Costa Rica considers bill threatening seal of confession
FREE Catholic Classes
A bill in Costa Rica would require Catholic priests to violate the seal of confession to report cases of suspected child sex abuse. Its sponsor says he was inspired by similar legislation advancing in the state of California.
Highlights
Catholic Online (https://www.catholic.org)
6/10/2019 (4 years ago)
Published in Americas
Keywords: Costa Rica, threatening seal, confession
San Jose, Costa Rica, (CNA) - Costa Rica's Legislative Assembly is considering a proposal to require clergy, coaches, and other individuals who work with youth to report allegations of sexual abuse of minors. Currently, only teachers and health care personnel are required to report suspected abuse.
President Carlos Alvarado told La Nacion, "As a nation, we have seen the issue of violence, which is sexual in this case against children, is a problem that concerns us on the basis of evidence and is something important to learn."
Catholic officials in the country have opposed the bill, stressing that the seal of confession is inviolable.
According to QCostaRica.com, a local Catholic Church spokesman said the bill is "a danger to the practice of religious freedom" and argued that it "does nothing in the cause of justice."
Canon law describes the seal of the confessional to be "inviolable," and priests are "absolutely forbidden" to disclose the sins of a penitent "in any way, for any reason." Violation of the seal by a priest is a grave crime against the faith and is punished by an automatic excommunication which can be augmented with other penalties, including dismissal from the clerical state.
The bill is being sponsored by Enrique Sánchez, who has said he was inspired by a similar bill in California. That legislation has sparked controversy and sharp criticism from opponents.
An initial draft of the California bill would have compelled the violation of the sacramental seal any time a priest came to suspect abuse from any penitent. However, the bill was amended and the version that passed the Senate would only require priests to report any knowledge or suspicion of child abuse gained while hearing the confession of another priest or colleague. The bill now goes to the California State Assembly.
Critics of the California legislation argue that even in its final form, the legislation is a serious violation of religious freedom with which priests cannot comply. They also maintain that the legislation would not be enforceable, due to the private nature of confession, and would do little to actually protect minors from clerical sexual abuse.
---
'Help Give every Student and Teacher FREE resources for a world-class Moral Catholic Education'
Copyright 2021 - Distributed by Catholic Online
Join the Movement
When you sign up below, you don't just join an email list - you're joining an entire movement for Free world class Catholic education.
-
Mysteries of the Rosary
-
St. Faustina Kowalska
-
Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary
-
Saint of the Day for Wednesday, Oct 4th, 2023
-
Popular Saints
-
St. Francis of Assisi
-
Bible
-
Female / Women Saints
-
7 Morning Prayers you need to get your day started with God
-
Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Sacrifices of Faith: The Pro-Life Legacies of St. Gianna and Jessica Hanna
-
How to love God by caring for our bodies
-
Pope Francis calls for negotiations to End Russia-Ukraine War
-
Pope Francis Contemplates Return to U.S. for United Nations Assembly Address
-
Pope Francis Calls on Faithful to Embrace Faith, Hope, and Charity in New Teaching Series
Daily Catholic
- Daily Readings for Monday, April 29, 2024
- St. Catherine of Siena: Saint of the Day for Monday, April 29, 2024
- Prayer for the Dead # 3: Prayer of the Day for Monday, April 29, 2024
- Daily Readings for Sunday, April 28, 2024
- St. Peter Chanel: Saint of the Day for Sunday, April 28, 2024
- Prayer before a Crucifix: Prayer of the Day for Sunday, April 28, 2024
We ask you, humbly: don't scroll away.
Hi readers, it seems you use Catholic Online a lot; that's great! It's a little awkward to ask, but we need your help. If you have already donated, we sincerely thank you. We're not salespeople, but we depend on donations averaging $14.76 and fewer than 1% of readers give. If you donate just $5.00, the price of your coffee, Catholic Online School could keep thriving. Thank you.Help Now >
Copyright 2024 Catholic Online. All materials contained on this site, whether written, audible or visual are the exclusive property of Catholic Online and are protected under U.S. and International copyright laws, © Copyright 2024 Catholic Online. Any unauthorized use, without prior written consent of Catholic Online is strictly forbidden and prohibited.
Catholic Online is a Project of Your Catholic Voice Foundation, a Not-for-Profit Corporation. Your Catholic Voice Foundation has been granted a recognition of tax exemption under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Federal Tax Identification Number: 81-0596847. Your gift is tax-deductible as allowed by law.