Catholic Diocese Blasts Louisiana Supreme Court Over Ruling On Priest Testifying About Confession

The Catholic Diocese of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, blasted the state's highest court on Monday over a recent decision that could force a priest to testify in court about a confession, The Times-Picayune reported.

Louisiana's Supreme Court caused an uproar in May when it ruled that the Reverend Jeff Bayhi might have to divulge in court details of an alleged confession from a girl who might have been sexually abused by a church member.

Allowing such a testimony would violate the religion's seal of confession, an act that "cuts to the core of the Catholic faith," the diocese said in a statement published Monday.

"If necessary the priest would have to suffer a finding of contempt in a civil court and suffer imprisonment rather than violate his sacred duty and violate the seal of confession," the statement reads.

"The position of the Diocese of Baton Rouge and Fr. Bayhi is that the Supreme Court of Louisiana has run afoul of the constitutional right of both the Church and priest, more particularly, has violated the Establishment Clause and the separation of Church and State."

The ruling dealt with a 2009 lawsuit brought by parents claiming their daughter confessed to Bayhi that she was sexually assaulted by a male church member in 2008 she was 12.

Bayhi allegedly told the girl she needs to keep the issue to herself because "too many people would be hurt," the lawsuit claims according to The Advocate.

Because Bayhi did not report the abuse to the authorities, he thus violated the Louisiana Children's Code, the lawsuit claims.

The lawsuit also names the Baton Rouge diocese and the suspect who allegedly abused the girl, The Times-Picayune reported. The suspect died as police were investigating the incident.

The suit was originally dismissed by a state appeals court. But the Louisiana Supreme Court overturned the appellate court's ruling, claiming that confessional confidentiality can only be invoked "on behalf of" the confessor, meaning the girl. Since she waived her privilege, the priest can't hide behind confidentiality.

A future court hearing is to be held in the 19th Judicial District Court in Baton Rouge on whether or not Bayhi needs to testify as to what the girl might have told him.

The diocese said it will take the matter to the U.S. Supreme Court if necessary.