BREAKING: Washington governor signs bill requiring clergy to break seal of confession into law

Gnarwhal · May 3, 2025

I believe LifeSite broke this story but I looked around for other sources to corroborate it. Aside from a few regional sites, nobody else has run it yet.

Nevertheless, it's a big story with lots of implications but it will likely be struck down by SCOTUS if it has to go that far.

Citing his alleged Catholic faith, Washington’s leftist Democratic Governor Bob Ferguson signed a bill today that orders priests to divulge when they hear of purported abuse in the confessional – or face potential jail time.

The governor also cited his uncle, a Jesuit priest, when signing the bill.

Ferguson is a liberal, pro-abortion, pro-LGBT governor. While running for governor, but still serving as attorney general, he threatened prosecution against several other candidates with the same name. He also initiated legally dubious investigations into pro-life nonprofits while serving as attorney general. He additionally supports prosecuting Christians who decline to provide their services to homosexual “weddings.”

Washington governor signs bill forcing priests to break Seal of Confession - LifeSite

Left-wing Washington Democratic Governor Bob Ferguson – a professed Catholic – signed legislation on Friday that will force priests to break the Seal of Confession in some cases or go to jail.

www.lifesitenews.com

Michie · May 3, 2025

Here it is from CNA.

Washington governor signs bill requiring priests to break seal of confession

The measure adds clergy to the list of mandatory abuse reporters in the state but doesn’t include an exemption for information learned in the confessional.

www.catholicnewsagency.com

Michie · May 3, 2025

Here it is from CNA.

Washington governor signs bill requiring priests to break seal of confession

The measure adds clergy to the list of mandatory abuse reporters in the state but doesn’t include an exemption for information learned in the confessional.

www.catholicnewsagency.com

Gnarwhal said:
I believe LifeSite broke this story but I looked around for other sources to corroborate it. Aside from a few regional sites, nobody else has run it yet.

Nevertheless, it's a big story with lots of implications but it will likely be struck down by SCOTUS if it has to go that far.

Washington governor signs bill forcing priests to break Seal of Confession - LifeSite

Left-wing Washington Democratic Governor Bob Ferguson – a professed Catholic – signed legislation on Friday that will force priests to break the Seal of Confession in some cases or go to jail.

www.lifesitenews.com

Gnarwhal · May 3, 2025

Michie said:
Here it is from CNA.

Washington governor signs bill requiring priests to break seal of confession

The measure adds clergy to the list of mandatory abuse reporters in the state but doesn’t include an exemption for information learned in the confessional.

www.catholicnewsagency.com

Ah ok, looks like they published that about eight hours after this thread was made. Glad they're on it. I brought this up to my producer about 15-20mins before showtime yesterday and they didn't put it in the show. Maybe on Monday but it'll be old news by then.

RileyG · May 5, 2025

SCOTUS will strike it down.

Unbelievable this is happening. Besides, I doubt most predators would go to confession anyway or believe what they’re doing is wrong.

Michie · May 5, 2025

It will be interesting to see how everything unfolds. But yeah, people doing illegal things if they even bother to go to confession will either not confess it or try to finagle a way to just cite a commandment they broke.

RileyG · May 5, 2025

Michie said:
It will be interesting to see how everything unfolds. But yeah, people doing illegal things if they even bother to go to confession will either not confess it or try to finagle a way to just cite a commandment they broke.

This. Well said.

Michie · May 6, 2025

New Washington law challenges Catholic confessional seal in abuse reporting

Washington state has passed a law requiring clergy to report child abuse, sparking debate over religious freedom and the seal of confession.

www.oursundayvisitor.com

Lady Bug · May 6, 2025

Priests have been the only group of people that you could tell pretty much anything and know for certain that they'd never tell anyone. If you could trust absolutely no one else with confidentiality, you could trust a priest. Take that away and then what?

(I know someone may come out and say things like doctors/lawyers/therapists but anyway)

RileyG · May 6, 2025

Lady Bug said:
Priests have been the only group of people that you could tell pretty much anything and know for certain that they'd never tell anyone. If you could trust absolutely no one else with confidentiality, you could trust a priest. Take that away and then what?

(I know someone may come out and say things like doctors/lawyers/therapists but anyway)

Spot on! Leave our priests alone! Religious liberty and religious freedom is for ALL!

(This also applies to Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Ancient Church of the East, Assyrian Church of the East, Old Catholic, and Polish National Catholic Church clergy who also hear confessions. Lutheran and Anglicans/Episcopalians also hear confessions with complete privacy. Confession is not only a "Catholic" thing.

It's too bad more people aren't aware of the liturgical and sacramental practices of other Churches).

narnia59 · May 7, 2025

RileyG said:
SCOTUS will strike it down.

Unbelievable this is happening. Besides, I doubt most predators would go to confession anyway or believe what they’re doing is wrong.

Most predators would not go to confession.

If they did, it would mean they are having a conscience issue about their action.

A priest would not absolve them if they weren't willing to turn themselves in.

So, in the rare case that one showed up in confession, there is a chance that encounter would help to end the abuse.

However, if priests become mandated reporters, that person would never show up in confession at all. Thus, another law that would do nothing to actually help curb abuse. People just emotionally react and don't use their brains a lot.

RileyG · May 7, 2025

narnia59 said:
Most predators would not go to confession.

If they did, it would mean they are having a conscience issue about their action.

A priest would not absolve them if they weren't willing to turn themselves in.

So, in the rare case that one showed up in confession, there is a chance that encounter would help to end the abuse.

However, if priests become mandated reporters, that person would never show up in confession at all. Thus, another law that would do nothing to actually help curb abuse. People just emotionally react and don't use their brains a lot.

Absolutely! My thought exactly!

Gnarwhal · May 8, 2025

RileyG said:
SCOTUS will strike it down.

Unbelievable this is happening. Besides, I doubt most predators would go to confession anyway or believe what they’re doing is wrong.

It's probably too late for SCOTUS to take up this case in time to include their ruling among the other batch of decisions they typically hand down in June, but I wish that would happen so we'd have a swift response.

RileyG · May 8, 2025

Gnarwhal said:
It's probably too late for SCOTUS to take up this case in time to include their ruling among the other batch of decisions they typically hand down in June, but I wish that would happen so we'd have a swift response.

Well? Priests won't break the seal of confession, regardless.

I doubt any priests heard the confessions from pedophiles because they wouldn't turn themselves in.

It's disturbing, but that's just a fact.

Michie · May 12, 2025

Breaking Down the Controversy: The State of Washington vs. the Seal of Confession

A Contrast of Two Laws “Let the priest absolutely beware that he does not by word or sign or by any manner whatever in any way betray the sinner…. For in

www.tfp.org

Wolseley · May 13, 2025

It amazes me that these political knotheads keep trying to get priests to reveal what they hear in the sanctity of the confessional. Throughout history they've done this, and hundreds of priests have been imprisoned, tortured, or even killed for refusing to divulge what they've heard from penitents.

You'd think that secular authorities would learn after a few centuries that priests are simply not permitted to do this.....but they keep trying.

The fact that the governor is a so-called Catholic (perhaps one of Pope Leo's "practical atheists"?) is even more baffling.

Michie · May 13, 2025

Wolseley said:
It amazes me that these political knotheads keep trying to get priests to reveal what they hear in the sanctity of the confessional. Throughout history they've done this, and hundreds of priests have been imprisoned, tortured, or even killed for refusing to divulge what they've heard from penitents.

You'd think that secular authorities would learn after a few centuries that priests are simply not permitted to do this.....but they keep trying.

The fact that the governor is a so-called Catholic (perhaps one of Pope Leo's "practical atheists"?) is even more baffling.

Well they are saying biological men are women and vice versa. Men that commit crimes are reported as women, etc. I guess we should not be too surprised.

Michie · May 14, 2025

Forcing clergy to break the seal of confession harms victims

A survivor of abuse defends the seal of confession, arguing that breaking it harms victims and hinders justice, not protects it.

www.oursundayvisitor.com

Michie · May 18, 2025

Democrat says Catholic Church must change confessional policy to conform to new abuse law

A Washington state lawmaker has called on the Catholic Church to change its centuries-old confessional policy so that priests can comply with a new child abuse reporting law

www.christianpost.com

RileyG · May 18, 2025

Michie said:
Democrat says Catholic Church must change confessional policy to conform to new abuse law

A Washington state lawmaker has called on the Catholic Church to change its centuries-old confessional policy so that priests can comply with a new child abuse reporting law

www.christianpost.com

Is she even Christian? I cannot find any information regarding, that.

BREAKING: Washington governor signs bill requiring clergy to break seal of confession into law

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