Priests veto child abuse laws in Oz

Sydney – The Catholic church in Australia said yesterday it would oppose laws forcing priests to report child abuse when they learn about it in the confessional, setting the stage for a showdown between the country’s biggest religion and government.

Pope Francis, leader of the world’s 1.3 billion Catholics, is facing sexual abuse crises in several countries and the stance taken by the Australians reflected the abiding, powerful influence of conservatives in the church.

The Australian Catholic Bishops Conference said the proposed law “is ill-conceived, and impracticable, it won’t make children safer, and it will most likely undermine religious freedom”.