When State and Church clash

[aball1035]

I’m thinking about being a police officer and so I have a question about what I should do when State law and Church law clash?

For example, what if confession is suddenly outlawed in the US (bad example, but bear with me). Then one of my superiors tells me to arrest a priest who does it. Would I have an obligation not to arrest that priest? What would I do in that situation?

 

[LilyM]

Your duty to God and your obligations under His law supersede, in all circumstances, your duty to the laws of any state.

If a law of the state commands you to do something sinful (in this case prevent a priest from doing his God-ordained task of adminstering the sacrament of confession) then that law is unjust. You have a duty to disobey that law, and should consider it a joy to suffer whatever consequences arise for the sake of God’s kingdom.

Just like the early Christian martyrs who were ordered by the laws of the Roman state to worship idols - that was an unjust law, contrary to their duty to God to worship Him alone, and they refused to obey, and gladly paid with their lives.