French Church and state at odds over sex abuse confessions

PARIS (AP) — France’s government has summoned the head of the French Catholic bishops’ conference after he said that secrets shared in the confessional are above the law. The country is reeling from a new study revealing large-scale sexual abuse of children within the church. The study estimates some 330,000 children were sexually abused over 70 years by priests or other church-related figures. The report describes “systemic” coverup of abuses, and says clergy receiving confession should be obliged to report any sexual violence against a child to police. Monsignor Eric de Moulins-Beaufort said that “the secrets of confession are stronger than the laws of the republic.” The French government disagrees, and summoned him.