How's that, exactly? No amount of "force" can oblige them to do anything should they decide not to do so. I think the writer means "ordered", which is what the government may be working towards but perhaps "force" is what the writer is hoping for.
Why doesn’t the Pope just change the seal, an make it ok to report pedophiles?
Like hell. This isn’t going to happen. Priests will go to jail first.
I assume the law will also require that attorney-client privilege be revoked when a client admits to sexually or otherwise abusing children. Same for any professional privilege of confidentiality when this matter is the subject of that privilege.
To really get the point across due process should be scrapped when anyone is charged with such a crime with all allegations leading to an assumption of guilt.
That sort of thing would simply end the confessional as we and the Church know it. The confessional does provide an outlet for sinners to confess and to amend. Grave sins, especially if they are also crimes are not simply heard then the penitent gets three Hail Marys and two our Fathers. He is told that he is NOT forgiven if he does not get himself straight with God and the Law. He must cease the actions that lead to or constitute the sin and part of ceasing is to confess felonies to the authorities. In society men are to obey the law, whatever the law is, whatever is the system, except for laws outlawing Christianity. A priest must disobey any law that requires him to report a confession. If he breaks the Church law about confessions he will lose his priestly faculties and will himself have committed a grave sin.
Aside from religious issues: Is what a potential criminal said in confession really good evidence for a trial?
I agree, really?
A better headline would be Australian Government May Persecute Priests Who Maintain the Seal of the Confessional.
It won’t happen.
And if the priest refuses, I doubt whether there could be any convincing proof in court that he was covering anything up.
Very interesting.
I assume that lawyer, doctor, spousal privacy laws will be revoked also.