Yes, it is a click bait headline but the story is real.
A Melbourne (Victoria, Australia) Councillor has proposed marking Churches and Religious Places that are non compliant or INTEND to be non compliant with the Reporting of Child abuse laws in that state.The laws no longer exempt priests and others from prosecution and compel them to report child abuse.
The Councillor proposes marking them on govt websites and directories as well as PROMINENTLY near or on the buildings themselves as "NOT SAFE FOR CHILDREN"
I think congratulatory emails should be sent to this geezer stat!
https://friendlyatheist.patheos.com/2019/10/12/melbourne-may-put-signs-n...
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That's the core, in a nutshell. People without a catholic background may not realise .
It is now and has always been church teaching that Canon law ALWAYS trumps civil law,. So pedophile priests could confess, be forgiven, do penance and be moved to a fresh parish.
For centuries, the church has gotten away with claiming the seal of confession may not be broken ,that priests MAY NOT report a crime revealed in confession .
Things have improved a great deal; in previous centuries, no ordained clergy could be tried by civil authorities for any reason what so ever.They could only be tried by a secret ecclesiastical court.
This proposed legislation is overdue by centuries.
Last night I rewatched "Queen Elizabeth:" with Cate Blanchett.It reminded me of just how much power the church had until about the end of the seventeenth century. The pope of the day issued an edict that English Catholics were not obliged to obey Queen Elizabeth . That any Catholic who assassinated Elizabeth would go straight to heaven (sound familiar ?)
(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((9))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))
A film which revealed catholic attitudes at least, at the time is "I Confess" , directed by Alfred Hitchock:.
"I Confess is a 1953 American film noir directed by Alfred Hitchcock, and starring Montgomery Clift as Fr. Michael William Logan, a Catholic priest, Anne Baxter as Ruth Grandfort, and Karl Malden as Inspector Larrue. , "
":Father Michael Logan (Clift) is a devout Catholic priest in Ste. Marie's Church in Quebec City. He employs German immigrants Otto Keller (O.E. Hasse) and his wife Alma (Dolly Haas) as caretaker and housekeeper. Otto also works part-time as a gardener for a shady lawyer called Villette.
The film begins late one evening as a man wearing a priest's cassock walks away from Villette's house where Villette lies dead on the floor. Shortly afterward, in the church confessional, Keller confesses to Father Logan that he accidentally killed Villette while trying to rob him. Keller tells his wife about his deed and assures her that the priest will not say anything because he is forbidden from revealing information acquired through confessions.
The next morning, Keller goes to Villette's house at his regularly scheduled gardening time and reports Villette's death to the police. Father Logan also goes to the crime scene after hearing Mrs. Keller mention that her husband is there and finds the police there. Logan is interviewed by Inspector Larrue (Malden), who witnesses Logan talking to a woman after he leaves. "
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Confess_(film)
Here is the link to contact the councillor....send him an email!
https://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/about-council/our-profile/lord-mayor-an...
iNTERESTING - For as long as I have known, in California, priests and preachers were mandated Child abuse reporters. It did not stop them from not reporting child abuse, spouse abuse, or elder abuse among members of their parishes. When I saw these families, I would find out what I could and report the preachers.
One fucking asshole priest recommended the father buy a blow up doll so that he would stop molesting the eldest girl in the family. The girl had been molested since the age of 8. The case was brought to authorities when the brother was caught molesting the girl as well. The mother had been told that if she prayed everything would be okay. (I shit you not. True story. One of my first cases as an intern.)
@ Cog
Partially right mate, when I lived in Encinitas, I did the mandated reporter training; Priests and other religious workers when receiving confession or in a private communication were NOT covered by the law as mandated reporters. They were exempted.
A recent Bill to include the confession and private communication (religious or not) was defeated(withdrawn) after opposition from religious bodies including the JWs and Catholics as well as others.
Clergy members are among a list of more than 40 “mandated reporters,” meaning they are required under state law to report suspected abuse. But that doesn’t apply if they learn about something during a private communication such as confession, a sacrosanct practice in the Catholic church.
https://www.claimsjournal.com/news/west/2019/02/22/289382.htm
https://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/ss/ap/childabusereportingguide.asp
@Old man shouts ...: Thanks. The difference in my case is that they had gone to the priest for family counseling. I know the priest was arrested.
(32) A clergy member, except as otherwise provided in subdivision (d) of Section 11166. As used in this article, “clergy member” means a priest, minister, rabbi, religious practitioner, or similar functionary of a church, temple, or recognized denomination or organization.
(1) A clergy member who acquires knowledge or a reasonable suspicion of child abuse or neglect during a
penitential communication is not subject to subdivision (a).
YEP! FUCKING ASSHOLES. If a fucking priest knew my child was being molested and did not tell me, I think I would kill the bastard.
@ Cog
Like many of our theist visitors to this site who are "careless with the truth" I suspect a lot of abuse goes unreported because it was a "private counselling session", or it "came up in a private discussion about Jesus" or "we were praying when" never mind the fucking confessional.
These fuckers twist everything. I mean, that is what apologetics is all about is it not?
Worse than lawyers.
@Old Man
Just sent the guy an e-mail. As I told him, seeing a sign like that on a church would be satisfying and incredibly hilarious to me if it should ever happen.... lol... That would be awesome.
@ TM
Yes, it seems he is one of the good guys.
Victoria has always been one the most progressive states in Australia with Queensland the equivalent of our deep south.
Mark 'em all dangerous all the protestant ones too who have also sheltered pedophiles. How can any of them be trusted with children? If it isnt the physical abuse there is still the indoctrinal abuse.
Mark 'em all dangerous all the protestant ones too who have also sheltered pedophiles. How can any of them be trusted with children? If it isnt the physical abuse there is still the indoctrinal abuse.