‘I confess': should the ‘seal of the confessional’ protect pedophiles?
In a recent state Senate bill, questions of religious freedom collided with public safety concerns. SB 360 would have required clergy to alert authorities of child abuse confessed by priests or church employees.
California Senate Bill 360 breezed through the Legislature’s upper house, passing by such a lopsided vote — 30-4 — it seemed destined to become law.
Then the measure, which would have required clergy to alert authorities of child abuse confessed by priests or church employees, landed in the Assembly. Suddenly, opposition was loosed with a near-biblical vengeance.
Critics raised constitutional concerns: given First Amendment guarantees of religious freedom, could the state force confessors to divulge information shared in confidence?
“If the First Amendment doesn’t protect that,” said the Rev. Pius Pietrzyk, a canon lawyer, “it doesn’t protect any religious practice.”
There was massive pushback from Catholic constituents — an estimated 140,000 letters of protest came from Los Angeles-area parishioners alone.
An Assembly analysis highlighted the bill’s inconsistencies. Priests would have to report confessions of abuse by clerics or church employees from their own parish, but could ignore identical confessions coming from clerics and employees attached to other parishes.
“Why,” the committee asked, “should some abusers be protected and not others?”
Last month, SB 360’s author, Sen. Jerry Hill, D-San Mateo, withdrew the bill — for now.
“It’s been pulled,” said Leslie Govara, a spokeswoman for the senator, “but it’s not dead. He’s taking a loo...
Winter Appeal 2023
To our friends,
2023 has been a long year with many ups and downs for us all. As we close out the year, we at SNAP hope that you are feeling like you are on your way to being healthy, fulfilled, and happy. This past year has brought both successes and challenges. Thanks to the support you have shown in the past, we’ve been able to celebrate the good days and weather the stormy ones. Now, we are once again asking for your support as we work to support survivors new and old as we ‘Move SNAP Forward.’
At SNAP we are proud to have hosted a very well-attended conference in August 2023. This event allowed us to gather friends, survivors, advocates, and allies for a weekend of camaraderie and connection. We were so happy to be able to welcome many first-time attendees to gather in person and are already looking forward to the next conference.
To strengthen our movement for justice, healing, and prevention, SNAP will be expanding our peer support and providing more volunteer opportunities in the coming year. Through this great work, we are ensuring survivor voices are represented as we work for significant change that will benefit children and survivors.
Right now, survivors worldwide are getting the help they need from SNAP, and more and more reach out to us daily, but we need your help to keep those programs going and get our volunteers the training they need to thrive.
Your tax-deductible gift to SNAP can help offset the cost of our important mission. If you are not in a position to contribute, you can still support us by sharing this letter with those who can. As we continue to fight for survivors across the globe, your donation or sharing the great work SNAP does will help us continue our work to protect the vulnerable, heal the wounded, and prevent abuse.
Your donation ensures SNAP will be there for those who need us more than ever!
Warmly,
Michael W. McDonnell, C.P.S.
Interim Executive Director
Showing 2 comments
In the above diocese 50 of 54 perps are clergy!
As a clinical psychologist I truly doubt that the guilty confessed their repetitive “sins” at all! In my profession I am a mandated reported, which morally I would do anyway to protect the most precious and vulnerable among us!
Rich