Attacking Confession

You may not have heard about this yet, but the state of Washington apparently passed a law that requires Catholic priests to reveal any information they hear in the Sacrament of Confession about child abuse. Of course, they claim they are trying to protect children, but this is likely a first shot that will pave the way for further attacks on the Catholic faith. It also presumes that Catholic priests who do hear about child abuse do nothing to get the offender to take responsibility for their sins and to turn themselves in to the authorities. It appears, however, that the state of Washington might not get its way after all.

The Justice Department of these USA has filed a lawsuit against the state of Washington saying that this law violates the religious freedom of the Catholic Church. Their words are specifically:

The seal of confidentiality is ... the lifeblood of confession. Without it, the free exercise of the Catholic religion, i.e., the apostolic duties performed by the Catholic priest to the benefit of Catholic parishioners, cannot take place.

I am confident that no Catholic priest (even the most modernist and liberal minded ones) would ever break the seal of the confessional, so I am not worried about them giving in to this tyranny. No, I do not want them to go to jail, but I would be right there with them if a law like this were to be imposed on me. Let us pray for them, and also that true justice will prevail (and the fools who think this is a good law would be given the grace of repentance!).

What I do want you to think about a bit more, however, is the view of the Justice Department. They made it clear that the seal is the "lifeblood" of the Sacrament of Confession. Although, technically, the absolution is the spiritual "lifeblood", I understand their point. Do you believe that as much as they do? That means you will do your best to avoid standing close to a confessional door when someone is in there. That means that you will be careful about your own volume when you are in there (!). That means that you will discourage others from standing too close as well.

The statement also pointed out how it was an "apostolic duty" of Catholic priests for the benefit of the parishioners. Do you believe that as well? If you go to Confession regularly you probably do believe it. There are those, of course, who have not been to Confession in a long time, and that likely means they do not see the benefit properly. If you are one of those then beg the Lord to help you open your eyes (if even the American civil government recognizes it, you need to as well!).

Then, of course, there are those who go to Confession obsessively and never really believe that they are forgiven. That means that they are actually attacking the Sacrament. They keep going back because they think "it didn't take" or "maybe I missed something". That means they are not really trusting those words of the priest "I absolve you from your sins". That is the true "benefit", and it is real. If you walk out of the confessional not believing it, then you are not really trusting what Christ said through the priest (and you are trusting your own judgment as superior!).

It is real absolution. It is a genuine forgiveness and Christ grants it because of His great love for you. There are those (like the state of Washington) who want to attack it; do not be like them. Do not attack the Sacrament out of laxity or scrupulosity. Love the grace of Christ, and make your heart able to hear and receive all that Christ says to you.