Catholic priests must report child abuse because the protection of innocent and vulnerable minors must take precedence over religious confidentiality. That is what Washington State Senate Bill 5375, signed into law on May 2, 2025, mandates. All clergy, including priests, rabbis, and other religious leaders, must report child abuse and neglect. While confession of sins to a priest is a Catholic tradition, it should not be used as a shield for concealing crimes that cause serious harm, and allowing abuse to go unreported perpetuates suffering and enables further victimization.
Trump’s Department of Justice has just announced that it is opening up an investigation into Washington State’s Senate Bill 5375, which is called “anti-Catholic” because it would mandate Catholic priests to report child abuse to civil authorities.
The Justice Department announced the following on May 5, 2025:
• “The Justice Department today announced it has opened a civil rights investigation into the development and passage of Washington State Senate Bill 5375, signed into law on May 2, 2025, by Governor Bob Ferguson, which appears on its face to violate the First Amendment.” [1]
• “Washington State’s new law adds “members of the clergy” to a list of other professionals who are required to report information received in a confessional setting relating to child abuse or neglect to law enforcement or other state authorities, with no exception for the absolute seal of confidentiality that applies to Catholic Priests.” [1]
• “Furthermore, the State of Washington’s new law singles out “members of the clergy” as the only “supervisors” who may not rely on applicable legal privileges, including religious confessions, as a defense to mandatory reporting.” [1]
• “The Civil Rights Division will investigate the apparent conflict between Washington State’s new law with the free exercise of religion under the First Amendment, a cornerstone of the United States Constitution.” [1]
• “SB 5375 demands that Catholic Priests violate their deeply held faith in order to obey the law, a violation of the Constitution and a breach of the free exercise of religion cannot stand under our Constitutional system of government,’ said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.” [1]
• “We take this matter very seriously and look forward to Washington State’s cooperation with our investigation.” [1]
In any just society, safeguarding public safety and human dignity and preventing criminal acts must override so-called “religious traditions” that threaten our most defenseless members, our children. Teachers, parents, and all those in positions of trust are required to report abuse—but not Catholic priests? Is this what Trump’s new religious liberty is all about—safeguarding predators in Catholic churches? It is inconceivable for Catholic priests to claim religious liberty as a defense for withholding information about child abuse learned in confessionals. Religious liberty is meant to protect spiritual expression, not to provide sanctuary for criminal behavior or to obstruct justice. Shielding abusers under the guise of sacred confidentiality not only undermines the law but also betrays the very moral teachings that religious institutions claim to uphold.
The Justice Department announces First Amendment investigation into Washington State’s new anti-Catholic law, Senate Bill 5375
🔗: https://t.co/bXGLhNPI90 pic.twitter.com/y5Y4m8qCnU
— DOJ Civil Rights Division (@CivilRights) May 5, 2025
No belief system should be immune from accountability when it enables or conceals the exploitation of children. In a society governed by truth, justice, and human rights, saving children outweighs any claim to secrecy, especially when silence perpetuates harm, pain, suicide, and death. The Vatican’s insistence on protecting the confessional, even in cases of child abuse, aligns disturbingly well with its long history of shielding clergy from accountability. Rome benefits from this protection, as it preserves institutional power and deflects legal consequences, despite overwhelming evidence of systemic abuse across centuries and continents.
With billions in assets and unmatched global influence, the Catholic Church has functioned as the most well-funded and far-reaching organization implicated in the abuse and cover-up of children in earth’s history. And for Donald Trump’s Department of Justice, the most powerful law enforcement agency in the world, to prioritize secrecy over justice reinforces the perception that its true loyalty lies not with the victims, but with preserving the power, image, and authority of those who are in control.
“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.” 2 Timothy 3:1-5.
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What about the abuse of the Catholic clergy to children? This has been known and written about for centuries.
This is so sad but we see now that Trump is in the back pockets of the Vatican and I believe he will convert to Catholicism soon! Revelation 13 and the Great Controversy are coming alive. What Sister White wrote can be believed….I believe it!!
I wouldn’t be surprised if Trump has already converted.
He went to Fordham U, he’s had at least 2 RC wives, has RC in-laws, is surrounded by RC advisers, & wants to be pope (maybe he was joking, but he did say it & posted an AI pic of himself in papal garb lol). Gr Ortho archbishop & others call him “Constantine”, which means Sunday Law; also “Justinian”, which means he would help select the next pope. Very interesting how he’s surrounded by RCs yet supposedly isn’t one of them but is still a Presbyterian, although he claims to be non-denom.
Either way, I believe Trump is a prophetic president. “Maga” (also “Magus”) means magic, magician, sorcerer/sorceress; it’s the 5th & highest level of the Church of Satan. Hope Christians aren’t wearing their MAGA hats. We may have been duped (big shock).
“14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. 15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works. ”
2 Corinthians 11:14-15 KJV
satan has always been a master of reversal. Through his agents he changes principles by misapplying them.
This practice is seen in many places but in this issue, they are using Religious Liberty and Civil Rights in the opposite manner, in which they were meant to be applied. All the while they are destroying these principles by giving them a new definition – definitions that are the complete opposite, while using the same names. Selfishness is root of all sin which leads to bondage. When these principles – Religious Liberty and Civil Rights are being used for a selfish purpose, then these principles are corrupted.
For example, I’m sure you have heard the term ‘manifest’ being used by many celebrities and people in the world. The word ‘manifest’ means to make clear:
“12 For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. 13 But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light. ”
Ephesians 5:12-13 KJV
However, the Word ‘manifest’ have been hijacked and the definition changed. When people use it now a-days, they say ‘manifest’ means to speak things(anything your heart desire) into existence. This is disturbingly wrong. According to Ephesians 5:12-13, only light can make things clear, or expose whats in the dark. In other words only light can manifest. We know by the Word of God that Christ shines the light in this dark world, for Christ is the Word, and His Word is light:
“For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. ” 2 Corinthians 4:6 KJV
“That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles. ”
Acts 26:23 KJV
“3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: 4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. ”
2 Corinthians 4:3-4 KJV