this post was submitted on 09 May 2025
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The Catholic Church has issued a warning to its clergy in Washington state: Any priest who complies with a new law requiring the reporting of child abuse confessions to authorities will be excommunicated.

https://www.newsweek.com/catholic-church-excommunicate-priests-following-new-us-state-law-2069039

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[–] Buelldozer@lemmy.today 1 points 11 months ago (1 children)

requiring the reporting of child abuse confessions to authorities

The actual law isn't about confessions nor is it solely about CSAM. What Washington State has done is amend their mandatory report law by removing the exemption for Clergy.

"...has reasonable cause to believe that a child has suffered abuse or neglect, he or she shall report such incident, or cause a report to be made, to the proper law enforcement agency or to the department as provided in RCW 26.44.040."

So yes, if a Priest (Catholic or not) hears a confession about CSAM they will be required to report. However if they hear about child *neglect *in a confession they have to report that as well.

Likely more meaningfully they ALSO now have to report those same things even if it isn't during a Confession. For example if they witness a parent smacking their kid around in the parking lot.

It's a necessary and correct change but it reaches a lot further than just the confessional.

[–] Aqarius@lemmy.world 1 points 11 months ago

It would seem the church is looking at it from the opposite direction: it reaches all the way into the confessional. Anything outside it should be fair game, it's just the violation of the sacrament they object to - though I guess "go ~~confess~~ turn your self in" could count as "cause a report to be made".