Seal of confession

The Latest

Bishop Robert Barron is the founder of Word on Fire, a media apostolate focused on evangelization.

Bishop Barron urges court to strike down Washington law that targets seal of confession

Jul 4, 2025

By Daniel Payne

Bishop Robert Barron on July 4 urged a federal court to strike down a Washington state law that would force... Read more

CNA

Orthodox churches join Catholic bishops in suing Washington state over confession law

Jun 17, 2025

By Daniel Payne

Orthodox churches have joined the Catholic bishops of Washington in a lawsuit against a state law requiring clergy violate the... Read more

null

Washington bishops sue over law forcing priests to violate seal of confession

May 29, 2025

By Amira Abuzeid

The Catholic bishops of Washington state filed a lawsuit Thursday challenging a new law that requires priests to report child... Read more

Washington state’s governor signed a law on May 1, 2025, that threatens priests with up to one year in jail if they fail to report child abuse they learn about during the sacrament of confession.

Trump’s Justice Department investigates Washington law threatening seal of confession

May 6, 2025

By Tyler Arnold

The new law, signed by Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson last week, adds members of the clergy to the list of... Read more

Confessional.

Washington governor signs abuse bill requiring priests to break seal of confession

May 3, 2025

By Daniel Payne

The measure adds clergy to the list of mandatory abuse reporters in the state but doesn’t include an exemption for... Read more

null

Spokane bishop urges voters to oppose bill that forces priests to break seal of confession

Feb 5, 2025

By Daniel Payne

The bill would amend state law to require clergy to report instances of child abuse with no exemption for instances... Read more

null

Privacy in the confessional: Is your smartphone listening to your sins?

Oct 28, 2024

By Jonah McKeown

Could it be true that your phone is “listening” to your private conversations — including in the confessional? Read more

null

Bishop urges Utah lawmakers to protect seal of confession in sex abuse reporting bill

Feb 2, 2024

By Tyler Arnold

The bishop of the Diocese of Salt Lake City is urging lawmakers to maintain language preserving the seal of confession... Read more

null

Catholic leaders in Costa Rica oppose bill forcing priests to break seal of confession

Nov 16, 2023

By Diego López Marina

A group of Catholic leaders from Costa Rica recently laid out the position of the Church regarding a bill that... Read more

null

Washington bishop: Priests would rather go to jail than break seal of confession

Apr 20, 2023

By Tyler Arnold

Spokane Bishop Thomas A. Daly has assured his diocese that priests would opt for a jail sentence before they would... Read more

CNA

Priest stripped of faculty to hear confessions after he advocated violating that sacrament in sex abuse cases

Mar 23, 2023

By Joe Bukuras

Archbishop Jerome Listecki of Milwaukee made the move following the priest’s public support for civil laws mandating priests break the... Read more

null

Seal of Confession under attack? Delaware, Vermont bills draw Catholic criticism

Mar 9, 2023

By Kevin J. Jones

The proposed requirement would be practically “nearly impossible to meet” for Catholic clergy, the Diocese of Wilmington has said. Read more

Purple stole and confessional.

Catholic Church in England and Wales will ‘carefully study’ abuse report recommendations

Oct 27, 2022

By CNA Staff

The Catholic Church in England and Wales has said it will “carefully study” the contents of a national report concerning... Read more

Pope Francis goes to confession during a penance service in St. Peter's Basilica on March 25, 2022.

Pope Francis: In confession, the priest should guide penitent to holiness

Mar 26, 2022

By Hannah Brockhaus

Pope Francis spoke to around 800 priests and seminarians at the end of a course on the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Read more

Cardinal Mauro Piacenza, Major Penitentiary of the Apostolic Penitentiary

What is the seal of confession? A Q&A with Cardinal Mauro Piacenza

Oct 15, 2021

By CNA Staff

To learn more about the secrecy of the Sacrament of Reconciliation, we spoke to Cardinal Mauro Piacenza, the head of... Read more

Karine Dalle, the communications director of the French bishops’ conference.

France’s Catholic bishops will uphold confessional seal, spokeswoman clarifies

Oct 14, 2021

By CNA Staff

She said: ‘One cannot change the canon law for France as it is international.’ Read more

null

Analysis: The Church in France must uphold the confessional seal

Oct 13, 2021

By Fr. Gerald Murray

The French bishops’ conference has seemingly tried to walk back the straightforward comments of the Bishop of Reims, who recently... Read more

Archbishop Éric de Moulins-Beaufort, pictured in 2015.

French Catholic leader discusses ‘clumsy wording’ on confessional seal with interior minister

Oct 12, 2021

By CNA Staff

The archbishop asked for ‘forgiveness,’ saying that his remarks overshadowed a landmark abuse report. Read more

The Palace of Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, which houses the meeting room of the UN Human Rights Council.

UN experts’ letter to Vatican has ‘no real teeth,’ says Church official

Jun 21, 2021

By CNA Staff

The letter accused the Holy See of engaging in “obstructive practices” related to abuse. Read more