The state of Washington agreed to end all efforts to enforce a new law that could have jailed or fined Catholic and Orthodox priests for refusing to violate the sacred Seal of Confession.
The Seal of Confession stands as a central Catholic doctrine forbidding priests to reveal anything a penitent confesses during reconciliation. This sacramental seal gives believers confidence that they can confess their sins freely without fear that a priest will expose their identity or wrongdoing.
If a priest breaks that seal, the Church imposes severe penalties, including possible excommunication.
Senate Bill 5375 marked Sen. Noel Frame’s (D-36th District) latest attempt to coerce priests and religious officials into reporting penitents to law enforcement if they confessed to alleged abuse. Strangely, Frame and liberal Gov. Bob Ferguson both cited their Catholic faith while defending the bill.
These two clearly missed the core of their catechesis if they don’t understand the sacredness of confession or the spiritual destruction that would follow if priests were forced to betray that trust.
Forcing priests to violate the seal would drive Catholics away from the confessional and rob them of absolution from Christ. From a Catholic perspective, souls burdened with mortal sin could face eternal condemnation as a result.
The Western District Court of Washington permanently blocked the law this summer after Catholic bishops challenged it. Eastern Orthodox churches filed a similar lawsuit in the Eastern District Court, pushing back against the same egregious legislation.
Both lawsuits ended in settlements announced Friday by the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) and the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty. These agreements permanently bar state and county prosecutors from enforcing the law.
ADF Senior Counsel and Vice President of Appellate Advocacy John Bursch explained why the settlements matter.
“The First Amendment guarantees that governments cannot single out religious believers for worse treatment,” Bursch said in a news release. “Washington targeted priests by trying to force them to break the sacred confidentiality of confession while protecting other private communications, such as those between attorneys and clients. That’s blatant religious discrimination. We’re pleased the state moved quickly to restore churches’ and priests’ constitutionally protected freedoms.”
The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, which represented the Catholic bishops, also celebrated the settlement.
“Washington wisely abandoned this draconian law and allowed Catholic clergy to continue ministering to the faithful,” President and CEO Mark Rienzi said. “This is a victory for religious freedom and common sense. Priests should never face the impossible choice of betraying their sacred vows or going to jail.”
Jean Hill, Executive Director of the Washington State Catholic Conference, praised the outcome, saying, “Preventing abuse and upholding the sacred seal of confession are not mutually exclusive—we can and must do both. That’s why the Church supported the law’s intent from the beginning and only asked for a narrow exemption to protect the sacrament. We’re grateful the state ultimately recognized it can prevent abuse without forcing priests to violate their sacred vows.”
Hiram Sasser, Executive General Counsel for First Liberty Institute, commended the state’s leaders and Church officials for protecting both children and religious freedom.
“It’s to the credit of Washington’s Attorney General, Governor, Archbishop, and Bishops that they worked together under the First Amendment to defend religious liberty while fighting abuse,” Sasser said. “Their example offers a model for the rest of the country.”
Even before the settlements, the law drew fierce opposition. The Justice Department launched an investigation into the state’s handling of the bill, while Catholic bishops stood their ground like true defenders of the faith, vowing that they would never comply.
During the debate, numerous voices — including bishops, Protestant ministers, and legal scholars — warned that the law posed serious threats to religious liberty.
Lawmakers ignored those warnings and pushed forward anyway, determined to force priests to break their vows.
Thankfully, God intervened and once again protected His Church and the sacraments, keeping the promises He made in sacred scripture.
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