THE CONFESSIONAL

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 136, 13 June 1927, Page 10

THE CONFESSIONAL

MAINTAINING SILENCE

ADVANTAGE TO SOCD3TY

(By Telegraph.)

(Special to "Tha Evening Port.")

AUCKLAND, This Day. Speaking at Sfc Benedict's last evening, Dr. Liston made reference to the recent cable from Paris concerning the seal of tho confessional. After pointing out that the English law fully recognised secrecy between client and solicitor and welcoming the claim made by a prominent medical practitioner in Saturday's "Auckland Star" for similar recognition of professional secrecy between patient and doctor, Dr. Liston said that the canon law of the Catholic Church had long since settled the practical principle as between penitent and confessor. '

History, ancient and modern, told the story of the fidelity to this trust and the Bishop quoted instances of priests undergoing imprisonment rather than betray it. Among them was the French priest, who, to the intense admiration of the "Sydney Morning Herald," served three years at the New Caledonian convict settlement. Dr. Liston pointed out that tho New Zealand law was in line with this wise provision for silence. Tho Evidence Act, 1908, laid down that a minister shall not divulge in any proceoding any confession made to him in his professional character, except with the consent of the person who has confessed. In England there was no statute law on tho point and Judicial pronouncements had not been uniform, but probably there would be legislation in England to the desired effect. Indeed, it had a distinct advantage to society itself if the wrongdoer could, with perfect security, admit his guilt to one friend in the world who would bo bound in the strictest possible way to maintain silence, for such a disclosure promoted repentance and consequent abstinence from future wrong doing, Whilst it fostered repentance, followed by satisfaction in some shape or other, for the past.