.

Let’s imagine a silly situation that George has promised to never ask a guest to remove their shoes in his apartment. One day the landowner says he has to start asking his guests to remove their shoes. So George pits up a sign saying, “Only people who leave their shoes outside may come in.” Yes he never says, “Hey, Judy, please remove your shoes.” but the sign is still breaking his promise to never ask a guest to remove their shoes.

Bringing that back to Confession, such a sign breaks the long held promise of the Seal of Confession. And Church Law is going to keep the Seal of Confession. So any sign saying “We report” violates that Seal.
 
Last edited:
That’s not my understanding.
In any case ther is no law in Australia to enable a penitent to sue a priest for breaking the confidentiality.
 
Well the bishop would be sued, each Diocese bishop is the go to guy to be sued in the redress scheme
 
INow we’re talking. Thanks.

I expected this criticism.

So the issue has now shifted from priest breaking confidentiality to not giving opportunity to penitents to confess. Which was my next discussion point.

So now we can debate whether we should allow penitents who confess child abuse sins AND who refuse to report to police, to come to confession with the promised “seal”.
The answer could be no.
Tell me why the answer should be yes.
 
Last edited:
Just wondering…and I really don’t know the answer to this.

If a priest hears in confession that Bob was part of a plot to burn down a church but Bob is no longer part of this plot which will be carried out by his ex accomplices in 2 days time. Is the priest obliged by the seal not to report to police?
 
I don’t know the correct answer at the moment that’s why I want to hear ideas.

My answer would be no at the moment because someone who has committed a heinous crime and decided not to report to police then he is not truly repentent and therefore the confession is invalid anyway so the seal is irrelevant.
 
My understanding is that, even if absolution is refused for some reason, such as the penitent not being truly repentant, the seal still applies. Someone with specific expertise in this field please weigh in.
 
He is still obligated by the seal not to reveal anything he learns in confession.
 
Last edited:
It’s a better situation than havingvpriests violate the seal.

And how many priests do you think will hear confessions in which child abuse is confessed?
 
Annie said:
And how many priests do you think will hear confessions in which child abuse is confessed?
Click to expand...
That’s exactly my point.
That’s why these laws are so stupid. I pray that they don’t get passed.
Just trying to help think of solutions that doesn’t encourage people to break the law that’s all.
 
ratio1 said:
Just trying to help think of solutions that doesn’t encourage people to break the law that’s all.
Click to expand...
The Magisterium will be onto that if the laws get passed. We now have a Christian PM, a man who voted no to SSM and worships at Hillsong.

I wonder what power he will have to stop this at state level
 
Roseeurekacross said:
The Magisterium will be onto that if the laws get passed.
Click to expand...
I don’t understand. Do you mean the Magisterium will fight the potential law about breaking the seal?
I still think priests are going to end up being forced to.
 
I see: you want to keep priests out of legal trouble.

Well, unfortunately sometimes governments make very bad laws which need to be broken. There is no sense in trying to find a solution for such a law. A priest must chose between God’s law and man’s when the two conflict in such a way.
 
the magisterium will be directing their priests and bishops what to do.
 
Yes that’s right. As I don’t want to see priests get jailed.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top