The Archbishop of Sydney, Anthony Fisher, has revealed he would not break the Seal of the Confessional and inform authorities if a child during confession told him they had been abused, but instead would try and persuade the child to tell someone.
Senior Counsel Gail Furness drew mixed responses from the five bishops when she asked them what they would do if a fictional child, "Sally", reported abuse to them during confession.
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"I will do everything in my power to persuade the child to come with me to the police," Archbishop Anthony Fisher said.
"If I can’t persuade that child of that option, having tried everything I can, then I believe I’m bound by the seal of confession to not repeat it."
Adelaide’s Archbishop Philip Wilson argued the child’s admission may not be covered by the confessional seal, as it is not a confession.
"What I would do is bring the confession process to a conclusion immediately, just complete the confession and then go on to have a little discussion with that person so that I was in a position to be able to then do something about it," he said.
Justice Peter McClellan interjected to ask the bishops if they would then grant absolution to someone who confessed to abusing a child, and whether they would be prepared to break the seal and tell authorities.
Archbishop Fisher said he would not "bug" the confessional on behalf of the state.
"I do so probably feeling terribly sick inside about what might this guy do next, but I would be using all power I have to persuade him to a change of life and to seeking the help he needs to change his life," he said.
Melbourne Archbishop Denis Hart said he would withhold absolution until the confessor went to authorities or sought medical help.
Earlier in the hearing, Archbishop Fisher revealed the current supervision of monitoring convicted pedophile priests was "not remotely sufficient".
"I can’t pretend we have a remotely sufficient supervision for me to be assured that they are not misbehaving again, that they are no risk," he said.
The public hearing into Catholic Church authorities has concluded, and the commission adjourned until March 6.