Sigillum Confessionis: the Seal of Confession in today's Roman Catholic Church
Date
2013
Authors
Crotty, R.
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Ethics: contemporary perspectives, 2013; 1(1):57-70
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Abstract
There is trouble, real trouble between Church and State, brewing in Australia over the issue of the Seal of Confession (known officially in Latin as Sigillum Confessionis), as maintained by the Roman Catholic Church, in regard to child abuse.
The reason that this matter has come to the fore is the calling by the then Prime Minister of Australia, on November 12 2010, of a Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. Gillard, on April 3 2013 said that it would be 'an important moral moment for our nation'. The Commission held a preliminary meeting on the same day but there will be many more. At least 5000 alleged victims are expected to be heard. While an interim Report will be posted in 2014, the Final Report will not be drafted until 2015.
All institutions that have had custody of children in Australia will be scrutinised. However, while there are confirmed reports of wide-spread historical institutional abuse, the Roman Catholic Church is expected to be the main player among the accused. The Survivors' Network of Those Abused by Priests is adamant that the time has come for the Catholic Church to cease obfuscation and admit with-out equivocation what happened in the past.
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Copyright 20153 The Author.