Belgian Priest Convicted for Keeping Secret
In October 2015 he allegedly failed to seek help for his friend Tony Vantomme (54) who was manic depressive and an alcoholic. He had been suicidal for a long time.
Shortly before Vantomme committed suicide by inhaling car exhaust fumes, he exchanged three phone calls (49 minutes) and four text messages with Father Stroobandt, the last when he was already in his car.
When Vantomme's widow discovered the text messages, she lodged a complaint with prosecutors.
Stroobandt defended himself with reference to the "secrecy of confession" although such a secret does not apply to a phone exchange.
The court said that Stroobandt should have called an emergency service. About the secret of confession it [falsely] stated that "is by no means absolute".
Father Stroobandt received a suspended one-month jail sentence. His lawyer pointed out that according to Europan law every citizen has a right to commit suicide. Belgium was one of the first countries in the world to legalise assisted suicide in 2002.
Father Stroobandt has appealed the sentence.
Picture: © Lawrence OP, CC BY-ND, #newsNvzejsuahk
