Catholic Church to excommunicate priests for following WA law requiring child abuse confessions to be reported

The Catholic Church announced that priests volition beryllium excommunicated if they travel a caller Washington state instrumentality requiring clergy to study confessions astir kid maltreatment to instrumentality enforcement.

"Catholic clergy whitethorn not interruption the seal of confession — oregon they volition beryllium excommunicated from the Church," the Archdiocese of Seattle said successful a statement. "All Catholics indispensable cognize and beryllium assured that their confessions stay sacred, secure, confidential and protected by the instrumentality of the Church."

"The Catholic Church agrees with the extremity of protecting children and preventing kid abuse," the connection added, noting that it "remains committed to reporting kid intersexual abuse, moving with unfortunate survivors towards healing and protecting each minors and susceptible people." 

The caller instrumentality — signed by Democrat Gov. Bob Ferguson past week — added "members of the clergy" to a database of professionals who are required to study accusation that relates to kid maltreatment oregon neglect to instrumentality enforcement, and the measurement does not supply an objection for accusation offered astatine a confession booth.

DOJ INVESTIGATING 'ANTI-CATHOLIC' WASHINGTON STATE LAW REQUIRING CLERGY TO REPORT CHILD ABUSE

The Catholic Church announced that priests volition beryllium excommunicated if they travel a caller Washington authorities instrumentality requiring clergy to study confessions astir kid maltreatment to instrumentality enforcement. (iStock)

Priests successful the Catholic Church person been bound by the implicit seal of confidentiality, an work that requires them to support thing learned successful confession a secret.

The Archdiocese of Seattle said its policies already necessitate priests to beryllium mandatory reporters unless the accusation is received during confession.

"While we stay committed to protecting minors and each susceptible radical from abuse, priests cannot comply with this instrumentality if the cognition of maltreatment is obtained during the Sacrament of Reconciliation," its connection said.

UTAH BILL WOULD PROTECT CLERGY MEMBERS WHEN REPORTING CHILD ABUSE TO POLICE

Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson signed the measure into instrumentality past week. (Getty Images)

The U.S. Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division has opened an probe into the instrumentality for imaginable violations of the First Amendment's religious protections.

"SB 5375 demands that Catholic Priests interruption their profoundly held religion successful bid to obey the law, a usurpation of the Constitution and a breach of the escaped workout of religion cannot basal nether our Constitutional strategy of government," Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the DOJ's Civil Rights Division said.

"Worse, the instrumentality appears to azygous retired clergy arsenic not entitled to asseverate applicable privileges, arsenic compared to different reporting professionals," she continued. "We instrumentality this substance precise earnestly and look guardant to Washington State’s practice with our investigation."

The U.S. Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division has opened an probe into the instrumentality for imaginable violations of the First Amendment. (Ting Shen/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

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The measure volition spell into effect connected July 26.

Washington is 1 of conscionable 5 states that does not explicitly oregon implicitly necessitate clergy to study suspected kid maltreatment oregon neglect, a national study shows, according to Fox 13. Most states exempt accusation obtained done confession from mandatory reporting, but Washington present joins conscionable a fistful of states that bash not supply specified exemptions.

"This caller instrumentality singles retired religion and is intelligibly some authorities overreach and a treble standard," the Archdiocese of Seattle said. "The enactment betwixt Church and authorities has been crossed and needs to beryllium walked back. People of each religion successful the State of Washington and beyond should beryllium alarmed by this overreach of our Legislature and Governor."