Melbourne’s Catholic Archbishop Peter Comensoli vows to keep seal despite law

Melbourne’s Catholic Archbishop says child abuse laws don’t remove his religious duty.

Melbourne's Catholic archbishop Peter Comensoli says his principles of reporting child abuse do not remove his responsibility to the sanctity of seal. Picture: AAP

The Catholic Archbishop of Melbourne says he’ll go to jail before he breaks the seal of confession after a bill forcing religious leaders to report child abuse landed in Victorian parliament today.

Under the new laws, disclosures of abuse during religious confession will not be exempt and must be reported to police.

Archbishop Peter Comensoli said his principles of reporting child abuse did not remove his responsibility to the sanctity of seal.

“I hold the principle of mandatory reporting,” he told ABC Radio Melbourne.

“I also hold onto the principle of the seal of confession.”

“My own position is that I don’t see that as mutually exclusive.”

Under current laws, priests are exempt from mandatory requirements but the Andrews Labor government will today introduce amendments to extend the criminal offence to religious leaders.

When Archbishop Comensoli was asked if he would break with tradition he answered: “Personally, I’ll keep the seal.”

When asked if he was prepared to go to jail he said: “I’ll say for myself, yes.”

Attorney-General Jill Hennessy said the welfare of children was more important than the seal of confession.

“We promised to put the safety of children ahead of the secrecy of the confession and that’s exactly what we’re doing,” she said.

The new laws will

Victorian Child Protection Minister Luke Donnellan said everyone had an obligation to report child abuse.

“These are significant reforms, and they will go a long way to ensuring future generations of children are protected from the harm that far too many suffered in the past,” he said.