Helsinki Times
May 20, 2010
http://www.helsinkitimes.fi/htimes/finnish-papers/11117-brax-confessional-no-longer-inviolable.html
Under current law, discussion between a priest and a paedophile on child sexual abuse is bound by the Seal of Confession, the national daily Helsingin Sanomat reports.
"MINISTER of Justice Tuija Brax (Greens) says that the Church should re-interpret canon law so that the Seal of Confession can no longer apply if children are in danger.
| Minister of Justice Tuija Brax says the Church should re-interpret canon law to protect children. |
As the law now stands, a priest and a paedophile can talk about child sexual abuse without the priest being obligated to report him to the authorities. The Seal of Confession cannot be broken unless the abuse is considered grievous under criminal law.
According to the penal code, child sexual abuse in itself is not a grievous crime. Therefore the Seal of the Confession remains inviolable according to canon law.
'The Church should start to discuss all crimes committed against children,' states Brax.
At the request of HS and as a qualified lawyer, Brax evaluated the Seal of Confession as practiced by priests and Church officials, as only the Church possesses the power to initiate changes to canon law.
At the beginning of May, Senior Advisor Janne Kanerva's working group at the Ministry of Justice proposed tougher sentences for child abuse.
The re-classification of child sexual abuse as a grievous crime was not on the agenda."
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