Congressman Peter King of Long Island is introducing HR 751, the “Religious Communications Sanctity Act.” It is needed to protect the confessional seal from being tampered with by prosecutors. William Donohue endorsed the legislation and sent the following statement to Rep. King for dissemination among his colleagues:
“As president of the nation’s largest Catholic civil rights organization, I strongly endorse your efforts to pass HR 751, the ‘Religious Communications Sanctity Act.’ Without a legal guarantee assuring the confidentiality of the confessional, overly zealous law enforcement agents and/or the courts may victimize both priest and penitent. In short, if religious liberty is to be protected, the sanctity of the confessional must be insulated from the authorities.”
Donohue ended his remarks by saying, “I applaud your commitment to religious liberty for every American, regardless of faith. Please do not hesitate to contact the Catholic League for support in this matter. We will do everything we can to assist you.”
