About the Book

When Father Timothy J. Mockaitis received suspect Conan Wayne Hale’s sacramental confession on April 22, 1996, in which forgiveness is offered by God alone, he did not realize that the sacred clergy-penitent communication had been secretly taped.

Would it have helped solve the case?

Or has the law violated a person’s religious right?

Supported with a foreword written by Francis Cardinal George, Archbishop of Chicago, the Reverend recalls the true story of an outrageous violation of religious liberty which created an unprecedented rift between the powers of Church and State.

The story explores uncharted legal territory in this first impression case involving a priest, a penitent, a district attorney and the Catholic Church. It was the first time a violation of the seal of confession was alleged in a capital case in the United States, and the first time an attempt was made in court to define a violation of the seal of the confessional as a First Amendment violation.

Delve into the controversial incident that teeters dangerously between moral and ethical, law and religion. The case is long over and the sanctity of confession has been enforced, but a religious freedom has been violated and the stigma lives on.

ISBN13 (TP) 978-1-4363-7338-8
ISBN13 (HB) 978-1-4363-7339-5

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The Seal is enrolled in Xlibris’ Bookstore Returnability Program, which gives booksellers the convenient option of returning excess stocks through Ingram Distribution.