RE: Australia church abuse: Priests 'must report' confessions
August 15, 2017 at 6:09 pm
(This post was last modified: August 15, 2017 at 6:11 pm by The Industrial Atheist.)
(August 15, 2017 at 5:18 pm)Catholic_Lady Wrote:By all means contact the police as well as social workers. Get the child the help and support they need.(August 15, 2017 at 3:02 pm)Fireball Wrote: Yes, that was my question, and I like your answer. I will note that I still think that the RCC is harboring criminals who, since they are in the clergy, get a free pass for their crimes. I don't believe in a higher power, and the criminals should be rooted out and handed over to the secular authorities, and not get some forgiveness inside the organization, which I guess supposedly makes it all better, 'til the criminal offends again.
In case this needs to be said, I do of course condemn the individuals within the Church who have covered up or are currently covering up abuse to prevent scandal. I'm sure any decent Catholic would agree with me there. As far as confession goes though, I do think it should remain confidential, but that the priest taking confessions should do everything in his power to try to convince the confessee to either turn himself in, or meet with him outside of the confessional so that he can then go to the police with the information. (which I assume is already what they are instructed to do in these cases)
(August 15, 2017 at 3:05 pm)Drich Wrote: fireball is under the impression that there is a church law the forbids anyone from reporting a priest for anything.
Oh. No, that is absolutely not true.
(August 15, 2017 at 3:05 pm)Drich Wrote: Google The R/C church defrocks preists
Again the church does regulat itself.
Thank you Drich
(August 15, 2017 at 1:09 pm)Industrial Lad Wrote: If confidentiality is the issue, in principle it would be just as wrong to reveal the child's confession.
So why can't they reveal the priest's as well?
I smell something fishy.
If an underage child goes in there and confesses having had sex with any adult, I assume the priest doing the confession would inform the child that she/he is an innocent victim in this case, and would do whatever was necessary in his power to persuade the child to meet with him outside the confessional immediately where they can gather more detail without the seal of confidentiality. Seems like the most logical thing for any decent person to do in this case.
But if you can break confidentiality for that (someone said they would on page 1) Also break it when a pedophile priest confesses to these crimes.
It is of roughly equal importance to stop the abuse by prosecuting them as it is to provide the victims support.
By the way, what is the code to quote part of something? I've tried before and got it wrong, I think.
