PHOENIX (AZ)
MSN [Redmond WA ]
January 11, 2026
By Diane Duenez , Straight Arrow News
A new bill before the Arizona house will force priests and pastors to break their seal of confession. House Bill 2039 could also require priests or pastors to testify about confessions in court about child abuse cases.
The bill states a member of the clergy, the Christian Science practitioner or the priest may withhold reporting of the communication or confession unless there is reasonable suspicion to believe the abuse is ongoing, will continue or may be a threat to other minors.
About half of the states in the U.S. have designated clergy as mandatory reporters. At least 18 others say any person, including clergy, must report any suspected child abuse.
However, many of those laws do carve out an exception for instances like confessions.
Catholic Canon Law states a priest is “prohibited completely from using knowledge acquired from confession to the detriment of the penitent even when any danger of revelation is excluded.” Violating the law will result in excommunication.
Straight Arrow News is awaiting comment from the Diocese of Phoenix.
The post Arizona bill calls for clergy to report or testify about certain confessions appeared first on Straight Arrow News.