http://us24h.org/catholic-archbishop-id-rather-go-to-prison-than-report-child-abuse-to-police/
Australia’s most powerful clergy, Archbishop of Melbourne Denis Hart, says he’s prepared to be jailed for failing to report child sex abuse by pedophile priests.
He made the shocking statement in response to the Australian Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse saying there should be “no excuse, protection nor privilege” for clergy who failed to alert police of abuse.
Hart insisted that sexual abuse was “a spiritual encounter with God through the priest” and was “of a higher order” than criminal law.
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Are_we_sure ago
This specifically about confessions. Here's how the Gaurdian reported it
Melbourne archbishop says he'd rather go to jail than report child abuse heard in confession Denis Hart says ‘communication with God is of a higher order’ after child sex abuse inquiry calls for failure to report to become a criminal offence
This doesn't preclude them turning over pedophiles in other cases. And, of course, this is not new. Other crimes like murder can be confessed to as well. I wonder if turn yourself into the authorities can be part of the penance.