RSS
News


Home Page > News > Derry priest prepared to go to jail rather than break seal of confession

Derry priest prepared to go to jail rather than break seal of confession

Regards the seal of the confessional as ‘at the very core of what a priest is’

By
CATHY HAYES,
IrishCentral.com Staff Writer
Published Tuesday, August 30, 2011, 7:33 AM
Updated Tuesday, August 30, 2011, 9:15 AM

print this article Print
email this articleE-mail
comment on article 18 Comments
 

Father Paddy O'Kane will go to prison rather than break the seal of confession
Father Paddy O'Kane will go to prison rather than break the seal of confession
Photo by Google Images


Father Paddy O’Kane has announced that he would rather go to jail than break the seal of the confession. Under the proposed legislation priests in Ireland could be convicted of a criminal offense if they withhold information about sexual abuse or abuse of children from the police.

O’Kane’s response came after the Irish Minister for Justice, Alan Shatter, saying that protection measures will “apply regardless of any internal rules of any religious grouping”.

Shatter said that in the past the Catholic Churches actions had led pedophiles to believe that they acted with “impunity”.

-------------------------

READ MORE:

Prominent Irish priest calls for church revolution after Cloyne

Arrest Bishop John Magee for Cloyne cover-up

Michele Bachmann attacks US jobs going overseas to Ireland

-------------------------
O’Kane from Holy Family Church, Ballymagroarty, told the BBC that he will not accept these new rules. He said that if the legislation is put in place “priests will be prepared to go to jail rather than break the seal," he said.

"It's at the very core of what a priest is. If a priest were to break the seal he will be automatically excommunicated.

"Priests cannot function if they're not allowed to keep the seal of confession."

This new legislation is part of the child protection measures which were announced after the publication of the Cloyne report. The report found that the diocese had repeatedly failed to report complaints about priests within the community. 

​
print this article Print
email this articleE-mail


18 Comments

See all comments

Collette2 | Sep 01, 2011, 04:12 AM EDT
He probably has a vested interest.

Report abuse

GeorgeDillon | Aug 31, 2011, 02:59 AM EDT
Idiots like the poster CaptainCon (is he the same as ColKelley before he got promotion?) are too illogical to think this thru, but essentially they want the seal of the confession to be bullied away in the case of one crime, sexual abuse, but not in the case of others. Hence, according to the dopey ColonelDan or whatever he's calling himself these days, had a Catholic been among those who perpetrated 9/11 and so confessed to a priest, it would be perfectly fine for the priest to keep quiet about it. It's arrant nonsense to base a law on one serious crime rather than another, but I guess that's what ColonelCon peddles here every day.

Report abuse

macalister | Aug 30, 2011, 11:37 PM EDT
Paddy O'kane Do you have married brothers and sisters with children? If one of those children were abused,what would you do?

Report abuse

gordongoblin | Aug 30, 2011, 07:54 PM EDT
Priests should no longer feel above the law. If you'd protect a child rapist because of "canon law" then you are no better than the rapist and you belong in jail.

Report abuse

seanomelbourne | Aug 30, 2011, 06:55 PM EDT
If father Kelly would rather go to jail than name a pedophile priest so be it,then jail time it is.

Report abuse

CaptainCon | Aug 30, 2011, 04:11 PM EDT
Hey Dillon aren't you supposed to be all about 'forgiveness' or does that only apply to paedophile clerics in your cult? Shouldm't you be turning the other cheek? Or is that one of those deals where you get to behave as badly as you want and then come Saturday simper a bit at a priest and then be released to be as unchristian as you like for another week? Hypocrite.

Report abuse

GeorgeDillon | Aug 30, 2011, 03:51 PM EDT
"Cannon (sic) "law" has no place in the Law of the Universe." Gee Portia, will you give us a few lessons on the Law of the Universe? Or is that just a law you made up in your crazy head?

Report abuse

GeorgeDillon | Aug 30, 2011, 03:48 PM EDT
Notice the disgusting remark by colkelley (He's a colonel in the Salvation Army) in which he expresses the hope that a priest be anally raped. That's good, colkelley , you piece of garbage. I'd love to kick your ugly ass into a cell at Kabul Penitentiary and see how you like it. Vermin.

Report abuse

CaptainCon | Aug 30, 2011, 01:53 PM EDT
Nice to see someone referencing our original legal system Portia, and I would further say that it was a black day when that blasted mediterranean cult was introduced in Ireland. Some know-nothings even try to tell me that catholicism is 'traditional' in Ireland. Only if you regard the plague as 'traditional' in Europe. As for this priest as I am sure he is aware there never has been any report in the myriad of cases seen over the decades in Ireland which hung on the 'seal of the confessional' and it is extremely unlikely there ever will be. But if it does occur all I'd say is a priest is a priest and can be a priest in a cell as well as a parish house.

Report abuse

Portia777 | Aug 30, 2011, 12:32 PM EDT
Bring back Brehon Law, where the victim sits outside their rapists house until justice is served. That way, based on honour, everyone knows who the criminal is and eric/restitution is called for. We do not want the laws of Roma in our country.

Report abuse

Portia777 | Aug 30, 2011, 12:25 PM EDT
Interesting. Well logically, if the rapist knows that the priest is oblidged by law to report his rape to the Gardai, then he/she will not go to confession.The priest in fact cannot forgive the rapist of his/her crime- only the victim can do that. This confession and forgiveness scam has gone on for too long now. it was a good money spinner too.Cannon "law" has no place in the Law of the Universe.

Report abuse

rainbowbrew | Aug 30, 2011, 12:01 PM EDT
The pennace system has been convoluted it seems. Many people think that their sins are resolved by confessing and getting the hail marys to say. The problem is priests will confess to priests and then everything is aOK. this kind of confession probably was not meant to happen although if God says it is Ok then the society should accept?? The priest is the judge and jury in Gods eyes? I do not think it is right. I think cannon law does not have the kind of pennance that these child molestors deserve. In order to protect his parish he needs to do something or as it would be the parish should not trust the priest either. I would hate to know that a priest knew of what was happenning and then my child gets the treatment. Who wins? God? No the criminal. BUT the priest did his duty and is therefore exonerated in the Popes eye but surely not the peoples nor Gods.

Report abuse

SeamusMor | Aug 30, 2011, 11:48 AM EDT
Fr. O'Kane answers to a higher authority. "I absolve you of the sin, for your pennance go to the Garda and report your crime." might be the way to serve the interests of both God and society.

Report abuse

Mollyanne | Aug 30, 2011, 11:45 AM EDT
Its nonsence does Alan Shatter honestly think that people are going to confess a crime like this if they are going to get convicted its a no brainer how stupid does he think people are, any anyway I dont think anyone who commits crimes likethis will confess or go anyplace near a confession box. Its one of the worst crimes that can be committed and it will never be confessed even in a court of law. Alan Shatter cop on and come up with some other plan to get these animals

Report abuse

tommymccarthy | Aug 30, 2011, 10:21 AM EDT
colkelly I really think you have a big mouth,All you yankee colonist's come from rapist murders from your Mother country,try and get your place in order before you talk about my people O.K.

Report abuse



IrishCentral logo
"Like" IrishCentral
IrishCentral Mobile QR code


Connect to IrishCentral with your Facebook account

or Sign-Up directly

Already Registered? Sign-In!

Welcome to IrishCentral!
Please provide the following information in order to create your account

Username:
E-Mail Address:
Password:
Confirm Password:
I agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy


Already Registered? Sign-In!
Forgot my password

Welcome to IrishCentral!
All we need is the following information and you will be part of the #1 Irish community in the US

E-Mail Address:
First select a unique username:
Username:
Now choose a password:
Password:
Confirm Password:
I agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy
Thank you!

Just one more step and you will be part of the largest Irish community in America! Tell us a little more about you to start enjoying all the features of IrishCentral.

Additional Information:

First Name:
Last Name:
Date of Birth:
Zip:
Gender: Male  Female 
Country:
Degree of Irishness:
Household Income:
Level of Education:

Subscribe to our newsletters:

The Best of IrishCentral - Daily Newsletter
Special Offers from our sponsors

or
Skip

You can edit your information at any time, just go to "my account" when you're logged in.

Log into IrishCentral with your Facebook account

or sign-in directly

E-Mail:
Password:
 Remember me Forgot my password
Not a member? Register Now!
submit to reddit
print this article Print
email this articleE-mail