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Bishop Barron urges court to strike down Washington law that targets seal of confession

Michie

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Bishop Robert Barron on July 4 urged a federal court to strike down a Washington state law that would force priests to violate the seal of confession, telling the court that the law is "manifestly" disrespectful of the ancient and vital Church practice.

Barron, the bishop of Winona-Rochester and a member of the White House Religious Liberty Commission, made the argument in a proposed amicus brief filed in U.S. district court in Washington State.

The filing comes on behalf of the bishops of Washington State, who in May of this year sued the state government over its new mandatory reporting law that requires priests to report child abuse learned during the sacrament of confession or face jail time and fines.

The law has drawn criticism from religious liberty advocates who say it unjustly targets Catholics. The Department of Justice and a coalition of Orthodox churches have also sued the state government over the rule.

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Bishop Robert Barron on July 4 urged a federal court to strike down a Washington state law that would force priests to violate the seal of confession, telling the court that the law is "manifestly" disrespectful of the ancient and vital Church practice.

Barron, the bishop of Winona-Rochester and a member of the White House Religious Liberty Commission, made the argument in a proposed amicus brief filed in U.S. district court in Washington State.

The filing comes on behalf of the bishops of Washington State, who in May of this year sued the state government over its new mandatory reporting law that requires priests to report child abuse learned during the sacrament of confession or face jail time and fines.

The law has drawn criticism from religious liberty advocates who say it unjustly targets Catholics. The Department of Justice and a coalition of Orthodox churches have also sued the state government over the rule.

Continued below.
The good news is that this draconian law doesn't change Church teaching or policy. And practically, the very nature of secrecy is such that it is difficult to see how a priest might be charged, for how would the state know, much less prove, that he heard something and failed to report it?

But yes, the law is clearly a wanton, vicious attack on the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and any avenue that might lead to its repeal as unconstitutional or whatever should be vigorously pursued.
 
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