Admit to overhearing a confession?

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Neithan

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If we were to accidently overhear a confession or part of a confession, would it be violating the seal if we were to admit this in some way?

For example:

“Father, I unintentionally overheard a confession at [parish]; I really think the confessional should be better situated and soundproofed in some way, to keep that from happening.”

Would something like that be okay, or must we keep completely secret even the fact that we overheard anything?
 
Neithan said:
If we were to accidently overhear a confession or part of a confession, would it be violating the seal if we were to admit this in some way?

For example:

“Father, I unintentionally overheard a confession at [parish]; I really think the confessional should be better situated and soundproofed in some way, to keep that from happening.”

Would something like that be okay, or must we keep completely secret even the fact that we overheard anything?
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I think it would certainly be okay to say something in a general way like that, without mentioning what you overheard.
 
I believe, however, that you are bound by the seal not to divulge what you heard.
 
I am not sure anyone but the priest is bound by the seal, but no ever telling what you heard should be on your conscience.
 
MusicMan said:
I believe, however, that you are bound by the seal not to divulge what you heard.
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Right, you should certainly not say what you heard, or mention any kind of details that would give it away, but at the same time, the priest needs to know if the sound-proofing isn’t working, or if there is a problem with the acoustics in the building or in the Confessional that makes it so that someone’s Confession can be overheard in another part of the building. (An air vent that leads to a chapel upstairs in which voices carry clearly, or not enough sound-proofing material on one side of the box, etc.)
 
Neithan said:
If we were to accidently overhear a confession or part of a confession, would it be violating the seal if we were to admit this in some way?

?
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you would forget it as soon as you heard it, putting it out of your mind completely, and behaving as if it had never happened. period. no you would not discuss it with a third party. yes you are bound by the seal of you accidentally heard this.

what you should do is tell the priest simply that this did happen so he can take steps to make sure it does not happen again.

“Father, when confessions are heard in the sacristy sometimes they can be overheard in the adjacent choir room.” for instance, or “the door does not close properly on the confessional and those of us waiting in line can hear too much”
 
beth40n2 said:
I am not sure anyone but the priest is bound by the seal, but no ever telling what you heard should be on your conscience.
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Actually I believe that even as a layman, if you overheard a confession, even if accidentally, you are bound not to divulge or discuss what you heard. If you are going to mention that you accidentally overheard a confession in your own confession you shouldn’t say what you overheard at all.

ChadS
 
beth40n2 said:
I am not sure anyone but the priest is bound by the seal, but no ever telling what you heard should be on your conscience.
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The seal extends to anyone who overhears a confession, not just the Priest (per Canon Law):Can. 983 §1. The sacramental seal is inviolable; therefore it is absolutely forbidden for a confessor to betray in any way a penitent in words or in any manner and for any reason.

§2. The interpreter, if there is one, and all others who in any way have knowledge of sins from confession are also obliged to observe secrecy.As to what happens if you break the seal, it is a little more complex. A Priest who deliberately breaks the seal is immediately excommunicated however for a lay person the excommunication is not automatic but excommunication can be imposed:Can. 1388 §1. A confessor who directly violates the sacramental seal incurs a latae sententiae excommunication reserved to the Apostolic See; one who does so only indirectly is to be punished according to the gravity of the delict.

§2. An interpreter and the others mentioned in can. 983, §2 who violate the secret are to be punished with a just penalty, not excluding excommunication.
So do as Puzzleannie suggests.
 
If confessions are being overheard, the priest needs to know. Just politely mention to him (in private) that confessions are too loud. He’ll understand, and he’ll decide if he should soundproof the confessional more, or ask people in them to talk quieter.
 
You have a duty to inform the priest that penitents in line can hear the confessions being spoken in the confessional. The priest would want to know this so he can take care of it. No, you would not violate the seal as long as you didn’t mention sins you accidentally overheard.

A simple solution would be to have a small stereo playing some gregorian chant in the chapel to drown out the confessions. It would double as a meditational aid to those examining their consciences. Also, the line could be started further away from the confessional.
 
Tell the priest. My friend has done this. He felt bad because like 8 people had gone before him and no one said anything to the priest. He was a visiting priest and didn’t relaize the confession set-up and how loud it was. The priest was very thankful.

When i have been in confession lines and you notice that you can start hearing some of what is being said the line doesn’t move foward when someone goes in. People will even start talking to each other to make noise so that people can’t hear things completely.

And yes don’t tell anyone what you heard. Put yourself in that person shoes…would you want your confession told to other’s without your permission?
 
You will also find that if you attempt to discuss it with your confessor outside the confessional, he will not allow you to do so. A priest other than your confessor will similarly limit what you tell him out of respect for the seal binding your confessor, unless it is within the context of confession to him.
 
MusicMan said:
You will also find that if you attempt to discuss it with your confessor outside the confessional, he will not allow you to do so. A priest other than your confessor will similarly limit what you tell him out of respect for the seal binding your confessor, unless it is within the context of confession to him.
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Once in confession, my confessor said that he needed to find out the answer to my question. He said to make and appointment with him but told me that he could not bring up the topic because of the seal but that I could bring it up and then we could discuss it. I just said, “Father you know when you said that you would find out the answer to my question about (such and such)” and then he said, “Oh, yes” and we discussed it.
 
AnneTeresa said:
Why would it not be helpful? What if you are confused or struggling with something that was said and just want some help with it?
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It’s best to continue the conversation within the Confessional, in that case. It can lead to mental illness (OCD, for example) to obsess on your sins outside of the Confessional, especially with strangers who may or may not have the full picture of your situation in the way that your priest would have.
 
jmcrae said:
It’s best to continue the conversation within the Confessional, in that case. It can lead to mental illness (OCD, for example) to obsess on your sins outside of the Confessional, especially with strangers who may or may not have the full picture of your situation in the way that your priest would have.
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Well, where I live the priests don’t know you personally and so it’s sort of difficult to do this. Even if they did, sometimes things don’t occur to me until afterwards and I have questions. It’s not practical to go back and ask–the priests are busy, don’t remember what they said last time, etc. And I didn’t mean obsession about sins, but when you have poor teaching and are trying to learn, sometimes you need to talk to people. That’s why this forum is here for instance.

I sometimes think people on this forum live in a different world than I do where priests have hundreds if not thousands of people they pastor and where their time is very hard to get.
 
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