“We recognize the significant impact this has had on Monsignor, his loved ones, his parishioners and many priests,” the Archdiocese said in a statement. “Allegations of abuse are often complex matters that take time and require the investigative bodies to be thorough and fair to all parties involved. It is during this process that allegations are weighed against the facts derived through investigation by secular law enforcement and by Archdiocesan investigators in keeping with canon law.” Criminal charges were dropped in 2023, and the Archdiocese said it had completed its canonical investigation, which found that the allegations “did not have a semblance of truth, and therefore unsubstantiated.”
Although the law is put in place to protect children from abuse, the Archdiocese has warned its priests that if they comply with this law, they would face automatic excommunication from the Church for violating the canon law and breaking the seal of confession. Many erroneously convey to people who are not familiar with the full meaning of the sacrament that the Church is opposing the requirement simply to evade dealing with the issue of sex abuse. “All Catholics must know and be assured that their confessions remain sacred, secure, confidential and protected by the law of the Church,” said the Archdiocese.
“SB 5375 demands that Catholic Priests violate their deeply held faith in order to obey the law, a violation of the Constitution and a breach of the free exercise of religion cannot stand under our Constitutional system of government,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Worse, the law appears to single out clergy as not entitled to assert applicable privileges, as compared to other reporting professionals. We take this matter very seriously and look forward to Washington State’s cooperation with our investigation.”
No doubt only persons who have shown consistency when it comes to dealing with allegations of abuse and who are aware of the experiences and expectations of those who have been affected by abuse — victims, their families, their parishes or schools, etc. — will be seen as suitable and credible candidates for being elected as pope. In all countries and on all continents you have people who are highly motivated and deeply committed to safeguarding and to owning the failures of the past, and on all continents and in all countries you have those among leaders and faithful who — for different reasons — still do not apply what the church itself asks them to do and do not want to face reality.
The new law adds clergy members to the state’s list of individuals legally required to report when they have “reasonable cause to believe that a child has suffered abuse or neglect" including conversations in the confessional. While disclosures in confession or other religious rites where the clergy member is bound to confidentiality are not exempt, religious leaders will retain their privilege to not be compelled to testify in related court cases or criminal proceedings. The Washington State Catholic Conference opposed the legislation. They said it would force priests to break the seal of confession, considered a sacred promise to never reveal any of the information disclosed.