The Sacramental seal and the mandatory repoting of child abuse A global appraisal

Abstract

How to protect and safeguard both the welfare of minors in the Church and the sanctity of the sacrament of confession? How to act in cases of conflict between civil laws and canon law with respect to the secret of confession when it touches on child protection? What is the limit of the secret of confession? This article aims to answer these and others questions. With a global perspective, the state of the protection of the sacramental seal is examined from both the canonical and civil sphere. It also reflects on the unease the confessional secrecy seems to have in relation to the policy of the protection of minors.