Confraternities of Catholic clergy around world defend inviolability of Confession seal

Chapters of the Confraternity of Catholic Clergy from around the world issued a joint declaration June 27 decrying several laws in different countries that violate religious freedom by requiring priests to break the seal of Confession in certain cases.

Clergy from the US, Australia, and Great Britain declared “unequivocal support, defense, and adherence to the sacred seal of confession” in light of laws that have stripped away the confidentiality previously granted to priests and penitents. Now, some countries or states require priests to report penintents if they report grave sins like child abuse, but uphold the privacy of attorneys and clients as well as physicians and patients.

“We maintain that criminal investigation and adjudication can be lawfully and morally done without violating religious liberty,” the clergy stated. “Observing the sacrosanct privacy of a penitent and their confessor does not prevent nor hinder the police and the courts from doing their job.”

The clergy also pointed out that penitents have the option to confess their sins anonymously, making it “absurd” for authorities to demand that a priest disclose the identity of a penitent. The clergy emphasized the importance of maintaining the seal of Confession even in the case of face-to-face confessions, noting that the penalty is automatic excommunication.

“The Confraternity of Catholic Clergy maintains that justice can be fully served while equally respecting the free practice of religion,” the clergy stated, adding that laws in the UK, US, and Australia all affirm religious liberty.

The Confraternity of Catholic Clergy in the US in May decried a recent Washington state law that requires priests to report child abuse if they learned of it during Confession. CatholicVote previously reported that the Washington law threatens priests with up to 364 days in jail, a $5,000 fine, and civil liability.

CatholicVote also reported that the US Department of Justice announced June 23 that it filed legal action against Washington, arguing that the law violates the First Amendment’s free exercise clause and the 14th Amendment’s equal protection clause.

Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon, who leads the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division, challenged the law.

In the announcement, he stated, “Laws that explicitly target religious practices such as the Sacrament of Confession in the Catholic Church have no place in our society.”

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