California threatens to upend
Catholic 'seal of confession'
Washington Times,
by
Christopher Vondracek
Original Article
Posted By: Pluperfect,
5/29/2019 5:00:18 AM
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,
Reply 1 - Posted by:
PChristopher 5/29/2019 5:12:44 AM (No. 85997)
I was not aware that 'The State' could compel 'The Church' to do anything.
26 people like this.
Why on earth would anyone confess if they knew it was not under the seal. Makes no sense at all, and I wish the Democrats would just stop hating and start being people.
21 people like this.
Reply 3 - Posted by:
frankiems 5/29/2019 7:26:34 AM (No. 86044)
Dirty priests used the confessional to hide their secrets. They confessed to each other thereby ensuring secrets would stay secret. I'm not sure I agree with the other posters that the confessional is untouchable and should be protected
2 people like this.
Reply 4 - Posted by:
janjan 5/29/2019 7:39:54 AM (No. 86049)
The Church needs to challenge this law in the courts and in the meantime refuse to comply. A gaggle of State politicians should not have the power to usurp the Church’s authority on these matters.
7 people like this.
Reply 5 - Posted by:
Clinger 5/29/2019 8:07:50 AM (No. 86072)
So they should be for overturning Roe vs Wade right? That contortion by the Supreme Court was based on doctor patient confidentiality. Same diff eh boys and girls and other perverted variants of human like life forms?
2 people like this.
Reply 6 - Posted by:
NorthernDog 5/29/2019 8:28:43 AM (No. 86092)
Confessions can usually be done anonymously. I'm sure priests hear all kinds of awful confessions and cannot for certain say who the confessor was.
7 people like this.
Reply 7 - Posted by:
Rather Read 5/29/2019 8:31:25 AM (No. 86094)
Go back to confessing behind a screen. It will preserve the penitent's identity. That said, the state has no business here. Priest/penitent, attorney/client, doctor/patient - confidentiality is paramount to the relationship and Big Brother needs to leave them alone.
9 people like this.
Reply 8 - Posted by:
Namma 5/29/2019 9:03:00 AM (No. 86114)
the priest could not absolutely identify a person confessing. An innocent person could be condemned to death. I think ole California is trying to control and finally break the Catholic Church. Guess the Church is going to have to have the priests sign a Hippa law document.
3 people like this.
Reply 9 - Posted by:
lisa belanger 5/29/2019 9:18:53 AM (No. 86124)
that won.t happenned......supreme court would say no...it does.nt make sense
they are trying o kill the religion.
0 people like this.
Reply 10 - Posted by:
MNluxiegal 5/29/2019 9:21:19 AM (No. 86126)
A priest cannot absolve a penitent who has committed a crime unless he advises the penitent to make restitution to the victim. In case of an assault, that would include going to the appropriate authorities to confess. It is then up to the penitent to follow the priest's direction. The priest cannot be compelled to by-pass the penitent and report it.
7 people like this.
Reply 11 - Posted by:
webaia 5/29/2019 9:23:30 AM (No. 86127)
I disagree with most of the comments here. How do you feel about Sharia Law? Muslims believe Sharia is a higher law, and it appears most commenters believe the Catholic confessional is a higher law... Why do you feel the need to protect sexual predators? Why would anyone want their church leadership to be comprised of unvirtuous filth? If that's what you want leading your faith, you deserve it!
6 people like this.
Reply 12 - Posted by:
qr4j 5/29/2019 9:25:14 AM (No. 86129)
The confessional must be kept sealed. It is the context in which good priests can encourage -- yes, even require -- sinners to repent and, where possible, make restitution. Part of repentance and restitution is owning the sins that were also illegal.
Bad priests will cover up. So do bad cops. But there are far more good priests and good cops than bad ones.
5 people like this.
Reply 13 - Posted by:
lana720 5/29/2019 9:35:14 AM (No. 86138)
From the ones who scream, “separation of church and state,” this is pretty insane. California should hang it up and secede from the Union.
5 people like this.
Reply 14 - Posted by:
Strike3 5/29/2019 9:51:24 AM (No. 86153)
This one will turn around and bite California. Nearly one hundred percent of Hispanics are Catholic and California is what, thirty percent Hispanic? It's a no-go on several fronts.
2 people like this.
Reply 15 - Posted by:
chillijilli 5/29/2019 10:12:58 AM (No. 86180)
So I have an idea: Let's create a Confession App! It would be a great way to defuse the looming battle between The State and The Church! By confessing directly to an app, the only space that would be invaded would be that which exists between a device and it's owner. Google already knows everything about you...so, nothing new; no big deal. Yes! A Confession App! Paging Mark Cuban or Kevin O'Leary now!
1 person likes this.
Reply 16 - Posted by:
LC Chihuahua 5/29/2019 10:15:14 AM (No. 86182)
Isn't there such a thing as separation of church and state?
That doesn't stop the left. They don't follow the law. They are the law! For the left, anything like the constitution can be damned. The left is nothing more than a tyranny.
0 people like this.
Reply 17 - Posted by:
ladycatnip 5/29/2019 10:17:54 AM (No. 86185)
#2, I totally agree with you. Doctors and lawyers are next. This will not happen. If a priest violates a confession he will be excommunicated. California has no authority over the Church; this is a huge leftist grab for power which is unconstitutional. Yes there are bad priests but in my experience, far more excellent ones. If one has violated the law the priest will urge the penitent to turn themselves in, but the priest can't force them. During confession the priest acts in persona Christi, as though you are confessing directly to Christ. The priest doesn't forgive, Christ does. We are slowly moving towards totalitarianism, as they hate any faith except faith in government and those in power.
3 people like this.
Reply 18 - Posted by:
earlybird 5/29/2019 10:21:00 AM (No. 86189)
Not California and Californians. Just the Dem legislature.
3 people like this.
Reply 19 - Posted by:
cor-vet 5/29/2019 10:39:35 AM (No. 86208)
I want to see Kalifornia pass a law banning the burka, and a noise ordinance stopping the 5 times a day yelling from the minarets!
3 people like this.
Reply 20 - Posted by:
ladycatnip 5/29/2019 10:41:05 AM (No. 86212)
#19, unfortunately we are ruled here in California by the dems. My vote hasn't counted for decades because of gerrymandering - and dems yell and scream about voter suppression.
2 people like this.
Reply 21 - Posted by:
planetgeo 5/29/2019 10:46:32 AM (No. 86216)
Well don't stop there, California. On the same premise that hiding sexual predators is a crime, make it mandatory that all abortion doctors and Planned Parenthood counselors report adults who impregnate underage girls. Let's see how they like them avocados.
5 people like this.
Reply 22 - Posted by:
Salt5792 5/29/2019 11:03:02 AM (No. 86230)
Democrats have a goal to eliminate Christianity in America. First target is the Catholics. And yet, 50% of Catholic voters continue to vote for Dem candidates. Isn't that crazy?
5 people like this.
Reply 23 - Posted by:
Dodge Boy 5/29/2019 12:03:48 PM (No. 86296)
California's deep state really does hate religion, no?
1 person likes this.
Reply 24 - Posted by:
Strike3 5/29/2019 12:08:40 PM (No. 86306)
California dems, let's just impose sharia law and all of those crimes of sexual perversion will be declared legal, including marrying your brothers and sisters. That will also legalize the murder of one's daughters for having roving eyes. No crime, no problem.
0 people like this.
Reply 25 - Posted by:
SALady 5/29/2019 3:31:52 PM (No. 86435)
Does anyone have any doubt that the Demon-Rat Party is edging closer and closer to the Communist and Nazi Parties?!?!?!?
Seriously, when socialists and communists take over a country, the first thing they always do is jail, torture, and execute religious leaders, since they are the ones they fear the most in leading the people to revolt against their tyrannical dictatorships!!!
If this goes into law, priests will soon be jailed for refusing to comply -- as no priest will break his vows to God to comply!!!!!
And when that succeeds, the Demon-Rats will find ways to spread the misery and threat of jail to Protestant and Jewish leaders who do not sing the Demon-Rats' praises instead of God's.
Very slippery slope, and probably the ultimate cause of Civil War II in this republic!!!!!
2 people like this.
Reply 26 - Posted by:
lazlototh 5/29/2019 3:46:24 PM (No. 86446)
If they're going to take the confession privilege away why not take ALL privilege away and do away with attorney-client privilege for this too? Heck, why not go all the way since it fits the rationale. That won't happen though because so many of the legislators are lawyers.
I guess someone who needs to confess something like this can always go to Mexico, Arizona, Nevada or Oregon if they really feel the need to confess. I wonder how many people actually confess to this activity in the first place.
0 people like this.
Reply 27 - Posted by:
Jethro bo 5/29/2019 6:59:03 PM (No. 86551)
Priest called our end this nonsense in 30 days. All they have to do is report that snack Piglosi confessed to sexually abusing little transgender girls and other lefties confessed to all nature of p pedophile activities. Now let Californistan prove their innocents.
0 people like this.
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