Law of Confession

2SER's Razors Edge

The practice of “confession” is under scrutiny following the announcement of a Royal Commission into institutional responses to child sexual abuse. A number of State and Federal MPs have come out against absolute secrecy when dealing with confessions – an idea Priests are calling “inviolable”. The centuries old practice requires the congregation to tell their sins to their Priest in absolute confidentiality in order to be absolved. 2SER’s Sam Buckingham-Jones spoke with Professor Sarah Joseph, Director of the Castan Centre for Human Rights Law at Monash University, about the legal obligations of confession.