So much for freedom of religion, huh?
Governor Bob Ferguson, a nominally Catholic Democrat who is pro-abortion and pro-LGBTQ+, signed a bill into law requiring Catholic priests to break the seal of confession in the case of child abuse.
The Democrats loves this because it makes them look tough on child abusers and puts Catholics in the difficult spot of seeming to protect child abusers.
The Washington State Standard reports that Senate Bill 5375, which passed by margins of 64-31 in the House and 28-20 in the Senate, legally requires clergy members to report suspected child abuse to law enforcement. With this law, Washington joins several states, including New Hampshire and West Virginia that force Catholic clergy to break the seal of confession.
Please remember, the left hates the Catholic Church and will do anything they can to destroy it. Anything. Do you really think they care about children? What about those Jeffrey Epstein files? What about the epidemic of bad touching by teachers in public schools? What about the fact that they want to see as many children castrated as possible so they can virtue signal about how they support gender fluidity? Never mind children in the womb.
May 3, 2025 at 6:05 am
I find it odd that the state requires the reporting of child abuse heard during a confession between Catholic priests and penitent but not of a murder. What am I missing here…?
May 3, 2025 at 9:34 am
This does not “force Catholic clergy to break the seal of confession”. It forces Catholic clergy to choose between obeying God or obeying man. It forces Catholic clergy to choose between their own immortal souls and their own temporary freedom.
Sadly, we saw during the pandemic just how much Catholic clergy were willing to give up for the uncertain chance to take a few more breaths.
May 3, 2025 at 2:50 pm
Confession of this sort began in monasticism where the infractions are the breaking of monastery rules. Extending it to everyone and keeping the seal was a mistake. If someonw confesses to child molestation instwad of absolution they should be beheaded.
May 4, 2025 at 5:28 am
Neither does “Thou shalt not kill” force you from killing someone. From the creation of man, it’s always been about choices. Nothing new here.
May 4, 2025 at 4:32 pm
I agree, but there is a difference. One is a law of God, and the consequences of disobedience are inherent. It’s on par with “Don’t drink and drive,” or “Don’t stick a paperclip into a wall socket.” The other is a law not merely of man, but of man the bureaucrat, who says to himself, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves.“
My point, though, is that no state or federal law excuses priests from maintaining the seal of Confession.
“Our fathers, chained in prisons dark,
Were still in heart and conscience free;
How sweet would be their children’s fate,
If they, like them, could die for thee!
Faith of our fathers, holy faith!
We will be true to thee till death.”
May 4, 2025 at 5:30 am
Nor*