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Confession Is Not Secret

Confession Is Not Secret

Suppose you confess to a priest and then he does not keep the sin a secret what happens?

Secret Not Confession

Since the sacrament of reconciliation (confession) is a fairly big deal to us Catholics, the vow to keep anything said in confession a secret, is a part of a priest's ordination.

In the same way a lawyer or doctor may not reveal 'priveliged' information without being disciplined, a priest may not, even in a court of law, reveal things told to him in a confessional without censure.... after all, if the priest was a blabbermouth, who would ever feel comfortable talking to him?

I'll ask my priest next time I talk to him, what the penalties would be, exactly.

Confession Is Not Secret Catholicism Studies

That brings up another thought... can something be too bad to keep it a secret? For instance if a man came and said that on such and such a day he will kill, rape and plunder - then should it be kept a secret? What about if he confessed to wanting to kill the priest or the Pope on his next visit?

Secret Not Confession

The entire premise of the sacrament of reconciliation JB, is that you are sorry for what you have done and with God's help you have no intention of doing it again. Therefore, you can't confess to something you intend to do anyway - you cannot get absolution in advance of a sinful act!

Should a man come in though, and confess that he has done something terrible in the past which he is sorry for and has no intention of repeating, just like a lawyer, the priest cannot and will not be able to repeat it, not even in a court of law - it is considered to be priveliged information

Secret Not Confession

I am not absolutely certain about this, but as I understand it, there is now a law in the US requiring clergy to report certain specific crimes that are confessed to them. I believe that sexual abuse of children falls under this heading. If the clergy do not report it, they become accomplices.

Confession Is Not Secret

The reason I'd doubt that as a law, is that it goes against the vows in a priest's ordination.

As I said before though, a part of his role as a confessor, is counseling. If the problem is as serious as child abuse, he would not only tell the person to 'say the lord's prayer' and it's all over.

I know when I confessed, years ago, to losing my temper and yelling at my mother, a part of my penance was that I had to apologise to my mom and in future, any time I found myself losing my temper, I was to pray about it.

That is extremely minor compared to child abuse, where I would have to guess what the priest would suggest might include family counseling and intervention.

He cannot however, report it to authorities, or else not only would he be going against his vows and open himself up for discipline within the church, but it would be telling the people that they can't confess to a priest anymore.

Would you confess your darkest moments to someone who's likely to tell someone else? I wouldn't.

Confession Not Secret

I understand your response Trinichic, however, permit me to change the question slightly so that it eliminates a pre-meditated act. Let us say in the confession box a man says,

"Father, demons speak to me, I know they are bad, but I hear them, they tell me to do bad things, they tell me that I am to kill the Pope when he lands at 'x' place. I am trying to fight it, but I do not know if I can control it, help me, help me Father, I have sinned."

In this the person feels they are being controlled by the unseen. Let us also say that the priest gets a very strong feeling that this man will carry out the act - intentionally or not, but nevertheless he will execute it - now what?

Confession Not Secret Studies Catholicism

Okay, so the crazy person goes into the confessional... (haha)

The priest can only interact here, directly with the person - whether that is counseling or advice that he check into a clinic for treatment or rehabilitation. The priest still cannot go to someone else, he can only direct the 'sinner' to talk to someone else.

In a scenario where a person believes they are being posessed and/or controlled by demons and goes to their priest, he probably will suggest that the person talk to a doctor, psychiatrist, etc. and may or may not advise an exorcism.

However, without the person's permission and willing participation, his hands are tied. It's highly likely though, that a person willing to speak to a priest, is going to be willing to talk to a medical professional, or take the priest's advice - whatever that may be.