Catholic priests are not allowed to reveal anything shared with them in confession under threat of excommunication, as the seal of confession is crucial to the sacrament itself. Washington state ...

The Trump administration is investigating a Washington state law that would require Catholic priests to break the seal of confession to report information related to child abuse or neglect.

Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson on Friday signed a controversial state law that requires priests ... that clergy there would not break the seal of confession even if required to by law.

Kniffin praised Washington state’s bishops for publicly committing to safeguard the seal of confession but also warned that “it’s hard for bishops to reassure Catholics when the law is ...

with no exception for the absolute seal of confidentiality that applies to Catholic Priests,” the government statement says. “Furthermore, the State of Washington’s new law singles out ‘me ...

The Washington State Catholic Conference and many Republican lawmakers opposed the bill’s provision that would force priests to break the confessional seal, a sacred promise that priests will ...