Vermont bishop testifies against clergy reporting bill

By LISA RATHKE
March 3, 2023

Bishop Christopher Coyne, of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Vermont, testifies before the Vermont Senate Judiciary Committee at the State House, Friday, March 3, 2023, in Montpelier, Vt. Coyne said the diocese is opposed to a bill that would remove an exemption to the state's child abuse and neglect reporting laws for members of the clergy. At rear left is Rev. Msgr. John McDermott. (AP Photo/Lisa Rathke)

MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) — The Roman Catholic Church’s rite of confession must remain confidential, even if someone tells a priest that a child has been abused, the bishop who leads Vermont’s diocese testified Friday.

Bishop Christopher Coyne told the state Senate Judiciary Committee that the church is opposed to a bill that would remove an exemption from Vermont’s child abuse and neglect reporting laws. Clergy are currently not required to report potential evidence of such crimes if they learn of it in confidence while acting as a spiritual advisor.

“A priest faces excommunication if he discloses the communication made to him during confession,” Coyne said. “And the sacramental seal of confession is the worldwide law of the Catholic Church, not just the diocese of Burlington, Vermont,” which covers the whole state.

The bill “crosses a Constitutional protective element of our religious faith: the right to worship as we see fit,” Coyne said.

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