Bishop Greg O'Kelly An Australian acting archbishop has said the Church will not adhere to new laws that compel priests to break the Seal of Confession.
The laws are expected to come into effect in South Australia in October and will make it legally mandatory for clergy to report child abuse if they are told about it in Confession. Priests who fail to do this will be fined up to A$10,000 (€6,400).
“Politicians can change the law, but we can’t change the nature of the confessional, which is a sacred encounter between a penitent and someone seeking forgiveness and a priest representing Christ,” Bishop Greg O’Kelly, Acting Adelaide Archbishop, told ABC Radio Adelaide.
“It doesn’t affect us. We have an understanding of the Seal of Confession that is in the area of the sacred,” he continued.
“Canon law lays down that ‘it is absolutely forbidden for a confessor to betray in any way a penitent in words or in any manner and for any reason.’”
Bishop O’Kelly said the Church had not been made aware of the change, which was legislated last year, until Thursday June 14