California bill would remove reporting exemption for priests in confessional

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Sacramento, Calif., Feb 21, 2019 / 09:00 am ([CNA](https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/)).- A state senator in California introduced a bill Wednesday 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.
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California bill would remove reporting exemption for priests in confessional

A state senator in California introduced a bill Wednesday 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...
www.catholicnewsagency.com www.catholicnewsagency.com
 
Then there will be priests in California who will go to jail. No priest will violate the seal.
 
As the seal of the confessional is being attacked in several counties it is important not to place priests into the position of possibly going to jail…

Confess behind a screen! Protect your priest!
 
How could a priest even report something he heard anonymously behind a screen? At my former parish we had standard confessionals and long lines. There would be no way for a priest to identify anyone.
 
Mandatory screen solves that problem.

There was a talk on Catholic radio recently where someone advised anyone going to confession to insist on the screen, and to tell the priest if they’re hesitant that it’s both “for your protection, as well as mine.”
 
It was unfortunately bound to happen here as in other parts of the world. I suspect eventually it will become law in some states. The church needs to have mandatory screens now. I realize that some people like going face to face, but we need to protect priests against this eventuality. If we wait until it is a law, then I fear the government will try to block the screens at that time.
 
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tafan2 said:
If we wait until it is a law, then I fear the government will try to block the screens at that time.
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Doing so would require a Constitutional Amendment, free exercise of religion is a foundational law in the US.
 
I hope you are correct. 20 years ago we would have been shocked that a western democracy government would ever try to force a priest to violate the seal, now it seems inevitable.
 
I fully expect any of these disclosure laws, if passed, to be challenged and deemed unconstitutional.
 
I hope you are right. I don’t have such faith, at least not long-term.
 
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