Attempts in five states to break the seal of Confession
Confession violation
The clergy sex abuse crisis in the U.S. Catholic Church has sparked a variety of state legislative initiatives to strengthen child abuse laws, including efforts in five states to force a priest to violate the seal of confession if he learns about abuse of a child during a sacramental confession.
Legislatures in Maryland and Kentucky have rebuffed those attempts, but in early March new bills were introduced in Nevada and Florida.
"This is of great concern to us," D. Michael McCarron, the Florida Catholic Conference's executive director, said on March 5 of bill H1321, filed in the Florida House the previous day.
Church law says if a priest directly violates the seal of confession -- revealing something said in confession in a way that the penitent is or can be identified -- he is automatically excommunicated.
The Record, Perth West. Aust., "Confession violation," March 13 2003, p 12
The Record, Perth, at www.therecord.com.au
587 Newcastle St (near Loftus St), West Perth, WA, 6005; P.O. Box 75, Leederville, WA, 6902, Australia, Tel. 08 9227 7080, Fax 9227 7087, cathrec@iinet.net.au
Legislatures in Maryland and Kentucky have rebuffed those attempts, but in early March new bills were introduced in Nevada and Florida.
"This is of great concern to us," D. Michael McCarron, the Florida Catholic Conference's executive director, said on March 5 of bill H1321, filed in the Florida House the previous day.
Church law says if a priest directly violates the seal of confession -- revealing something said in confession in a way that the penitent is or can be identified -- he is automatically excommunicated.
The Record, Perth, at www.therecord.com.au
587 Newcastle St (near Loftus St), West Perth, WA, 6005; P.O. Box 75, Leederville, WA, 6902, Australia, Tel. 08 9227 7080, Fax 9227 7087, cathrec@iinet.net.au
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