On August 22, Paul spoke with Fr. Gregory Jensen about pending legislation in Wisconsin which would require clergy to violate the trust with penitents by requiring them to report to the state certain confessions they hear.
- GUEST: Fr. Gregory Jensen, is the pastor of Sts. Cyril & Methodius Ukrainian Orthodox Mission and the Eastern Orthodox chaplain at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He has published articles in psychology, theology, and economics and is the author of The Cure for Consumerism.
ACTON.ORG: Wisconsin Democrats Want to Hear Your Confession
“As in other states, clergy in Wisconsin are mandated reporters of suspected cases of child abuse or mistreatment. If passed the Clergy Mandatory Reporting Act would, according to one of the bill’s co-sponsors, require “that members of the clergy report any instances of child abuse, including sexual abuse, ending the loophole of unjust cover-ups and misreporting currently occurring in our state.” The “loophole” referred to is the priest-penitent privilege that exempts clergy from reporting abuse revealed solely in confession (“the seal of confession”).”