Posted on 07/08/2014 6:07:48 AM PDT by marshmallow
The Catholic Diocese of Baton Rouge has issued a statement decrying a decision by the Louisiana Supreme Court that could compel a local priest to testify in court about confessions he might have received. The alleged confessions, according to legal documents, were made to the priest by a minor girl regarding possible sexual abuse perpetrated by another church parishioner.
The statement, published Monday (July 7) on the diocese's website, said forcing such testimony "attacks the seal of confession," a sacrament that "cuts to the core of the Catholic faith."
The statement refers to a lawsuit naming the Rev. Jeff Bayhi and the Catholic Diocese of Baton Rouge as defendants and compels Bayhi to testify whether or not there were confessions "and, if so, what the contents of any such confessions were."
"A foundational doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church for thousands of years mandates that the seal of confession is absolute and inviolable," the statement says. "The position of the Diocese of Baton Rouge and Fr. Bayhi is that the Supreme Court of Louisiana has run afoul of the constitutional rights of both the Church and the priest, more particularly, has violated the Establishment Clause and the separation of Church and State under the first amendment."
The state high court's decision, rendered in May of this year, demands that a hearing be held in 19th Judicial District Court in Baton Rouge, where the suit originated, to determine whether or not a confession was made. It reverses an earlier decision by the Louisiana First Circuit Court of Appeals dismissing the original lawsuit filed against Bayhi and the diocese.
(Excerpt) Read more at nola.com ...
If the court rules against the priest and the priest complies he will lose his abilities to function as a priest.
**forcing such testimony “attacks the seal of confession,” a sacrament that “cuts to the core of the Catholic faith.”**
This won’t be done. This is the one way a priest dooms himself to hell. He cannot and will not break the Seal of Confession.
When told the decision could pave the way for Planned Parenthood and other abortionists having to provide the names of those paying for the abortions of minor girls to see if statutory rape was involved, the Louisiana Supreme Court added an addendum to their decision reading, “Oh .... scratch this decision.”
It is clear that governments have decided to take over and subvert church sacraments. And for too long, the churches have allowed them to do this.
Governments do this for two reasons: first and foremost to gain control over the secular and spiritual lives of the faithful; and second, to strip the sacraments of their sanctity. That sacredness is issued by bureaucrats, not heaven.
The basis of doing this is the oldest sin, that of vanity, to challenge God for supremacy in the universe. Lucifer did it, but time and again, men seek to do it as well, often to their detriment.
In the last century, some governments have tried to assert omnipotence. Today, the US government seeks omniscience, to see all, that nothing can happen beyond their surveillance.
Nimrod thought thought to build a tower to heaven, so that he could ascend it and be like God. It didn’t work too well for him or his people.
The most recent attack in the US is against the sacrament of marriage; and you can see how determined its corrupters are to do so, that they can somehow steal the riches from within the sacrament, like killing the golden goose for its eggs.
Just recently, Australia decided to strip the sanctity of the confessional, and not missing a trick, now the Supreme Court of Louisiana does so. It won’t be long before other US courts do so.
It will be claimed that it is no different from the stripping of doctor-patient confidentiality by HIPAA, under Bill Clinton and a bipartisan congress.
We can but pray that this priest will take a determined stand, and be imprisoned before he will break the seal of the confessional. We can but hope that his bishop Robert W. Muench, will support him in this trial.
And if he refuses to comply, what are they going to do? Lock up a priest?!?
The statists have gotten used to capitulation by religionists. The judge assumes the same will happen here.
Such an odd religion. So many priorities out of whack, and no assurance of salvation or security. You can be doomed to Hell for the oddest things.
Catholic doctrine is that a priest may not violate the seal of confession, not even to save his own life.
.....Or even say, Muslims now?
We are dealing here with a SACRAMENT and a very important one at that.
We are seeing the seeds for a future revolt to take place.
Yet I wonder what will happen if they threaten the tax exempt status.
Some people just plain ain’t smart enough to realize that breaking a vow made to The Lord isn’t exactly a minor little odd thing
Is that a good read?
There is another book I believe, which has on the front cover a picture of St. John Paul II about 7 facts about confession, but not sure about the title of it.
Where do you stand, Alex? Would you use the power of the State to crush a religion that you find "odd"? Would you stand idly by and watch the State crush a religion that you find "odd"?
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