State Of California Puts Forward Bill To Attempt To Force Priests To Commit Apostasy Under Penalty Of Jail Time

Jesus said that a man must confess his sins if he wants to be forgiven. Without going into the theology of the priesthood, which you can read more about here, Catholics confess their sins to their priests in private and the priest, acting in persona Christi, grants absolution and penance for the penitent.

Because confessing sins is a sacrament and takes place between man and God with the priest serving in the capacity of the apostles as Jesus instructed them. The priest does not have the “power” to do this, but simply is the vehicle through which God works. As such, the priest is not allowed to tell the details of a person’s sins to anybody else. He can talk about general patterns he sees, such as common sins that many confess, but he cannot say “So-and-so said such-and-such in the confession.”

Many governments throughout history with tyrannical desires have tried to force priests to disobey the Faith even on pain of jail or death, and many have opposed them because of the sacred nature of the sacrament. According to a recent California bill, it may attempt to do this same act, trying to force priests to commit apostasy and violate the confessional seal according to a report:

Senator Jerry Hill of California introduced Bill 360 on Feb. 20, which would seek to force priests to violate the sacramental seal of confession in suspected cases of child abuse or neglect.

Clergy are already mandatory reporters in the state of California, but there is a legal exemption for material disclosed in the confessional.

“Individuals who harm children or are suspected of harming children must be reported so a timely investigation by law enforcement can occur,” Hill said in a statement announcing the bill.

More than 40 professions, including clergy, are already covered by state law requiring them to notify civil authorities in cases of suspected abuse or neglect of children. The current legislation provides an exemption for “penitential communications” between an individual and their minister if the requirement of confidentiality is rooted in church doctrine.

The Code of Canon Law states that “The sacramental seal is inviolable; therefore it is absolutely forbidden for a confessor to betray in any way a penitent in words or in any manner and for any reason.” A priest who intentionally violates the seal incurs an automatic excommunication.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that “every priest who hears confessions is bound under severe penalties to keep absolute secrecy regarding the sins that his penitents have confessed to him,” due to the “delicacy and greatness of this ministry and the respect due to persons.”

Hill insisted that there should be no recognition of the privileged nature of confession in the law.

“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,” Hill said.

A spokesman for the California Catholic Conference told local media that the bill clearly targeted essential religious freedoms.

“Getting the government in the confessional has nothing to do with protecting children and has everything to do with eroding the basic rights and liberties we have as Americans,” said Steve Pehanich in a statement for the conference reported by local news outlets. (source, source)