Amid ongoing discussions in the Washington state legislature about a bill that could eliminate legal protection for the confidentiality of confession, Spokane’s Bishop Thomas A. Daly has assured his diocese that priests are willing to face imprisonment rather than violate this sacred bond.
Bishop Daly, in a letter addressed to Spokane’s Catholic community, emphasized that the commitment to preserving the seal of confession is unwavering, even if it means going to jail. He reiterated that the sacrament of penance will continue to be sacred in the Spokane Diocese.
The letter, dated April 19, referred to a state Senate bill proposing to designate priests as mandatory reporters of abuse.
While the original Senate-approved version included an exemption for information acquired during confession, the House-passed version featured an amendment that removed legal protections for the confidentiality of confession, potentially subjecting priests to incarceration if they withheld such information.
The Senate rejected the House’s amendment on April 17 and returned the original bill to the House. The House must now decide whether to maintain its amendment, accept the original Senate bill, or propose another alternative.
Bishop Daly urged lawmakers to create effective and enforceable laws, expressing optimism that religious freedom would ultimately prevail.
Any law attempting to force priests to breach the seal of confession would create a conflict between civil and canon law. The seal of confession is considered “inviolable” under the Code of Canon Law, with violators facing severe penalties, including excommunication.
