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Several bishops and priests appeared in federal court July 14 to ask a judge to block a Washington state law, set to go into effect July 27, that threatens priests with jail time and fines if they refuse to break the seal of Confession in certain cases.
CatholicVote previously reported that Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson, a Democrat, signed legislation in May that forces priests to notify authorities if a penintent confesses to child abuse. The law violates Church teaching on the confidentiality of the sacrament of Confession, which requires priests to keep private anything disclosed in the confessional on pain of automatic excommunication.
While several lawsuits have already been filed to challenge the law, its approaching effective date has prompted clergy to request an injunction to stop it from going into effect.
The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, one of the legal organizations representing the clergy, explained in a news release that the law threatens priests with up to 364 days in jail, a $5,000 fine, and potential civil liability. The law additionally protects lawyer-client, doctor-patient, and other types of confidentiality but singles out priest-penitent confidentiality.
Mark Rienzi, president and CEO of Becket, stated in the release that the law forces priests to make “an impossible choice” between violating the seal of Confession or going to jail.
“In a free nation like ours, no one should have to make that choice,” he said. “We’re hopeful the court will block this draconian law and protect the sacredness of confession.”
Becket also pointed out that the Church in Washington has taken steps to ensure that children are protected, implementing Safe Environment programs and utilizing background checks to keep minors and others safe. The Church also requires priests to be mandatory reporters of abuse and neglect unless the priest learns of the abuse during a confession.
