breaking seal of confession Archives

Washington bishops sue to stop law forcing priests to violate Seal of Confession or go to jail

Washington clergy filed a federal lawsuit against the state for threatening them with jail time unless they commit the excommunicable offense of violating the Seal of Confession.

News

Matt Lamb

• May 30, 2025Jun 2, 2025

Archbishop Cordileone compares Washington law attacking Seal of Confession to Communist China

Archbishop Cordileone slammed a new law forcing priests to break the Seal of Confession in Washington state, telling Raymond Arroyo, ‘This is what is happening in China.’

News

Antonino Cambria

• May 23, 2025May 23, 2025

Montana bill would still jail priests 5 years for not revealing what they hear in counseling

A Montana bill to jail priests for up to five years for not violating the Seal of Confession still puts them in legal jeopardy and removes some protections, even after being amended. Still, the Montana Catholic Conference supports it.

Analysis

Matt Lamb

• Jan 29, 2025Jan 29, 2025

Montana bill would jail priests for 5 years if they refuse to violate seal of confession

A bill proposed by Montana Democrats would jail Catholic priests for upholding the confessional seal, to which they are bound by Canon Law. Catholic League criticized the bill as ‘an egregious violation of the First Amendment.’

News

Matt Lamb

• Jan 22, 2025

Washington bill that would have forced priests to break Seal of Confession is ‘dead’

‘SB 6298 has not been scheduled for an executive session, and thus will not be moving forward this session,’ Washington State Catholic Conference spokeswoman Adrienne Joyce told LifeSiteNews.

News

Matt Lamb

• Feb 21, 2024Feb 22, 2024

Washington bill endorsed by Catholic bishops could force priests to break Seal of Confession

Washington’s Senate Bill 6298 ‘on its face could require breaking the Seal of Confession,’ according to the Washington Catholic Conference, which supports the bill anyway.

News

Matt Lamb

• Feb 19, 2024Feb 21, 2024

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Articles tagged breaking seal of confession

Washington bishops sue to stop law forcing priests to violate Seal of Confession or go to jail

Archbishop Cordileone compares Washington law attacking Seal of Confession to Communist China

Montana bill would still jail priests 5 years for not revealing what they hear in counseling

Montana bill would jail priests for 5 years if they refuse to violate seal of confession

Washington bill that would have forced priests to break Seal of Confession is ‘dead’

Washington bill endorsed by Catholic bishops could force priests to break Seal of Confession