Two states are currently considering legislation that amends mandatory reporter laws to force Catholic priests and other religious clergy to divulge information about sexual abuse, even when the priest learned of the abuse while hearing a confession.
Bills currently under consideration in the Washington and Vermont legislatures would make all clergy in the state mandatory reporters of sexual abuse and would remove so-called clergy-penitent privilege, which otherwise exempts religious ministers from reporting anything that is heard in confession.
The legislation, if passed, would most notably affect Catholic priests, who are prohibited from divulging anything they hear in confession. Catholic canon law stipulates that any priest who violates the “seal of confession” automatically incurs the penalty of excommunication.
Bishop Thomas Daly of the Diocese of Spokane, Washington, told the Washington Examiner in an interview that if the bill were enacted, priests and bishops in the state would rather go to jail than comply.
“Priests and bishops will go to jail rather than break the seal of confession,” Daly said. “I’m confident that the priests in [the Diocese of Spokane] and my brother bishops would do that, so sacred is that bond.”
For Catholic priests, the seal of confession is nonnegotiable, Daly explained, noting that most secular institutions have tended to recognize the importance of the confessional seal and respected it.
“I am troubled if someone seems to think that this is negotiable,” he said. “I worry that that bond of trust that people have given their life for would suddenly seem to be up for renegotiation.”
The bishop of Spokane also wondered what kind of motivation could be behind the bill and noted that secular forces in the state were criticizing the Catholic Church’s involvement in social and healthcare services.
“Priests are already mandated reporters in all matters but the sacrament of penance,” he said. “Why has this become an issue?…”
Full story in Washington Examiner.
Yes Bishop Daly, pray your fellow bishop will agree, the pope too for that matter.
Every confessor should be concerned with this attack on the Catholic Church. Sadly, I do not hold out much hope that most priests would be willing to do a Saint John Nepomucene and die for defending the seal of confession.
Not a good law. I should think this would affect the Eastern Orthodox and some other ancient churches as their priests also take confessions under a seal — ministers and rabbis counsel too. There are all kinds of ways it can be abused by people lying to a priest, rabbi or minster to set them up.
First, how in the heck is a Police Officer going to know, that an abuser went to confession and admitted that he abused a child?
They want the priest to inform the police.
While the proposed law should be scrapped, most penitents are not known to me the priest when they confess serious sin. They take the privacy route behind the screen, go to one of us at another parish where they would not be recognized. For serious crimes a priest might advise the penitent to turn himself in to authorities. For abusive behaviors a priest might suggest a psychology visit where their seal no longer holds for harm to self or others. Justice is fairly comprehensive in the spiritual and material realms. As a priest I will deal with the spiritual realm without spilling over into the material realm directly. Just as the penitent came to Jesus through me for forgiveness, absolution, and penance, the penitent’s temporal affairs rest with him as well for restitution for his crimes. I’ll hold the seal of confession.
How about a synod where they poll the lay faithful about cardinal candidates?
Doctrine doesn’t change. Personnel do.
Daly and Paprocki for Cardinal!
McElroy and Cupich for a nice retirement at a Pacific Coast beach condo. They deserve it.
The Seal is solid. It will not be broken…..Shame on those who propose such nonsense, they haven’t got a clue.
https://www.catholicregister.org/home/international/item/32058-new-australian-law-requires-priests-to-break-seal-of-confession
Let’s imagine.
Fr. Xyz, of St. Somewhere called the local Police and reports. Today at confession, an unknown, adult sounding, woman’s voice coming from a dark closet, said she abused a young child.