Arizona threatens priests with jail if they fail to break the confessional seal to report abuse

A proposed law in Arizona could see priests facing felony charges if they fail to break the seal of confession after learning of child abuse during the sacrament. Failure to report a “reportable offense” could lead to class 6 felony charges under the bill. Those charges can lead to up to $150,000 in fines and up to two years of imprisonment. Catholic canon law dictates that it is “absolutely forbidden for a confessor to betray in any way a penitent in words or in any manner and for any reason.”