Confessions still sacrosanct, says Cardinal George Pell

CARDINAL George Pell is resolute that priests who have heard pedophiles' confessions should not answer questions at the proposed royal commission.

CARDINAL George Pell has moved to release abuse victims from any confidentiality agreements signed with the Catholic Church in exchange for compensation but is resolute that priests who have heard pedophiles' confessions should not answer questions at the proposed royal commission.

Australia's most senior Catholic said yesterday the wide-ranging inquiry into child sexual abuse across religious, state and community institutions would be a "welcome" opportunity to "separate fact from fiction".

The Archbishop of Sydney also lashed out at the media for "exaggerating" abuse in Catholic institutions, and denied any "widespread public cynicism" about the church's efforts to bring abusers to justice.

Asked whether the church would seek to uphold historic confidentiality clauses to prevent witnesses testifying at the commission, Cardinal Pell said witnesses should be "free to say what they want".

"As far as I am concerned there would be no problem with me," he said. "If there are (legal problems) with other people (outside the church) they will have to answer."

Cardinal Pell admitted his role as Australia's only cardinal did not strictly give him "any extra jurisdiction in Australia" but noted he had "a moral authority which I acknowledge and occasionally use to the discomfort of some and the comfort of others".

The Catholic Church in Victoria told the state's parliamentary inquiry in September it would not restrict any abuse victim in speaking publicly about their abuse.

The Archdioceses of Adelaide and Brisbane last night confirmed they would not seek to enforce confidentiality agreements. The Archbishop of Perth was unavailable to comment.

The church's Towards Healing reconciliation program - implemented in 1997 - was revised to reject compulsory confidentiality agreements after 2000.

Cardinal Pell said he would testify at the royal commission if called, but urged priests against disclosing what they had heard during confession. "The Seal of Confession is inviolable," he said.

Cardinal Pell said he hoped priests would confidentially counsel any abuser to "follow the law".

But he said priests should avoid hearing confession from colleagues suspected of committing child sex abuse to avoid being bound by the Seal of Confession.

"If the priest knows beforehand about such a situation, the priest should refuse to hear the confession," Cardinal Pell said.

NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell, a Catholic, acknowledged confession was "an important sacrament" but disagreed with Cardinal Pell's view that any admission of child abuse made during confession should not be referred to police.

"I struggle to understand that if a priest confesses to another priest that he has been involved in pedophile activities, that that information should not be brought to police," Mr O'Farrell told parliament yesterday.

Cardinal Pell attacked the media for "exaggerating" abuse in Catholicism, relative to other institutions. "We are not interested in denying the extent of misdoing in the Catholic Church; we object to it being exaggerated," he said.

"We object to being described as the only cab on the rank. We acknowledge, with shame, the extent of the problem and I want to assure you that we have been serious in attempting to eradicate it and deal with it."

Cardinal Pell hoped the royal commission would assess whether police were adequately resourced for "day to day" abuse cases, as well as "historical" cases of abuse.

Additional reporting: Nicolas Perpitch