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Ruling 'attacking' seal of confession likely headed to U.S. Supr - Tucson News Now
Some have said that children's parents should be told if they're getting birth control.It's a case likely headed for the U.S. Supreme Court involving a 14-year-old girl who claims that during the sacrament of confession, she told her parish priest she was being abused.
Her parents are suing the priest and the Catholic Diocese of Baton Rouge, because the priest did not report the abuse.
Diocese officials say, in its ruling, the Louisiana Supreme Court ran afoul of the constitutional rights of the church and the priest.
The secrecy of the confessional is not simply a church tradition. It's considered foundational doctrine of the catholic church that priests absolutely must not violate.
"We cannot break the seal of confession. It is forbidden for us to break it," said Rev. Derek Covert of the Diocese of Lake Charles. Father Covert is a canon lawyer, an expert on church rules and doctrine.
"This is something required from Sacred Scripture, that we confess our sins, and therefore, it is something required by divine law. This is by God, okay? And what we would argue in this is if a person was prevented from going to confession because they feared that it might be revealed, if a priest was made to reveal it, now that person is not going to fulfill a divine law or divine precept," said Covert.
Covert predicts many, if not most priests, would go to prison before they would violate the sacred seal of the sacrament of confession.
"We would have to maybe do time in prison for contempt of court or something like that," said Covert.
In the Baton Rouge case, church officials say they will appeal to the highest court of the land to protect freedom of religion for both the church and the priest.
What about this situation? The girl is clearly in danger. Should the priest tell? And, who should he tell? What if its a parent or other family member who is abusing the child?
I'd think that just as other religious sacraments don't get to ignore civil law (peyote ceremonies in natuve religions for example) the Catholic one about the sanctity of confession doesn't get to ignore the rules pertaining to professionals reporting abuse allegations as with teachers, counsellors, and the like.
Someone tell me...
Does this mean that Father O'diddle forgave the girl for being abused?
And following up on my previous question, why wouldn't he at least have the common sense to get the police involved?
I'm with @Noomi or whoever said it. He didn't care about what happened, he was too busy rubbing his frock.
The priest does NOT have to remain silent at all. He can choose to speak in court and he can choose to report the abuse.
This has nothing to do with some so called vow of silence and everything to do with a bunch of religious fuddies believing that their belief in something they cannot prove is more important than a child who is being abused.
just out of curiosity, would it be a violation of the confessional if the priest had gone to the abuser and beaten the crap out him?......
Wait. If the priests are so damn concerned about the rules why did they diddle all those alter boys?
Priests don't tell. Period. The parents should have been more aware of their kid and suing the priest won't do anything except get them MONEY if they win. Gosh. I wonder if that is the plan. MONEY. And not about what their kid went thru. IF its true.
My parents still don't know that I was molested at the age of 11 by a friend of a friend. I never told them.
They also don't know that I was abused at the age of 17 by someone I thought I could trust.
Parents don't know everything.
Another point, if the girl is actually lying about what she told the priest that would be an even more extreme violation of the confession than confirming what she said.
So, if the girl is lying under oath, the priest should use the Confessional to bring charges of perjury against her? That does not sound right.
This is getting messy....
Of course not, the confession is inviolate.
but you didn't even report your own
Because no child thinks that anyone will believe them, especially when told that by the abuser.
your not a child and the perps are still out there.
I guess if someone tells me they murdered someone, I should keep that a secret?
Are you a priest ?
So, if the girl is lying under oath, the priest should use the Confessional to bring charges of perjury against her? That does not sound right.
This is getting messy....
Of course not, the confession is inviolate.
The welfare of the child is what should be "inviolate".
I guess if someone tells me they murdered someone, I should keep that a secret?
Are you a priest ?
So, she goes to hell for not telling and he goes to hell if he does.
One protects a victim while the other protects the perp and himself as well as his church.
What a total farce the catholic church really is.
So, if the girl is lying under oath, the priest should use the Confessional to bring charges of perjury against her? That does not sound right.
This is getting messy....
Of course not, the confession is inviolate.
The welfare of the child is what should be "inviolate".
Ruling 'attacking' seal of confession likely headed to U.S. Supr - Tucson News Now
Some have said that children's parents should be told if they're getting birth control.
What about this situation? The girl is clearly in danger. Should the priest tell? And, who should he tell? What if its a parent or other family member who is abusing the child?
I'd think that just as other religious sacraments don't get to ignore civil law (peyote ceremonies in natuve religions for example) the Catholic one about the sanctity of confession doesn't get to ignore the rules pertaining to professionals reporting abuse allegations as with teachers, counsellors, and the like.
You might have a point, if it wasn't legal to use peyote in religious ceremonies. That case you are thinking about is why Congress passed the RFRA, it was specifically aimed at over turning that decision. The court later ruled in favor of peyote use because of the RFRA.
Is Peyote Legal? Learn the Legality Of Peyote at Peyote.net
Will update my notes. Of course not, the confession is inviolate.
The welfare of the child is what should be "inviolate".
Feel free to offer proof that the priest ignored the welfare of the child. You have no idea what she told the priest, or what he did in response to anything actionable she actually said, yet you feel the need to find him guilty or a heinous crime.
Of course not, the confession is inviolate.
The welfare of the child is what should be "inviolate".
Sooo...Luddly gets to review all the NSA audio transcripts of Catholic confessional sessions and then decides what is in everyone's best interest.
If Luddly is uncomfortable with this responsibility, we could always let Joe Biden do it.
.
The welfare of the child is what should be "inviolate".
Feel free to offer proof that the priest ignored the welfare of the child. You have no idea what she told the priest, or what he did in response to anything actionable she actually said, yet you feel the need to find him guilty or a heinous crime.
He did no notify the family of the abuse, did he?
Ruling 'attacking' seal of confession likely headed to U.S. Supr - Tucson News Now
It's a case likely headed for the U.S. Supreme Court involving a 14-year-old girl who claims that during the sacrament of confession, she told her parish priest she was being abused.
Her parents are suing the priest and the Catholic Diocese of Baton Rouge, because the priest did not report the abuse.
Diocese officials say, in its ruling, the Louisiana Supreme Court ran afoul of the constitutional rights of the church and the priest.
The secrecy of the confessional is not simply a church tradition. It's considered foundational doctrine of the catholic church that priests absolutely must not violate.
"We cannot break the seal of confession. It is forbidden for us to break it," said Rev. Derek Covert of the Diocese of Lake Charles. Father Covert is a canon lawyer, an expert on church rules and doctrine.
"This is something required from Sacred Scripture, that we confess our sins, and therefore, it is something required by divine law. This is by God, okay? And what we would argue in this is if a person was prevented from going to confession because they feared that it might be revealed, if a priest was made to reveal it, now that person is not going to fulfill a divine law or divine precept," said Covert.
Covert predicts many, if not most priests, would go to prison before they would violate the sacred seal of the sacrament of confession.
"We would have to maybe do time in prison for contempt of court or something like that," said Covert.
In the Baton Rouge case, church officials say they will appeal to the highest court of the land to protect freedom of religion for both the church and the priest.
Some have said that children's parents should be told if they're getting birth control.
What about this situation? The girl is clearly in danger. Should the priest tell? And, who should he tell? What if its a parent or other family member who is abusing the child?
