The Legislature has now passed Senate Bill 5375, making religious leaders mandatory reporters of abuse and neglect. This bill will fail in its objective as regards Catholic priests, for whom the seal of the confessional is absolute. Sen. Noel Frame, D-Seattle, and Rep. Monica Stonier, D-Vancouver, should understand that priests have gone to their death as martyrs in defense of this principle.
This is not because priests desire to facilitate or overlook abuse, but because of the nature of the Sacrament of Reconciliation. In this sacrament, the priest is acting “in persona Christi” (in the person of Christ), and thus is not the proper object of any demand for such information. The priest has no authority whatsoever to reveal what he hears in the confessional to anyone, and I think it’s safe to say that the Legislature has no authority over our Lord.
Gov. Bob Ferguson would do well to veto this bill to save the state from embarrassment.
