Victorian Government allowing church to protect paedophiles
OUR state government is protecting paedophile priests by refusing to change the law on confessionals. But the Catholic Church’s religious practices should not come before laws designed to protect the most vulnerable in our society, writes Susie O’Brien.
Susie O'Brien
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THE State Government is allowing the Catholic Church to protect and harbour paedophile priests.
This is the only conclusion that can be drawn from the Andrews Government’s refusal to strip secrecy protections from priests’ confessionals right away.
It is totally unacceptable that they have not committed to this key reform arising from the national Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Abuse.
The government accepted 128 of the commission’s recommendations in full, accepted in principle 165 recommendations and confirmed it would “give further consideration” to 24 recommendations.
VIC GOVERNMENT UNDECIDED ON CONFESSION PROTECTIONS
BISHOP TRYING TO STOP DEPORTATION OF PAEDOPHILE PRIEST
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It is a cop-out to consider further — rather than commit right now — to requiring religious ministers to report allegations of abuse disclosed during confession.
The royal commission uncovered many instances of priests actively covering up paedophiles; we cannot trust them to do the right thing.
Victims groups say there are many people who confessed they had been victims of sexual abuse by priests, and were either ignored totally, or told to change their own behaviour.
One woman raised damning allegations repeatedly over ten years, only to be told to stay away from the priest involved.
It’s no wonder that victims’ group Broken Rites says nine out of ten victims who seek help are from the Catholic Church.
Attorney-General Martin Pakula sounded weak and unconvincing when he said Victoria would work towards national action on this and other issues.
While national action is a worthwhile goal, there is no reason for Victoria to implement this important reform now.
It’s been done in South Australia, so why not here? From October 1, SA will become the first state where priests will be legally obliged to report confessions of child sex abuse. If they do not do so, they could receive a $10,000 fine.
This is a big issue for the Catholic Church because priests are bound by the seal of the confessional or face automatic excommunication.
But I care more about the rights and needs of children than about the ethical dilemmas of priests. Protection of children must come before any other interest, as the South Australian Attorney-General Vickie Chapman said recently.
She’s right to point out that a national push is needed, otherwise states where confession is sacred provide a sanctuary for paedophiles. In the meantime, individual states need to do what they can.
We can’t rely on the Catholic Church to do the right thing unless they are forced to by law.
Last year, former Melbourne Catholic Archbishop Denis Hart called for protections for confession to be respected.
“Confession in the Catholic Church is a spiritual encounter with God through the priest,” he said.
“It is a fundamental part of the freedom of religion, and it is recognised in the law of Australia and many other countries.
“It must remain so here in Australia,” he said.
He said he’d even go to jail than break the confessional seal.
Priest and law professor Frank Brennan said any move to force priests to report abuse revealed in the confessional would be a “serious interference with the right of religious freedom”.
This absurd notion needs to be challenged. Religious freedom should not give priests the freedom to sexually abuse children or protect others who do so.
Every time it’s suggested that Muslim sharia law is followed in this country before our own laws, there is widespread outrage.
This is no different. The Catholic Church’s religious practices should not come before laws designed to protect the most vulnerable in our society.
Father Brennan maintains the “sacred realm of the sacrament of confession” is akin to a “conversation with God” and as such the state has no role to play.
But priests have been allowed to spend too long playing God with vulnerable children’s lives.
Where the safety of children is at risk, there should be no separation between church and state.
PAEDOPHILES URGED TO GO FROM CONFESSION TO COPS
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