Archbishop praises Chavez for backing away from law that would endanger Confession

Caracas, Venezuela, Jun 10, 2008 / 17:17 pm

Archbishop Reinaldo del Prette of Valencia has praised the decision by President Hugo Chavez to review a controversial law on national intelligence that some say would violate fundamental rights such as the seal of confession.

“To err is human and President Chavez was clear about it, and therefore we have to wait for the commission which he said he would establish to review the law and adapt it in conformity with Human Rights, as the national Constitution stipulates,” the archbishop told reporters.

He denied that the Church wants a seat on the commission saying, “We are not experts in intelligence and counterintelligence. Our mission is to prop up and maintain the doctrine of love, forgiveness and understanding of our neighbor.”

“I have studied that law in detail and it is not suitable for a deeply democratic country,” Archbishop del Prette said.  “But because of the statements of Cardinal Jorge Urosa of Caracas, I came to the conclusion that in reality, the seal of confession could be violated. 

Nevertheless, we priests are willing to be martyrs of the Law on Intelligence and Counterintelligence, similarly to what we read in a novel that was mandatory reading at the Minor Seminary of Valencia,” he said.