‘No human power’ can compel priests to violate confessional seal

Vatican says ‘no human power’ can compel priests to violate confessional seal

Thursday, July 4th, 2019

As California is currently embroiled in a battle over whether to punish priests for not breaking the seal of confession in cases when child abuse is revealed, the Vatican has issued a statement reaffirming the “inviolability” of the confidentiality of confession, and saying political pressure in this regard is a breach of religious liberty.

“Every political or legislative initiative intended to ‘force’ the inviolability of the sacramental seal would constitute an unacceptable offense against the libertas Ecclesiae (freedom of the Church), which does not receive its legitimacy from individual states, but from God,” the statement issued by Cardinal Mauro Piacenza, was approved by Pope Francis June 21 and published July 1. Read more

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News category: News Shorts, World.

Tags: Confessional seal, Vatican

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