Posted on 02/24/2019 7:11:03 AM PST by marshmallow
A California state lawmaker introduced a proposal on Wednesday that would require clergy to report child abuse or neglect disclosed during confession.
The bill is expected to inspire a moral debate at the Capitol about the right to private penance versus a desire to protect children, and will force legislators to wade into the debate over the intersection of religion and public safety.
“SB 360 is about the safety and protection of children,” said Sen. Jerry Hill (D-San Mateo), who introduced the proposal. “The law should apply equally to all professionals who have been designated as mandated reporters of these crimes — with no exceptions, period. The exemption for clergy only protects the abuser and places children at further risk.”
Clergy, doctors, psychologists, marriage and family therapists and social workers are among some 46 categories of professionals required to report any suspicion of abuse or neglect to law enforcement.
But state law offers an exemption for any clergy member “who acquires knowledge or a reasonable suspicion of child abuse or neglect during a penitential communication,” defined as a sacramental confession or other communication made in confidence.
The proposal received swift backlash from the California Catholic Conference, the public policy arm of the Catholic Church.
“Inserting government into the Confessional does nothing to protect children and everything to erode the fundamental constitutional rights and liberties we enjoy as Americans,” said Steve Pehanich, director of communications and advocacy for the California Catholic Conference.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
But Democrats like this idiot don’t live by the Constitution. It’s unconstitutional - end of story. I recommend you dig up the old movie “J’accuse”
I have yet to see anyone give an explanation of how this is supposed to work in practice. Seems like a pretty low bar. Just a walk through on what supposedly is going to happen when a priest is accused of not reporting.
Freegards
Unfortunately, democrat Catholic politicians, like Pelosi, see no problem here, and Catholic bishops, most of whom are social justice liberal Democrats, won’t say a word against this.
sigh...then they’re no longer a Church, sad.
Talked to my priest about this yesterday. Without breaking the seal of confession he said he could tell the penatent that they should report their crime to the police. I thought it could be a condition of forgiveness, but the priest told me after absolution was given it was up to the penitent to follow threw or not.
The law also would apply to clergy hearing confessions of other clergy.
I guess the law would also apply if a victim of abuse alleges that they told a priest about their abuse in confession. That is what happened in that case in Louisiana, if I recall. I wonder if it also opens up civil damages for something that was alleged to have been told in confession, doesn’t seem like there would be a way to defend from that, if it was allowed.
Freegards
I have had this conversation with my liberal sister-in-law who is Parish Coordinator for one of our Catholic Churches. They view it as charitable works. I said.....it’s not charity if you’re getting paid well and partnered with the government. Blank look.
this iwl go to supreme court
You obviously didn't read the article. Psychiatrists and psychologists are required to report such behavior to the controlling legal authorities.
The so called 'seal of confession' has no biblical basis. It's a creation of men.
I’m all for it. Clergy of any faith.
How about all of the POS psychologists who know damn well the psychopathic and homicidal thoughts and premonitions of their patients many of whom have gone on to massacre children and adults?
Even if a priest asked additional, probing questions, that is much more likely to happen in the traditional confessional, not the Novus Ordo confessional. And as TexasKamaAina said, the penitent is anonymous anyway.
“everything to erode the fundamental constitutional rights and liberties we enjoy as Americans,” said Steve Pehanich, director of communications and advocacy for the California Catholic Conference.“
I didn’t realize anyone had a Constitutional right to deliberately conceal a crime.
L
If his law passes and surely it will, confessions will fall off. If the state can require breaking the seal on one thing it will rapidly spread to other things.Any priest who complies will cease to be a confessor.
What is a face to face confession? Each person sees the face of the other?
And what is the alternative confession?
To protect the perps? If a perp confess to a priest in the hope of absolution the priest will tell him he must take the proper legal steps to gain absolution i.e. confess also to the police. With this law in force the perps will not go to the priest in the first place and will not hear that requirement to pay temporarily for the sin. Perhaps there are not many who worry enough about the future of their souls enough to go to the police at the priest’s bidding but there are surely more than will without the priest laying out for them the consequences for their immortal soullls.
Anonymous, behind the screen: the way the Catholic Church had confession before Vatican II. It’s an option now, so a perpetrator could still get around the law.
That's ridiculous. No church gets to operate outside the law. The State has a legitimate roll in passing laws that protect the rights, property and welfare of it's citizens. Catholic priests are not above the law.
For communists, there is no "god" only the All Powerful State.
Some people would gladly give ultimate power over everything to The State, if if it would destroy the Catholic Church.
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