Washington State’s legislature is currently considering a bill that would require Catholic priests to report any admission of child abuse during confession. The law would require priests to break the seal of confession in such cases, which the Catholic Church views as an offense for which a priest can be immediately excommunicated. Now the bishop of Spokane is calling on Catholics to vote against the bill.
The bill, introduced by six Democratic senators, would amend a current law that requires the reporting of child abuse in professional positions like those in law enforcement, teachers, doctors, and childcare providers, to include church clergy members. It is not just aimed at Catholics, but also includes religious leaders of all faiths. The bill reads:
The amended law would apply to any “ordained minister, priest, rabbi, imam, elder, or similarly situated religious or spiritual leader of any church, religious denomination, religious body, spiritual community, or sect, or person performing official duties that are recognized as the duties of a member of the clergy.”
It is not the first time in recent years that Washington state has sought to pass such a bill. Aleteia previously reported on a similar bill that, while stressing the priests moral “duty” to report child abuse, respected the sacramental seal of confession. The current bill, however, does not contain such an exception, and carries harsh penalties for noncompliance, including jail time.
This led Bishop Thomas A. Daly of the Spokane Diocese to reiterate his previous objections to the proposal, as well as the Church’s commitment to ensuring the safety of children:
“The Diocese of Spokane maintains an entire department at the Chancery, the Office of Child and Youth protection, staffed by professional laypeople. We have a zero-tolerance policy regarding child sexual abuse. Our goal is do everything within our power to keep your children safe while we attempt to lead them to know and love Jesus Christ who commanded, ‘let the children come to me and do not hinder them,’” Bishop Daly wrote.
After reiterating the importance of protecting the sanctity of the seal of confession, he encouraged all Catholics in his diocese to contact their representatives to voice their displeasure over the proposal.
