“Sins are not confessed before the priest, but before God. Therefore, the priest has no right or authority to reveal anything that takes place in this intimate encounter with God… To outlaw the free exercise of an essential aspect of the Catholic faith seems to me to be something that Modern secular societies have always understood this to be beyond the limits of their authority”.
words are OfRazobispo de Perth (Australia) Timothy John Costello (Salesians of Don Bosco) the Australian government is faced with a new law that obliges them to provide information about Child sexual abuse, including that received in the sacrament of Confession.
The changes are part of new laws introduced by the McGowan government which came into force on 1 November, reports The newspaper of the Archdiocese of Sydney, Catholic Weekly.
Archbishop Timothy Costello defended the seal of confession required of the Catholic faith before a Western Australian parliamentary inquiry committee into the issue in 2020.
Ms Costello acknowledged the “terrible history” of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church and said she understood why people were mystified by his insistence on maintaining the doctrine of absolute secrecy of the sacrament practiced in the church. Nevertheless, the priest has no right or authority to reveal what is said in confession.
The fine will be 6 thousand Australian dollars, up to about 4 thousand US dollars.
