First US State Goes After Seal Of Confession

A Democratic Senator in North Dakota Senate where the Republicans have a three-quarters majority, introduced a bipartisan bill which would require priests to violate the seal of confession of face 30 days in prison (pillarcatholic.com, January 12).

The January 12 bill concerns mandatory reporting and aims at removing an existing exception for members of the clergy in the case of child abuse of which they have heard during confession.

Similar anti-Catholic laws were passed in Australia. A priest who violates the sacramental seal is immediately excommunicated (CIC 1388 §1).

Picture: © Mazur, CC BY-NC-SA, #newsRhqvremrrm

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AlexBKaiser

Jan 14

Do they think that any abuser would go to confession if he knew that he would be reported to the police?

Ultraviolet

Jan 13

No, it isn't a "US State" going after the seal of confession. One legislator introduced a bill that's sure to be defeated. If the bill became law, THEN the title would be correct. GTV's News Team should get an American to fact-check this stuff.