How Many Non-Catholics Understand what goes on in the Confessional?

[Monk Brendan]

I have heard many Non-Catholics proclaiming that the Confessional (whether it's a wooden box with a kneeler or whether it's two men sitting alone in the Church--or for that matter, out in the middle of an empty baseball field) saying that if a priest hears a crime (rape, murder, child abuse), he should immediately stop the confession, and call the police.


This is simply NOT SO! Rather, I have heard priests going to prison rather than break the seal of the Confessional. To quote Catholic Straight Answers; "The standard of secrecy protecting a confession outweighs any form of professional confidentiality or secrecy. When a person unburdens his soul and confesses his sins to a priest in the Sacrament of Penance, a very sacred trust is formed. While the priest is the minister of the sacrament, Christ is forgiving the sins, and the priest must not reveal to anyone else what has been really confessed to the Lord. Moreover, what sins are forgiven are now in one’s past not to be carried into the present via some communication. Therefore, the priest must maintain absolute secrecy about anything that a person confesses. For this reason, confessionals were developed with screens to protect the anonymity of the penitent and to alleviate the possibility of the priest remembering a “face” with a confession. This secrecy is called “the sacramental seal,” “the seal of the confessional,” or “the seal of confession.”

Now, will a priest worth his salt pardon the sin, and let the sinner go his way?

Not necessarily.

 

[Landon Caeli]

I have heard many Non-Catholics proclaiming that the Confessional (whether it's a wooden box with a kneeler or whether it's two men sitting alone in the Church--or for that matter, out in the middle of an empty baseball field) saying that if a priest hears a crime (rape, murder, child abuse), he should immediately stop the confession, and call the police.


This is simply NOT SO! Rather, I have heard priests going to prison rather than break the seal of the Confessional. To quote Catholic Straight Answers; "The standard of secrecy protecting a confession outweighs any form of professional confidentiality or secrecy. When a person unburdens his soul and confesses his sins to a priest in the Sacrament of Penance, a very sacred trust is formed. While the priest is the minister of the sacrament, Christ is forgiving the sins, and the priest must not reveal to anyone else what has been really confessed to the Lord. Moreover, what sins are forgiven are now in one’s past not to be carried into the present via some communication. Therefore, the priest must maintain absolute secrecy about anything that a person confesses. For this reason, confessionals were developed with screens to protect the anonymity of the penitent and to alleviate the possibility of the priest remembering a “face” with a confession. This secrecy is called “the sacramental seal,” “the seal of the confessional,” or “the seal of confession.”

Now, will a priest worth his salt pardon the sin, and let the sinner go his way?

Not necessarily.

It's best that we just ignore the Australians and those others who hope to see our sacraments compromised since they have no respect for our Church.

...They view confession as mere fairy tales to begin with, so why would any Catholic care what they think anyways?

 

[ubicaritas]

I am not in favor of a wide construction of the 1st Ammendment right to freedom of religion (I don't think anybody has a religious right to discriminate in public services, for instance), but if a church confessional, of all places, is seen as a place that government knows best, then "freedom of religion" quickly becomes a Potemkin Village.

 

[JCFantasy23]

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[Apologetic_Warrior]

I have heard many Non-Catholics proclaiming that the Confessional (whether it's a wooden box with a kneeler or whether it's two men sitting alone in the Church--or for that matter, out in the middle of an empty baseball field) saying that if a priest hears a crime (rape, murder, child abuse), he should immediately stop the confession, and call the police.

This is simply NOT SO! Rather, I have heard priests going to prison rather than break the seal of the Confessional. To quote Catholic Straight Answers; "The standard of secrecy protecting a confession outweighs any form of professional confidentiality or secrecy. When a person unburdens his soul and confesses his sins to a priest in the Sacrament of Penance, a very sacred trust is formed. While the priest is the minister of the sacrament, Christ is forgiving the sins, and the priest must not reveal to anyone else what has been really confessed to the Lord. Moreover, what sins are forgiven are now in one’s past not to be carried into the present via some communication. Therefore, the priest must maintain absolute secrecy about anything that a person confesses. For this reason, confessionals were developed with screens to protect the anonymity of the penitent and to alleviate the possibility of the priest remembering a “face” with a confession. This secrecy is called “the sacramental seal,” “the seal of the confessional,” or “the seal of confession.”

Now, will a priest worth his salt pardon the sin, and let the sinner go his way?

Not necessarily.

I understand the issue going on, as an outsider looking in, seems to be an extremely difficult if not delicate issue to reach a definitive conclusion. I am uncertain what to make of it, the conflict of interest seems to be between freedom of religion, free speech rights, and obtaining knowledge of civil crimes. Can the separation of Church and state be applied to Churches which at the same time file with the government as non-profit organizations making them exempt from paying taxes? It's about as clear as mud to me.

 

[Paidiske]

As someone who hears confessions, I understand what goes on in the confessional.

I have no problem with making turning oneself in part of the penance given for serious crimes such as child abuse. To the point where I'd accompany someone to the police station before giving absolution if need be.

It's not a matter of compromising the sacrament or lack of respect for the church, but a matter of the protection of the innocent and vulnerable among us; a duty in which we have, historically, failed atrociously. We must change if we hope not to fail the next generation.

 

[Landon Caeli]

As someone who hears confessions, I understand what goes on in the confessional.

I have no problem with making turning oneself in part of the penance given for serious crimes such as child abuse. To the point where I'd accompany someone to the police station before giving absolution if need be.

Do you feel like that's what the LORD wants..? Either go to jail, or receive no forgiveness?

...Personally, I think His mercy should come before the temporal, worldly punishments, as that is what's more important.

Do you disagree with that sentiment?

 

[Landon Caeli]

I think the LORD is not interested in our worldly punishments. And I think that's the theme of confession... A supernatural cleansing of the soul that is based in mercy and forgiveness, and not a tool for accomplishing our own justice.

Our own justice belongs outside of what is His, IMO.

 

[Chinchilla]

I have heard many Non-Catholics proclaiming that the Confessional (whether it's a wooden box with a kneeler or whether it's two men sitting alone in the Church--or for that matter, out in the middle of an empty baseball field) saying that if a priest hears a crime (rape, murder, child abuse), he should immediately stop the confession, and call the police.


This is simply NOT SO! Rather, I have heard priests going to prison rather than break the seal of the Confessional. To quote Catholic Straight Answers; "The standard of secrecy protecting a confession outweighs any form of professional confidentiality or secrecy. When a person unburdens his soul and confesses his sins to a priest in the Sacrament of Penance, a very sacred trust is formed. While the priest is the minister of the sacrament, Christ is forgiving the sins, and the priest must not reveal to anyone else what has been really confessed to the Lord. Moreover, what sins are forgiven are now in one’s past not to be carried into the present via some communication. Therefore, the priest must maintain absolute secrecy about anything that a person confesses. For this reason, confessionals were developed with screens to protect the anonymity of the penitent and to alleviate the possibility of the priest remembering a “face” with a confession. This secrecy is called “the sacramental seal,” “the seal of the confessional,” or “the seal of confession.”

Now, will a priest worth his salt pardon the sin, and let the sinner go his way?

Not necessarily.

Confession is Biblical but not forgiving of sins by priest nor priest can pray for you to Jesus for him to forgive you .

 

[Landon Caeli]

Confession is Biblical but not forgiving of sins by priest nor priest can pray for you to Jesus for him to forgive you .

There are a multitude of scriptures that suggest otherwise in the following link.

https://www.catholic.com/tract/the-forgiveness-of-sins

(John 8:1–11)
(Luke 7:48)
(Matt. 9:6)
(Matt. 9:8)
(Matt. 28:20)
(John 20:21–23)

 

[Paidiske]

Do you feel like that's what the LORD wants..? Either go to jail, or receive no forgiveness?

...Personally, I think His mercy should come before the temporal, worldly punishments, as that is what's more important.

Do you disagree with that sentiment?

I think the question of gaol is misplaced.

I'd put it this way - is there true repentance if you don't seek the good of your victim? Doesn't seeking the good of your victim include owning up to what you have done?

I think that the Lord wants true repentance, including seeking the good of the victim; and if that comes with worldly consequences, we should be prepared to face them.

 

[Landon Caeli]

I'd put it this way - is there true repentance if you don't seek the good of your victim?

I'd like to explore that.

I would say there can be. I can say that for the times I confessed the worst of sins, a few times the priest absolved me without any condition. No prayers... Nothing... Just absolved me of my sins and that was all.

...Because, what is the primary purpose of confession? Is it not salvation for those seeking it? And would someone seek absolution from God if they were not sorry? I would think not.

 

[Paidiske]

Of course people seek absolution with wrong motives. It happens a lot.

 

[Monk Brendan]

Confession is Biblical but not forgiving of sins by priest nor priest can pray for you to Jesus for him to forgive you .

This is an example of Pop-Evangelical Speak. It implies that the world would be better if there were no Organized Religion, but would want everyone to go out to a field and talk to God. As such, Catholics are WRONG for believing in the Catholic Church.

The person confessing DOES confess directly to God. The priest is there as a witness, and as a means of conveying grace to the sinner.

 

[Chinchilla]

This is an example of Pop-Evangelical Speak. It implies that the world would be better if there were no Organized Religion, but would want everyone to go out to a field and talk to God. As such, Catholics are WRONG for believing in the Catholic Church.

The person confessing DOES confess directly to God. The priest is there as a witness, and as a means of conveying grace to the sinner.

Why do you go for forgivness of your sins to confession if they were paid for on cross ?

 

[Landon Caeli]

Why do you go for forgivness of your sins to confession if they were paid for on cross ?

It's like the same reason people get a ceremonial marriage rather than just saying 'hey, we're married'.

...Though, I'm not saying either one isn't technically legit, I just think Catholicism is putting in the extra effort.

I don't mean to speak for @Monk Brendan either, BTW, I'm just throwing in another perspective is all.

 

[Chinchilla]

It's like the same reason people get a ceremonial marriage rather than just saying 'hey, we're married'.

...Though, I'm not saying either one isn't technically legit, I just think Catholicism is putting in the extra effort.

I don't mean to speak for @Monk Brendan either, BTW, I'm just throwing in another perspective is all.

Ceremonial marriage is once at least , can't justify going to confession multiple times a year and always prior to eating body of Christ .

 

[Landon Caeli]

Ceremonial marriage is once at least , can't justify going to confession multiple times a year and always prior to eating body of Christ .

Basically, the only time confession is needed is when you willingly, and intentionally break one of the ten commandments on purpose... Otherwise, you don't need it before eating the Body of Christ.

 

[Chinchilla]

Basically, the only time confession is needed is when you willingly, and intentionally break one of the ten commandments on purpose... You don't need it before eating the Body of Christ.

I thought that Jesus gave us new commandments the two greatest ones of loving .

 

[Landon Caeli]

I thought that Jesus gave us new commandments the two greatest ones of loving .

Yes, for Christians alike, those are the two greatest... But some people fall from grace, even spending years outside the faith. When they return, they may find they've done some horrible things while they were lost.