Don't try to hide behind that First Amendment stuff! Think of the children!
I just opened today's issue of our diocese newspaper, which is usually a quick read: a cute or touching picture on the front page, usually of a schoolchild or of the congregation at a big Mass... Cardinal McCarrick's column... Georgetown parish or University hosting heterodox well-known author... Catholic Information Center hosting booksigning by famous best-selling author... local students complete service project... letters to the editor... Events Around the Archdiocese... Senior pages... Knight of Columbus plan spaghetti feast... obituaries...
I sure got a jolt today, though, when I read His Eminence's column. He starts off by briefly alluding to the sexual abuse crimes committed by priests, and the Archdiocesan policies on sexual abuse; part of the reason we trust our priests is because we have confidence in the Seal of the confessional...BUT (emphasis added):
Unfortunately I must tell you that bills have been introduced in the legislature of the State of Maryland that would make it a crime for a priest to be faithful to that solemn sacramental obligation. These bills would require a priest by law to report what he heard in Confession if any kind of abuse of a child is mentioned. I am not condemning the legislators who are promoting this bill. I am presuming that they are only interested in helping children and not in attacking the Catholic Church and any other religious body which would have such protection for spiritual conversations. However what they are proposing is a grave violation of our Church's Canon Law, and I must oppose it with whatever authority I have, and you, dear friends, need to know this.If this bill were to pass, I shall instruct all the priests in the Archdiocese of Washington who serve in Maryland to ignore it and to indicate they are acting on direct orders from me as their archbishop and religious superior. On this issue, I will gladly plead civil disobedience and willingly - if not gladly - go to jail. Please understand that I write this to you as your servant and your friend and as one, who however unworthy, in the mystery of God's providence, is called to be your bishop. I cannot allow three state senators and eight members of the House of Delegates who are the proposers of this legislation to force our priests to violate the sacramental seal of Confession. If there is a gauntlet involved in this process, then I throw it down now.
While there is still time to prevent this attack on the sacramental seal of Confession, I ask you to write or phone your own state legislators in Annapolis and tell them how you feel about the proposed law and how it affects your rights as a Catholic American and a citizen of this state of Maryland. If in spite of all you do, it gets into law, I'm happy to assure you that, even behind bars, I'll be thinking of you.
Maryland is the birthplace of Catholicism in the English-speaking colonies. How can they do this?!
Political grandstanding, that's how. Never mind your constituents' First Amendment rights!
The Standard gives the bill numbers as SB 412 and HB 823, designated as "Family Law -- Child Abuse and Neglect -- Reporting by Members of the Clergy." The Maryland Catholic Conference website has information on finding and contacting state legislators, and links to the Maryland General Assembly.
Go, Cardinal McCarrick! GO!
