By now, most Americans are familiar with the Catholic Church’s sexual
abuse scandal, in which the Church has been criticized for its
handling—or rather, mishandling—of priests who sexually abused minors.[1]
Recently, Catholics in Louisiana were reminded of this scandal but with
a slightly different twist.
In April 2014, the Louisiana Supreme Court issued a decision involving alleged sexual abuse—not by a priest, but by a church parishioner—and a priest’s failure to report that abuse.[2] The Supreme Court’s holding potentially opened the door to a sticky situation: Can a court compel a priest to break the seal of confession when the penitent is a minor alleging sexual abuse.
https://lawreview.law.lsu.edu/2014/10/22/parents-of-minor-child-v-charlet-a-threat-to-the-sanctity-of-catholic-confession/
In April 2014, the Louisiana Supreme Court issued a decision involving alleged sexual abuse—not by a priest, but by a church parishioner—and a priest’s failure to report that abuse.[2] The Supreme Court’s holding potentially opened the door to a sticky situation: Can a court compel a priest to break the seal of confession when the penitent is a minor alleging sexual abuse.
https://lawreview.law.lsu.edu/2014/10/22/parents-of-minor-child-v-charlet-a-threat-to-the-sanctity-of-catholic-confession/