The Catholic Diocese of Baton Rouge has issued a statement decrying a decision by the Louisiana Supreme Court that may compel a priest to testify in court about confessions he might have received. The alleged confessions, according to legal documents, were made to the priest by a minor girl regarding possible sexual abuse perpetrated by another church parishioner.

The statement, published Monday (July 7) on the diocese’s website, said forcing such testimony “attacks the seal of confession,” a sacrament that “cuts to the core of the Catholic faith.”

The statement refers to a lawsuit naming the Rev. Jeff Bayhi and the Catholic Diocese of Baton Rouge as defendants and compels Bayhi to testify whether or not there were confessions “and, if so, what the contents of any such confessions were.”

The parents of the girl brought action against the priest and church, alleging the  priest, as a mandatory reporter, had failed to report the abuse allegations  and that church was vicariously liable for the priest’s failure to act. The 19th Judicial District Court, Parish of East Baton Rouge, No. 580066, R. Michael Caldwell, J., denied defendants’ motion to exclude evidence of the girl’s confession with priest. The Court of Appeal reversed order denying motion to exclude evidence and, on its own motion, entered peremptory exception of no cause of action, 135 So.3d 724, 2013 WL 5712245. The parents petitioned for certiorari review.