Finnish Politicians Call for Priests to Break Confidentiality, Helsinki Times, May 18, 2010

Finnish Politicians Call for Priests to Break Confidentiality

Helsinki Times
May 18, 2010

http://www.helsinkitimes.fi/htimes/domestic-news/general/11084-finnish-politicians-call-for-priests-to-break-confidentiality.html

Several Finnish politicians on Monday demanded churches to break the strict confidentiality of confessions in order to reveal cases of paedophilia.

Politicians feel that priests should be obliged to break confidentiality so as to avoid leaving children unprotected from child abuse. Paula Risikko (cons), minister of health and social services, threatened that if the church does not take action to protect children then the ministry will.

In interviews printed in regional daily Savon Sanomat on Tuesday, church representatives came out in opposition to eroding the confidentiality of confessions.

Ville Riekkinen, the bishop of the Lutheran Diocese of Kuopio, commented that although new regulations would radically change the character of the church, they would not significantly help solve paedophilia cases in practice.

Archbishop Leo of Finland's Orthodox Church also told Savon Sanomat that priests should maintain confidentiality under all circumstances, but could still inform officials about cases of abuse without breaching confidentiality.