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The Conversation USA

Why ending the secrecy of 'confession' is so controversial for the Catholic Church

  • Written by Mathew Schmalz, Professor of Religious Studies, College of the Holy Cross
In Catholic understanding, Jesus gave his disciples the power to forgive sins.Hernán Piñera, CC BY-SA

Following sexual abuse scandals in the Catholic Church, there is a worldwide push to end the guarantee of secrecy of confession – called “the seal of the confessional.”

On Sept. 11, 2019, two Australian states,...

Read more: Why ending the secrecy of 'confession' is so controversial for the Catholic Church

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