California threatens to upend Catholic 'seal of confession'

Washington Times ^ | 05/29/2019 | By Christopher Vondracek

[SeekAndFind]

Catholic priests in California would be legally obligated to report to police sexual abuse confessions brought to them by fellow priests and other church employees if a bill quickly moving through the state legislature becomes law.

Religious liberty advocates, including representatives of Catholic dioceses in California, challenge the legislation, saying it would invade a sacred space and direct priests to violate the “seal of confession.”

“Sometimes the best intentions can lead to bad legislation,” Los Angeles Archbishop Jose Gomez said in a statement on California’s Senate Bill 360, which was approved by wide margins last week and now heads to the state Assembly.

Under Roman Catholic teachings, the sins confessed by a parishioner to a priest in the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation are secret to all but God, who absolves the sins through the instrument of the priest.

Current California law respects the “seal of confession,” requiring any member of the clergy (rabbis, priests or ministers) to report suspected sexual abuse of minors to authorities, except for suspicions raised via “penitential communication.”

The bill proposed by state Sen. Jerry Hill, San Francisco Democrat, would narrow that exemption for church employees, including priests, who admit to or suggest sexual abuse sins during confession.

[Mariner]

I have no issue with this unenforceable law.

If some priest is dumb enough to admit he violated it, he SHOULD be imprisoned.

[2banana]

Obey God or the socialists?

[Red Badger]

Heck, why not just require all confessionals to be video and audio recorded?................

[sparklite2]

In a similar instance in Australia, one official said Australia was a sovereign nation unwilling to have their laws dictated by another state (the Vatican).

[NorthMountain]

Obey God, and the socialists be damned.

[jarwulf]

Then people won’t confess anything and we’re right back at square one except even worse.

[Campion]

Don’t stop there. This client-attorney privilege thing has to go. Anything you say to your defense attorney behind closed doors should be videotaped and sent to the DA’s office immediately. Remember, **IT’S for the CHILDREN**.

[Deepeasttx]

Un-separation of church and state?

[faithhopecharity]

the stinking commie political hacks have destroyed Californication, turned it into a stinking cesspool for only the rich like Pelousy and Feinstein... and poor who they import from all over the world to support their continued graft in public office inho

[DoughtyOne]

I do have a problem, because the state will be pleased as punch to bankrupt anyone who dares object to the illegal law.

[Red Badger]

And that Doctor-Patient crap, too.

Your colonoscopy ought to be a public record................

[Just mythoughts]

Where in the Constitution is privilege given to a man in a box? If as some want to claim, confessing ‘criminal’ acts is the first step to turning oneself over to the ‘legal’ authorities, there would be no need to make it a law to expose what some in the name of Jesus excuse.. how many pre-puberty children ever enter a confessional? Wonder did ol Teddy confess prior to turning his self to the authorities.

Wonder how many Catholic Charity illegals ‘confess’ before slipping back across the border. Quite a criminal racket going on inside a box.

[Mariner]

How would they bankrupt them?

And on what basis would the law be illegal?

[relee]

Heck, why not just require all confessionals to be video and audio recorded?

or Live in Prime Time, like Live PD?

[NorthMountain]

This client-attorney privilege thing has to go.

This privacy of "your" "own" "home" has to go. You must accept 24/7/365 video and audio monitoring where you live and where you work. It's for the children. If you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear.

[NorthMountain]

And on what basis would the law be illegal?

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof

SCOTUS has held for decades that the First Amendment limits the actions of States as well as the Congress.

It's unconstitutional on its face.

[Red Badger]

Or Live Streamed on YouTube!...................

[Amendment10]

"Religious liberty advocates, including representatives of Catholic dioceses in California, challenge the legislation, saying it would invade a sacred space and direct priests to violate the “seal of confession.”"

Aren't the priest and penitent separated by an opaque partition in a catholic confessional, the priest therefore not necessarily sure who the penitent is?

Also, are catholic dioceses aware of 14th Amendment (14A) protections?

From the 14th Amendment:

• "Section 1: All persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States [emphasis added]; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.”

• "Section 5: The Congress shall have power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article."

The problem with 14A is that patriots need to elect a new congress in 2020 elections that will promise to exercise 14A powers to make punitive laws to discourage state actors from abridging constitutionally enumerated rights.

Remember in November 2020!

MAGA!

[Mariner]

“It’s unconstitutional on its face. “

Subject to USSC “interpretation”.