Federal Court blocks Washington State law that would violate the seal of the confessional

[Safiel]

Federal court blocks Washington law that would force priests to violate seal of confession

null / Credit: Brian A Jackson/Shutterstock CNA Staff, Jul 18, 2025 / 12:30 pm (CNA). A federal court on July 18 blocked a controversial Washington state reporting law that would require priests to violate the seal of confession, siding with th...

www.catholicworldreport.com

Judge blocks WA law requiring clergy to report confessions

A federal judge granted a preliminary injunction blocking Washington Senate Bill 5375, which requires members of the clergy to report known child abuse, even if it’s revealed during Confession, from being enforced.

mynorthwest.com

A Federal Court has blocked a law requiring Priest to break the seal of confession to report abuse.

While I am not a fan of the Catholic Church, this law treated the Priest/Parishioner relationship differently than other professional relationships and clearly violated the First Amendment.

Note that this does NOT protect the Catholic Church when they fail to report one of their Priests engaging in unlawful behavior. ONLY the confessional.

 

[Napoleon]

This is the right decision.

 

[Roadvirus]

Federal court blocks Washington law that would force priests to violate seal of confession

null / Credit: Brian A Jackson/Shutterstock CNA Staff, Jul 18, 2025 / 12:30 pm (CNA). A federal court on July 18 blocked a controversial Washington state reporting law that would require priests to violate the seal of confession, siding with th...

www.catholicworldreport.com

Judge blocks WA law requiring clergy to report confessions

A federal judge granted a preliminary injunction blocking Washington Senate Bill 5375, which requires members of the clergy to report known child abuse, even if it’s revealed during Confession, from being enforced.

mynorthwest.com

A Federal Court has blocked a law requiring Priest to break the seal of confession to report abuse.

While I am not a fan of the Catholic Church, this law treated the Priest/Parishioner relationship differently than other professional relationships and clearly violated the First Amendment.

Note that this does NOT protect the Catholic Church when they fail to report one of their Priests engaging in unlawful behavior. ONLY the confessional.

The morons in Washington state should've known better.

 

[Safiel]

https://becketnewsite.s3.amazonaws.com/20250718112727/2025-07-18-227-Order-on-Motion-to-Preliminary-Injunction.pdf

Link to the preliminary injunction.

 

[Loulit01]

Christ on a crooked crutch. Violate the seal of the confessional? I'm atheist and I think this evil shit.

 

[reinaert]

This and the driver tracking law stunk of overreach.

 

[ColdHardTruth]

This is the right decision.

I disagree.

The Catholic church has a history of pedophilia/hebephilia. They should not be allowed to hide it.

 

[reinaert]

I disagree.

The Catholic church has a history of pedophilia/hebephilia. They should not be allowed to hide it.

The confessional isn't where the hiding takes place.

 

[Roadvirus]

I disagree.

The Catholic church has a history of pedophilia/hebephilia. They should not be allowed to hide it.

As long as they don't use the confessional, Priests won't be protected.

 

[Athanasius68]

I disagree.

The Catholic church has a history of pedophilia/hebephilia. They should not be allowed to hide it.

This has nothing to do with the church and the priesthood.

 

[Deuce]

Oh well sure if they want to protect ****ing pedophiles it's fine if their religion says to do so.

 

[ColdHardTruth]

This has nothing to do with the church and the priesthood.

Yes, it does.

People want accountability and the catholic church is well known for hiding pedophile priests.

 

[Safiel]

I disagree.

The Catholic church has a history of pedophilia/hebephilia. They should not be allowed to hide it.

Again, this applies ONLY to the confessional.

And the law would have put the clergy in an impossible position.

Breaking the seal of confession automatically results in excommunication.

So the Priest is caught between potential jail one side and excommunication on the other.

In practice, I would imagine most Priest's would go to jail, rather than breaking the seal, so the law would not produce any tangible results anyway.

 

[Safiel]

Yes, it does.

People want accountability and the catholic church is well known for hiding pedophile priests.

And again, this does NOT protect Priests themselves who commit abuse. This law does NOT affect the requirement for the Catholic Church to report abusive Priests.

 

[ColdHardTruth]

Again, this applies ONLY to the confessional.

And the law would have put the clergy in an impossible position.

Breaking the seal of confession automatically results in excommunication.

So the Priest is caught between potential jail one side and excommunication on the other.

In practice, I would imagine most Priest's would go to jail, rather than breaking the seal, so the law would not produce any tangible results anyway.

Still...

The Catholic Church has been one of the world's sponsors of evil sine forever.

The Catholic Church helped Nazi war criminals escape Europe at the end of WWII.
The Catholic Church has hidden many child-raping priests OVER AND OVER again.
The Catholic Church was responsible for attempting to control the monarchies in Europe and other places by threatening them with eternal damnation of they did not comply with the wishes of the church.

The Catholic Church WILL NOT be honest and forthright unless there is a boot across their necks.

 

[dmpi]

WA state is totally clueless on how to protect the most vulnerable. hundreds of million are paid ANALLY to settle lawsuits from their mismanaged foster care system. Yet they have a true fixation on the catholic church. Get your priorities straight, man!!!

 

[Gordy327]

I disagree.

The Catholic church has a history of pedophilia/hebephilia. They should not be allowed to hide it.

Indeed. In other institutions such as medical or education, law requires suspected or actual abuse to be reported. But religion gets a free pass from that? What kind of BS is that?

 

[Deuce]

Again, this applies ONLY to the confessional.

I don't care.

And the law would have put the clergy in an impossible position.

Breaking the seal of confession automatically results in excommunication.

Not my ****ing problem.

So the Priest is caught between potential jail one side and excommunication on the other.

In practice, I would imagine most Priest's would go to jail, rather than breaking the seal, so the law would not produce any tangible results anyway.

It would put people in prison for knowingly and willingly covering up rape of children.

 

[reinaert]

Yes, it does.

People want accountability and the catholic church is well known for hiding pedophile priests.

Fr. Michael raped friends of mine. The Church moved him to Central and South America, where he kept raping boys. They moved him to PA, and around PA, where he kept being a pedophile.

It's the Bishops who move these guys around. In Michael's case, it also involved Cardinal Law. It's not another priest in the confessional.

Subpoena the Bishops.

 

[Deuce]

WA state is totally clueless on how to protect the most vulnerable. hundreds of million are paid ANALLY to settle lawsuits from their mismanaged foster care system. Yet they have a true fixation on the catholic church. Get your priorities straight, man!!!

Deflecting to protect child rapists. Is there anything too low for MAGA?

 

[ColdHardTruth]

WA state is totally clueless on how to protect the most vulnerable. hundreds of million are paid ANALLY to settle lawsuits from their mismanaged foster care system. Yet they have a true fixation on the catholic church. Get your priorities straight, man!!!

They are paid ANALLY?

My... that is disturbing.

 

[Athanasius68]

Yes, it does.

People want accountability and the catholic church is well known for hiding pedophile priests.

The Washington law had nothing to do with Catholic priests.
It had to with what was said in confessional ie. What somebody else said he did.

 

[Phys251]

WA state is totally clueless on how to protect the most vulnerable. hundreds of million are paid ANALLY to settle lawsuits from their mismanaged foster care system. Yet they have a true fixation on the catholic church. Get your priorities straight, man!!!

That's a hell of a comment for a tRump supporter to make.

 

[ColdHardTruth]

The Washington law had nothing to do with Catholic priests.
It had to with what was said in confessional ie. What somebody else said he did.

Oh, well, I suppose there still needs to be accountability but my apologies for misunderstanding.

 

[Phys251]

They are paid ANALLY?

My... that is disturbing.

Oh my god that typo