Earlier this year, Washington state passed a bill adding clergy to the list of mandatory reporters, meaning that any clergy who hear about child abuse or neglect are required by law to report that abuse to police – even if it is learned in confession.
The law was fought tooth-and-nail by the Catholic Archdiocese of Seattle, who said they agreed with the spirit of the bill, but stated they had no choice but to oppose it because the seal of confession cannot be broken. Nevertheless, the bill passed, and will go into effect July 27.
Now, the Catholic Church has a message for any priests who follow the law: You’ll be excommunicated if you do.
Jail or Excommunication?
Catholic leadership says that confession must remain sacred at any cost. That means that any Washington state priests who do hear about abuse in confession will be forced to decide whether they will commit a crime to keep their career.
"Catholic clergy may not violate the seal of confession – or they will be excommunicated from the Church," wrote the Archdiocese of Seattle in a statement. "All Catholics must know and be assured that their confessions remain sacred, secure, confidential and protected by the law of the Church."
"The Catholic Church agrees with the goal of protecting children and preventing child abuse," the statement continues, adding that the Church "remains committed to reporting child sexual abuse, working with victim survivors towards healing and protecting all minors and vulnerable people."
"All Catholics must know and be assured that their confessions remain sacred, secure, confidential, and protected by the law of the Church," wrote Archbishop Paul Etienne of Seattle. “We must obey God rather than men," Etienne said. "This is our stance now in the face of this new law."
An Ally Emerges
The Catholic Church may have a very powerful ally in their fight against the new mandatory reporter law: The Trump administration, which is investigating the law on religious freedom grounds. The law “appears on its face to violate the First Amendment,” read a statement from the Department of Justice, who argued the law was targeting Catholics specifically.
The law "demands that Catholic Priests violate their deeply held faith in order to obey the law, a violation of the Constitution and a breach of the free exercise of religion cannot stand under our Constitutional system of government," wrote Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon.
State Sen. Noel Frame, who introduced the bill originally, pushed back on the notion that the bill is anti-Catholic. She says that Catholicism has nothing to do with it, and that she got the idea for the bill after reading a report on how Jehovah’s Witness leadership in Spokane, Washington covered up sexual abuse for decades.
“I shouldn’t be surprised that the Trump administration is launching an investigation into a law that seeks to protect children from child abuse and neglect,” she stated.
What do you think? The Catholic Church says that God’s law supersedes man’s law, but their hardline stance will undoubtedly put clergy who hear such confessions in a very difficult position. On the other hand, bill advocates say this is a no-brainer bill, and clearly in the best interest of children. As bill author Noel Frame said, “you never put somebody’s conscience above the protection of a child.”
What is your response?
80 comments
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KING JAMES I of The Empire of Dunlap
No Violence: NO Force; only consensual acts of sexual intimacy, and 'learnedcy' between two humans, no matter, is the acceptation. The divine knows it's humans, and allows them to just 'BE.' The divine is diminished, and is taketh away in the beloved sexual intimate acts between two humans, no matter the humans, if violence, or force is present: then it is no longer intimately sacred, it is no longer divinely a bonding act, and it is no longer a divinely learned, and shared "ritualistic" practice. As stated, NO VIOLENCE, NO FORCE: No really does mean NO! Let that sink in; not only with the modern day knowledge, but dating back to the beginning of humans even having any faith at all, or any rituals at all: Divine will allow, in the time it will: NO VIOLENCE: NO FORCE. "Let Nature, Natural: May Divine be felt by Us All"
In the highest of prayer I leave these words with you by saying, 'HHEME'J' / 'OHO'
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Rev. Roe
To all that disagree with ANYsituation on reporting child abuse , I would only ask what if it were your child and the preist or minister had knowledge and withheld it how would you then feel? Perhaps if the good priest reported abuse and was excommunicated he might have been teaching Gods word in the wrong place.
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Danielle Elizabeth Ostach
Maybe, and if your doctor revealed all your medical record publically or the lawyer threw their client under the bus for what was said in confidence for their defense and so on. There are some positions of trust where information can not be shared unfortunately and the person can only encourage people to come forward and admit their guilt. Confessional is one of those. I say this as Jewish Wiccan who respects the church for the hard place it is in.
That said, priests that commit such things should be excommunicated the moment it is shown they commit abuse.
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Vikki
When I was 4.5/5 I confessed to our Priest the ongoing sexual abuse I had been enduring. We gave confession on the stairs not in a booth. He did tell my mom...in his private residence as the sun dappled the carpet and I played. He told her I was young enough that I would forget about it. She was to confront her husband, my abuser. She did. He said I was lying. He punished me...spanking and a stern talking to about how sinful lying was. The abuse continued until I was 11, when he left. Spoiler...I never 'forgot about it'. I'm 57 nearly 58. I do remember this conversation quite well too, the punishment after, and the betrayal...mother and priest. I never 'got over it'. I wasn't quiet then and I am not now. I 'left' the Catholic Church as soon as I was able. I think the reason that the church doesn't staunchly defend victims and call out perpetrators is because they would have to clean house, expel, and punish from within. I've moved back to my hometown and drive by his little house often. There policy is destructive to their parishioners. People will continue to leave when they feel that they don't matter.
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Ari Joseph Bertine
Which is more important: making sure an abuse victim is rescued and gets treatment, or giving an abuser an easy out to stop feeling guilty by saying a few rote prayers? I'd honestly like to hear the Church's explanation for their assumed answer.
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Rev Ned
Not sacred enough, apparently.
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Timothy Alan Gress
Maybe the work around to forcing priests to violate the sanctity of the confessional is the Catholic Church revives the paladins and holy avengers who take the law and gods law into their hands and executes the confessing child abuser themselves then everyone wins!
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Timothy Alan Gress
Those kids the angel of death offed had it coming and deserved it for being first born!🤣
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Audrey Hwang
Sorry for the typos. I lost my glasses.
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Audrey Hwang
We are all sinners.
That being established, pedophelia must be reported as those who commit it are not practicing the faith.
They are hurting and damaging the lives of so many and have Absolutely no place wishing the faith.
They are abusing and taking lives away, being the worst sinners themselves ans overall, and wolves in sheep’s clothing.
They have no place anywhere, but to be in jail and to rot forever without hiding behind their religion and abusing such powers to be the everyday abuser.
Throw them out.
It’s no wonder people despise God/The Universe and such.
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Rudolph M Garza
It is my belief that more professions that are in contact with children such as coaches, youth leaders, and education be included in this law.
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Ronaldo
The Church says that the confessions must be held as sacred and secret because of God's law, but the Bible doesn't say that anywhere. In fact, several statements mentioning confessions say that the sinner should confess to several people, not one priest. Sinners in the past openly confessed their sin to all so that the community could help them rise above it and learn from their mistakes. Jesus told his followers that secular law must be obeyed in all instances where God's rules are not violated. Since none of God's laws require that priests keep these secrets, disobeying laws that allow them to protect children are essentially disobeying Jesus, as well.
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James A. Ridings
The solution seems simple to me. The priest hearing confession should be mandated to declaring to the confessing perpetrator is that the "penance" to be done by the confessing perpetrator is to leave the presence of the child forever AND to turn himself/herself in to police AND to verify to the priest that the penance has been done. Then, the system can take its course to determine guilt or not.
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Jennie LeDeaux
God does instruct us to follow man’s laws. Also I am already a mandatory reporter due to my job. However I do not believe that God would ask me to NOT report a crime period. Crimes against women and children will be dealt with by God and I won’t be one who answers for it becomes I remained silent and attempted to use God as the reason. I don’t need to be unfavored by God.
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Donald G Magel
The Church's apparent priority, for at least since Martin Luther preached about this "evil", is to act to protect their priests. First they deny and then they transfer and then the "treatment" and then the announced cure! Then on to another Indian school to working for the poor children in need of guidance.The church must think that these children are coming on to those poor clergy. Luring these "holy" men at Satan's directions I suppose.
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James Riggle-Johnson
I’m not surprised that the church wants to protect the abusers or that the current administration supports that stance. They push and insist children be born but then ignore the child's needs after that. The Catholic church has protected its priests in the same way. If abusers think they can confess their sins and face no repercussions, it encourages their behavior to continue. Why don’t they report these confessions anonymously? It would force an investigation and leave the church out of it.
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Mark Steven Fielder
This is why you have the clear separation between church & state. One should not be over or under the other. Do we arrest people for not reporting a crime? If we make the clergy report why not lawyers? In what state is the law applied equally?
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Jacquelyn Kendall
This is a "render unto Caesar" situation. Offenders get absolved for eternity if they wish. They need to have temporal consequences while they live on the planet.
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Lionheart
Did you have a particular planet in mind?
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Minister Holly B Lovey
THIS IS ALL I HAVE TO SAY: John 14:6 Jesus said, “ I am the way and the truth and the life. NO ONE comes to the Father except through me. 🔴1 Timothy 2:5 For there is one God, and there is one MEDIATOR between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.
THIS CUTS OUT THE PROBLEMS WE HAVE WITH THIS.
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Lionheart
How do you know what Jesus ever really said? Did you read that somewhere?
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Minister Holly B Lovey
I READ THE BIBLE. DO YOU?
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Laurie Walker
Protecting the abuser who harms a child is not a good or Godly look. How is this justifiable under any circumstance is inconceivable.
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Patricia Ann Gross
I have very strong opinions both ways. Where I live, I am required by one profession to report, not required by another, and prohibited by the third (yes, I have had three professional professions where this issue could come up.) As clergy, my denomination calls me to seek legal counsel from the judicatory before saying anything if being compelled to reveal confidential information or any contents of any conversation with anyone in a ministerial capacity. As a professional counselor, I am a mandatory reporter (an obvious conflict). As a coach, I am only required to follow my own consience (no help there).
My daughter was physically abused and molested by her father, so this issue hits close to home. Had things she disclosed to me and our youth pastor been admissable in court, he would be rotting in jail rather than watching his grandchildren grow up. But rather than risk another suicide attempt if required to face him in court, we stepped aside, and I divorced him, requiring full custody and he agreed to no visitation. The reality is that a confession to a priest only caries the power weight of the power of the clergy if he were to testify. Reporting it and having nothing happen, especially if there was no disclosure of who the child was, carries no weight, and could only make the priest/clergyperson a target if the person becomes harrassed by the police wihich is exactly what will happen.
I'm in accord with those that state that the WA should focus inside the house rather than outside, and excommunicate the and report priests that abuse children rather than passing them along to another church before they consider booting them for violating the confessional.
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Melinda Piatkowski
If they can convince the abuser/abused to seek counsel or give counsel to then keeping mental note of each visit Put them on the right track to gain some kind of forgiveness which they seek in confession turn themselves in . Counsel God helps those who help themselves first step in forgiveness is admittance of guilt/wrong doings . True forgiveness is not confess and repeat the same offense. He is a forgiving God to abuse that is to abuse life itself. He's also a knowledgeable God he sees the soul and heart of ever man woman and child . So even if you report it it's your word against there's. Some have to be guided by trust to repent and seek additional help. confession should be private let the clergy decide if they should step outside the church to seek outside help. Make sure you have information to give what you repeat merit. I see the benefits of both sides .
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John W
Unbelievable. We preach "suffer the little children to come unto me" yet we support ministers who use their brand of religion to conceal crimes against children. No, you are not honoring the seal of the confessional, you are aiding and abetting criminal acts against society's most precious beings. As a young man growing up in a ghetto environment I learned that silence is a form of consent when you choose not to notify law enforcement of crimes being committed.
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Walter Abington
Those who hide behind confession, knowing they will not be reported and punished, are not Christian and not good people. The church needs to expel and expose those who prey upon children and other vulnerable persons. Withhold fellowship. They can congregate in jail.
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Shannon Nichole Wright
Yet another example of religion being used to enable patriarchal rapist pedophile psychos.
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Danielle Elizabeth Ostach
Religion is not enabling them or making them and the priest basically is obligated to say: If you do not repent of your deeds, you are not forgiven and your sins are not cleansed. What you said is sealed under confessional but you are still in opposition to God.
Sometimes being a priest, social worker, doctor, lawyer or even trusted confidant is the hardest thing because you have to keep your mouth shut when you want to shout to the world. It is price of being in position of trust and perhaps you can't help the first, but maybe you help turn around and sway the second or third.
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Steven Ferrell
This is a difficult one as I can see both sides to some degree. A person should be able to trust what they tell their clergy is in confidence, however if they only want forgiveness, but have no intention on changing their behavior, then that is the problem and changes things.
Having also worked in law enforcement and EMS for 12 yeas before leaving those fields, I have seen first hand the devastation of child abuse, neglect, sexual abuse and every evil one can think of on children of all ages. It is sickening and some of those cases haunt me still years later.
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Rev'd Andrew
There is no such thing as "God's Law." The 'Sanctity of Confession' is a Catholic law: laws that are neither absolute or infallible. A Papal Decree could easily do away with the Sanctity of Confession and comply with the law of the people. As it says in Romans 13: 1-2: "Obey the government, for God is the One who has put it there. There is no government anywhere that God has not placed in power. So those who refuse to obey the law of the land are refusing to obey God, and punishment will follow."
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Danielle Elizabeth Ostach
As much as I find Child abuse abhorrent and wish it was reported, I have to oppose this sentiment. There are governments that are evil, that do evil things and abuse citizens. The concept that God made someone the government and so everything they do and any law they pass is good is a fallacy. Too many bad laws are on the books.
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David Lee Valdina
I think anything heard is hearsay. Hearsay is generally not allowed into evidence in court. Beyond that, is it wise to require people to report on anything they hear ? I am sitting at a public place and hear a person talk about driving 120 mph on the expressway many times. Must I find a policeman and report him ? One way of testing is to push to extreme limits and see if it still makes sense. I do not think Priests should be required to report anything they hear in Confession.
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Don Carlo Battaglia
This is nonsense. Reporting a crime has nothing to do with the evidence needed to convict a criminal if the reporting leads to an arrest. The law in question is limited to child abuse, not speeding braggarts. When you don't have a real argument you resort to false equivalency.
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Susanna Elaine Harding
It's part of what we do. When I started this nonsense it was because I was teaching and the kids were telling me things I didn't want to be forced to repeat. So I took measures (getting ordained) so this could not happen.
I quote Sir Thomas More at his execution: "I am His Majesty's good friend - but God's first."
If it is a choice between breaking confidentiality and prison, I will choose prison. Keeping my word is more important to me than my freedom.
Your mileage may vary.
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Amber Fry
For me it does. I cannot stand by and let people be harmed. My word isn't worth a darn if people are getting hurt over it.
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Jacqueline Walsh
Of course protecting children should be without question.
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Rev Morse
Interesting 🤔
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ServantOfJudgement
Mandatory reporting laws allow for a type of swatting. All one has to do is make up a story about a kid getting abused, anonymously report it and the fuzz shows up with guns and a guilty verdict. That can cause dead cop syndrome, dead dad syndrome and many other medical issues.
Since we're making laws that violate our first amendment, let's simply make it a law that victims must report the crime or do the time.
This can all be solved very very easily. When a MAP is found guilty, publicly execute they/them/her/him/xem immediately.
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Danielle Elizabeth Ostach
A proper mandatory reporting law means the person reporting it is identified and is saying they have reason to suspect abuse and give details. This should lead to investigation, not people charging in with guns blazing which would be violation of law (there needs to be due process and warrant).
Priests should be mandatory reporters (as should everyone else too) if they witness abuse happening, see signs of it during say religious school classes or places outside confessional. Inside the confessional, everything is sacred, the priest can't say a thing but they can council and suggest the one confessing go to authorities and promise help if they are told OUTSIDE the confessional (since they have to keep seal of confession).
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Rev Nolan
I agree with the Catholic Church because I support the First Amendment just as it is:
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.“
Give up one right opens up opportunities to give up all of them.
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Amber Fry
But breaking laws isn't a right. Freedom of speech doesn't cover criminal activity. Being free to speak doesn't mean being free to commit crimes. Speaking about their crimes isn't what they would be persecuted for. DOING THEM would be. There is a difference.
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Dr. Zerpersande, NSC
And yet people support their churches.
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Danielle Elizabeth Ostach
Hey, They can in confessional council the person to come forth outside the confessional and any abuse they learn about outside confessional should be reported and must be reported.
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Rev Nolan
If said in confidence, clergy should maintain that confidence no matter what, BUT, as a general principle, they should encourage parishioners to otherwise obey the law of the land. Sure, the children need protection, but our rights supersede in the need for protection. The Catholic Church is responsible for egregiously large numbers of various forms of violence and abuse against children, so children should be allowed to safely communicate such abuses and have a safe place to do so.
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Brother Peter
If Jesus were to walk into the room today, he would say the most important thing is to protect the children.
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Lionheart
Nah, not at all. His dad was just as bad with children. He even killed them.
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Rev Nolan
Spot on!
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Douglas Robert Spindler
If you read the Bible, God approves of this behavior. And if you look at the President he approves and participates and does the same. See what Trump and the Turmp administration did for the Tate brothers.
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ServantOfJudgement
Douglas the bible I've read doesn't say that. Try turning yours upside down or read through a nice mirror.
As far as the president approving this stuff, I know he let quite a few thousand illegal rapists in the country no questions asked and even the left is trying to keep them here for some reason. Some of those illegals really like rape I guess. Just because he showered with his pre teen daughter and likes to smell girl's hair doesn't mean Biden approves of the stuff.
I did read that in Feb 2025 the US legal system has started to move against the Tate brothers, thank God for President Trump.
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Rev Nolan
Trump is not clergy. Big difference… unless he’s legally the pope of his MAGA cult.
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Amber Fry
Cult leaders apparently qualify to the base.
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KJ Palmer
I find it disgusting that the church would rather protect abusers than the innocent, under the claim that God's law supercedes the laws of man. First of all, we are supposed to be the caretakers and guardians of innocent lives, no just God would protect abusers. This should just demonstrate how unholy organized religion can be. I have no problem with religion that follows what they preach, when they aren't hypocritical and do the opposite of what they claim, because that's how they choose to interpret their holy book, but things like this make me glad that I'm no longer part of any of these centuries old religious institutions.
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Nicholas J Page
Of course the Catholic church wants to excommumiate the clergy who report child abuse as their as guilty as sin all clergy should report child abuse this stinks of blackmail
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Brien
Hmm, hate, bigotry, and pedophiles. Looks like the catholic church has hit the religious tri fecta! Whoohoo! I bet the over to win 🏆.
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Reverend Paula Copp
Gee, imagine! The Catholic Church doesn’t want to violate the sanctity of the confessional… the Church most famous for pedophile priests doesn’t want to warn police or parents about abuse… go figure!🙄
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Robert Gagnon
The most mentioned yes, the most prolific, not necessarily. How many other Christian news articles have we read about cover ups with juveniles? Many organizations have molesters in them from foster homes to schools. The predator hunts it's prey where ever they may gather.
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Reverend Paula Copp
I said it was the most famous, not the most prevalent…as you mentioned.
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Rev. BH
I have mixed thoughts about the Sanctity of the Confessional. If priests become forced to report pedophiles what other sins down the line might they be forced to share with the police? Adultery? Three way sex? Not honoring thy father and mother? Making a graven image? Taking the Lord's name in vain? The slope is always slippery.
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Amber Fry
I don't think so. If they are violent crimes in particular then it shouldn't be an issue. If they are just religious sins then nobody really needs to know but the people involved and whoever they pull in for religious council.
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Matthew Mastrogiovanni
So basically it's the snitches get stitches theory with the Catholic church.
The church won't excommunicate a priest for molesting children, but they will excommunicate a priest who's a snitch. Worse, God is as silent about all of this, as he was during the holocaust.
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Lawrence A. Benson
The "sanctity" of the confessional was a man-made doctrine and can be amended or abolished by man. It's about time the Catholic Church and all religions abolished any antiquated laws that conceal crimes of violence.
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JaZe
Confession has for centuries always been a way of passing on information of all kinds. A question here is would the perpetrators still come to confession (some do) if they knew they could be reported, and would the victims be allowed to go to confession, but be threatened by their tormentors if they reveal the abuse?
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Robert Hauck, MD, FAAP
In a moral society the protection of our children is our highest priority, superseding the self-serving rules of religious groups. The law is not anti-Catholic --- it is pro-child. It's long overdue that clergy join the ranks of educators, nurses, doctors, counselors and other professionals who work with children.
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Ed McLaughlin
What powers they assume Priest's have, to know the identity of the person behind the curtin!! The Justice Department is correct in stepping up to defend the Catholic Church from an overreaching Government..Haveing spent nearly a half century enforcing Constitutional Law, I"d be the first person to admit being mindblown about the depravity of Child Abuse! That to say,,when Law Makers and Law Enforcers find themselves equally mindblown, they should STOP and realize that THEY are the guardian's and caretaker's of our Constitutional RIGHTS!!! And ACT RESPONSIBLY..
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Rev. Mike Eggleston
Should an exemption from a requirement to report be extended to ministers of other religion such as Wiccans, Satanists, Pastafarians et. etc?
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John Riso
This can happen in any religion and even though someone says something about abuse or anything that is sexual that happened to the child the priest has every right to report the abuse to keep the child safe. Yes confession is confidential but when a child or an adult is abused it needs to be reported right away.
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Michael Hall
Anonymous reporting is, and must be for the protection of the victims, a possible solution to this conundrum. The Church (JW or Catholic or anything else) can justify it however it wants, but crimes against children are reprehensible and must be investigated if reported. Reclassifying crimes as sins was always stupid anyway.
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Merlin
It has started. The Beast of the Earth-the false prophet.
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Douglas Robert Spindler
You mean God and his son Jesus. Could not agree with you more.
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Reverend Marika
There is a very simple way to solve the problem of the filth that has infiltrated the Catholic Church.
Stop raising your children as Catholics.
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Lionheart
Yes, or with any religion.
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Drew Stangle
Leave to our Moron in Chief and the Church to prefer protection of abusers, rapists and pedophiles than the safety of the victims. You can say you support the victims all you want, but let's be real here, you don't support victims because YOU are equally guilty in creating them. What a bunch of hypocrites, Jesus would be ashamed of you.
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Lionheart
Did you mean the ex-sniffer-in-chief?
And don’t forget, it was Jesus’s dad that killed the children of the first born due to his anger management issue that he had with Pharaoh, not to mention those infants, babies, and children he drowned, so i doubt he’s bothered about the Priests thing. 🤷
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Rev. BH
Lionheart: May 1. "The Trump Administration's cancelation of childhood cancer research will cost children's lives." So much for your concern about babies and children.
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JaZe
Such drama! You know that a lot in religious books are fisherman s tales, wishful thinking and utter bias.
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Joe Stutler
Imagine that, an international pedophilia conglomerate threatens to ostracize employees for reporting the crime of kiddie-rape. Sounds like What Jesus Would Do. 🤔
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Lionheart
It’s all part of the mental illness of religion. What more could we expect? 🤷
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The State has no business vetting church practices. Period. They can do it to you if they do it to me.
This is a statement with which I disagree. State has a rite to vet certain church practices especially if they effect those outside the church. Even within the church they can vet practices that actually harm others (forcing drugs on unwilling, assaults, forced conversions, etc). The right of your religion ends where my nose begins. The case of the Branch Dividians is a very famous one where state vetted the violence, firearms and drug violations of the sect.
Sanctity of Confessional though is not one of these. It is person confessing to priest to seek absolution from God or get trusted advice. This should put it in same class as medical records, attorney client privilege and so on. That said historically some priests have actually spend days in jail for refusing to break confessional but cases always have ended up in priests being released as courts have upheld confessional to be same level as other trusted relationships mentioned above. The fact is that the Catholic church has saints and Martyrs venerated for dying rather than break confessional.