Zone1 Seattle passes law requiring clergy to report crimes even if told during Sacrament of Confession.

[martybegan]

This will be a big problem for Catholic Priests, as the sanctity of the confession is absolute in Catholic Cannon law. The Church is only questioning the violation of sacrament of confession, they agree clergy have a duty to report outside of the confessional.

Washington governor signs law threatening seal of confession; bishops push back in defense of religious freedom

In a 2023 statement, the bishops urged legislators to amend the bill to preserve the clergy-penitent privilege, highlighting that requiring priests to break the confessional seal would constitute a grave violation of religious freedom and could lead to the excommunication of priests who comply with the measure.

“The U.S. Constitution has protected the clergy-penitent privilege for over two hundred years, and removing the clergy-penitent privilege would be an unconstitutional violation of civil liberties,” the statement reads. “It would violate the First Amendment’s Free Exercise clause because it would threaten priests with legal sanctions unless they violate their religious vows.”

The bishops’ statement also noted that the bill singled out the clergy-penitent privilege but kept attorney-client privilege intact.

 

[lg325]

I am not Catholic but I side with that church on this issue. On first Amendment grounds and if someone cannot trust the confidentiality of confession they may not seek help at all which could cause a lot of problems in so many ways.
Also the same for people in the mental health field. Both clergy and mental health workers need that trust to administer help to those troubled. I can see more people acting out in violence if they have no one to trust.

 

[OhPleaseJustQuit]

This will be a big problem for Catholic Priests, as the sanctity of the confession is absolute in Catholic Cannon law. The Church is only questioning the violation of sacrament of confession, they agree clergy have a duty to report outside of the confessional.

Washington governor signs law threatening seal of confession; bishops push back in defense of religious freedom

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Just another blow to the Catholic church. Who's going to go to confession when they know their priest is obligated, by law, to be a government snitch?

Makes the Lutherans look sane, when they tell you that they'll just keep confessing their sins directly to the Lord.

But I'm a real Catholic for the rest of eternity. The priests in my part of the country are not leftist sissies.

Time is coming and Ferguson looks apt in a pair of horns.


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[pknopp]

I disagree with the law but one does need to note, the Catholic church kinda brought it upon itself.

 

[OhPleaseJustQuit]

I am not Catholic but I side with that church on this issue. On first Amendment grounds and if someone cannot trust the confidentiality of confession they may not seek help at all which could cause a lot of problems in so many ways.
Also the same for people in the mental health field. Both clergy and mental health workers need that trust to administer help to those troubled. I can see more people acting out in violence if they have no one to trust.

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Well said, from my Catholic point of view.

This BS makes "white martyrs" out of so many Catholics, and we will not accept it.

The person on the other side of the curtain is in persona Christi, and if the law can invalidate this, it can invalidate the entire meaning of the Mass. Just not going to happen. I believe we finally have a Pope who will not get on his knees for anyone but the Lord.


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[martybegan]

I disagree with the law but one does need to note, the Catholic church kinda brought it upon itself.

The State violating the sanctity of confession isn't justified regardless.

How about we remove 4th amendment rights from all teachers because some teachers fuck their students?

 

[Unkotare]

This will be a big problem for Catholic Priests, as the sanctity of the confession is absolute in Catholic Cannon law. The Church is only questioning the violation of sacrament of confession, they agree clergy have a duty to report outside of the confessional.

Washington governor signs law threatening seal of confession; bishops push back in defense of religious freedom

That law will last about as long as it takes to read this thread.

 

[JustAnotherNut]

And what about the attorney/client priviledge as well??? I'm sure Fergie didn't include that

 

[OhPleaseJustQuit]

I disagree with the law but one does need to note, the Catholic church kinda brought it upon itself.

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How?



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[OhPleaseJustQuit]

This will be a big problem for Catholic Priests, as the sanctity of the confession is absolute in Catholic Cannon law. The Church is only questioning the violation of sacrament of confession, they agree clergy have a duty to report outside of the confessional.

Washington governor signs law threatening seal of confession; bishops push back in defense of religious freedom

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Well, at least the bishops are pushing back, right?

Our Bishop would be right on the front line of fighting this BS until his last breath. Ditto my priest, whom I think would lay down his life before betraying the Seal of the Confessional, since to do so would mean immediate excommunication.


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[1srelluc]

We did this last week.

 

[OhPleaseJustQuit]

We did this last week.

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And it still pisses me off and reaffirms my belief that Western Washington state is cruisin' for a bruisin'.


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[Captain Caveman]

This will be a big problem for Catholic Priests, as the sanctity of the confession is absolute in Catholic Cannon law. The Church is only questioning the violation of sacrament of confession, they agree clergy have a duty to report outside of the confessional.

Washington governor signs law threatening seal of confession; bishops push back in defense of religious freedom

They'll just ignore the law. Some laws are great on paper, impossible to enforce.

 

[Eman623]

I think if there is present and continuing abuse, then the priest needs to report it.

Same way if you go to a lawyer or psychiatrist and tell them you are going to murder someone and the threat is credible, that also by law needs to be reported.

 

[ozro]

What we need most is more laws that can't be enforced.

(Sarcasm)

 

[Dekster]

Catholics need only say I have been naughty but can't tell you how, Give me some like a bakers dozen Hail Mary's

 

[OhPleaseJustQuit]

Catholics need only say I have been naughty but can't tell you how, Give me some like a bakers dozen Hail Mary's

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Not with my priest.

And not by what the Catechism teaches.

Would that it were so.

And a baker's dozen of Hail Marys is probably approaching right. Worst penance I've ever gotten is a Decade of the Rosary -- one Our Father and ten Hail Marys.


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[pknopp]

The State violating the sanctity of confession isn't justified regardless.

How about we remove 4th amendment rights from all teachers because some teachers fuck their students?

How many priests have been prosecuted?

 

[pknopp]

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How?



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By allowing priests to continue what the church knew what they were doing.

 

[BothWings]

They'll just ignore the law. Some laws are great on paper, impossible to enforce.

Unless investigative agencies start bugging confession booths.... And somehow I see that as a distinct possibility. All they would have to do is send in an undercover agent to make a "confession". And then prove that the priest didn't report it in a prescribed time frame. Same way that detectives buy drugs off of people or bait hookers, and then arrest them