I'll tip my hat to these bishops, at least for their creativity.  I'd be shocked to see any changes related to the seal of confession, just shocked.   But as others have noted, would this even matter?  The general population of Catholics is no longer a confessing kind of group.  And the odds of a priestly pedophile confessing to his bishop?

So this is clever, because it suggests or implies they are really serious.  And in this area, turns out they can afford to say just about anything to paint themselves  as agents of change. 

I'd feel a lot better if they'd turn guys like Cardinal Law and the rest of them over, along with the records on all the cases under his watch.  THAT stands a better chance than the pope backing off the seal of confession.   

The longer this all goes on, the harder it will become to ever make this right.  Guys like Law are getting old.  Records were destroyed, and as long as they are stil held by bishops in their safes, the rest won't get out...