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 ...
My father was the one doing the abusing.
Now I think you’re making it up as you go along.
No thanks. I’m not into that.
I am sorry for what you endured; however, I don’t think this law will change anything for reasons I have already posted.
And you wonder why it took me so long to tell anyone..
Yes, I am.
Young people being abused often blame themselves for the abuse, to my understanding. But yes, it would seem the thing to do is offer to talk outside of the Sacramental setting.
Freegards
Still no explanation on how this would supposedly work in practice. I wish someone who supports it would just explain what they think would happen if someone alleges a priest heard abuse, or had a recording of abuse being revealed to a priest or whatever. Seems like a pretty low bar.
Freegards
This is simply a furthering of the Left using children to report on their parents. Nothing new.
When my kids were growing up, I didn’t want to have to drug them (mainly the boys), so I chose to spank them. Of course to Leftists, controlled spanking for discipline is no different than forcible rape on a child, so I also told my kids something very simple for them to understand: “If you want a new mommy and daddy, just tell the teacher that you’re spanked at home - and I promise you’ll get brand new parents.”
It worked.
| 1467 Given the delicacy and greatness of this ministry and the respect due to persons, the Church declares that every priest who hears confessions is bound under very severe penalties to keep absolute secrecy regarding the sins that his penitents have confessed to him. He can make no use of knowledge that confession gives him about penitents' lives. This secret, which admits of no exceptions, is called the "sacramental seal," because what the penitent has made known to the priest remains "sealed" by the sacrament. |
In your post #50, you stated, "And what kind of father does not protect his own children?".
Yet, 29 minutes later, in your post #61, you stated, "My father was the one doing the abusing."
Leave me alone jerk.. yes, my father molested me, and yes he didn’t protect me.
Leave me alone jerk.. yes, my father molested me, and yes he didn’t protect me.
BINGO!!! We have a WINNER!!!
Is your father in jail? Why are attacking the sacrosanct seal of Confession, yet failed to report your abuser to anyone, not even a relative or a police officer?
Listen, my father is dead and I’m not attacking anything. I merely stated my opinion...and perhaps he never went to jail because a priest he may hve confessed to never reported it to the athorities.
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