Another Confession question

[Stubbertson]

Hi,

I just had my first Confession this past Saturday. One sin is something I struggle with on a regular basis, and I think I may need some pastoral advice from him about it. Does the seal of the confessional permit the priest to discuss this issue with me, in private?

Thank you!

 

[edward_george]

Hi,

I just had my first Confession this past Saturday. One sin is something I struggle with on a regular basis, and I think I may need some pastoral advice from him about it. Does the seal of the confessional permit the priest to discuss this issue with me, in private?

Thank you!

The seal of Confession prohibits the priest from talking about what was said in Confession. However, if you bring up with him the issue that you’re struggling with, he can act on that information as though he was hearing it for the first time. If this were not the case, then someone who struggled with, say, sexual sin, would never be able to get any counsel from a priest about it after they’d confessed it, and would simply be left hanging out to dry. The priest is not to make use of the information as received in the confessional, but if it’s brought up outside of that, it can be talked about then.

-ACEGC

 

[DAML72]

You can make an appointment to speak with the priest about it privately if you want - as stated, the seal of confession only prevents the priest from revealing to others what was said in your confession - you are not bound by it. But you can also speak to the priest about it in the confessional the next time you go. Just say that you struggle with that particular habitual sin and if he doesn’t voluntarily offer advice, ask him straight out if he has advice for you to help you overcome that sin. And remember, every time you go to confession, you will be receiving graces to help you in your struggle.

God bless, and welcome home!

 

[Don_Ruggero]

Hi,

I just had my first Confession this past Saturday. One sin is something I struggle with on a regular basis, and I think I may need some pastoral advice from him about it. Does the seal of the confessional permit the priest to discuss this issue with me, in private?

Thank you!

You can ask him for an appointment to hear your next confession. Presuming you went face to face, he will likely remember you and once you open the matter…“Father, I went to confession to you X days ago and I want to take up again what we talked about to discuss the problem I am having with Y”…the conversation can proceed.

The seal concerns the content of the confession – it has nothing actually to do with the physical confessional. A penitent can reference with a confessor a previous confession and some times has to, if we are dealing in the internal forum with something that is reserved.

 

[phantom87]

I have during a confession had a Priest say "I’d like to discuss this with you outside the confessional " Having said that he can’t make you if you don’t want to and he can never reveal to anyone what he has heard in confession

 

[Mary_Ellen]

I have during a confession had a Priest say "I’d like to discuss this with you outside the confessional " Having said that he can’t make you if you don’t want to and he can never reveal to anyone what he has heard in confession

Just to expand on this, the seal of the confessional also means that the priest cannot communicate in any way to anyone, even to the penitent herself, what was confessed or even that a confession ever took place. That’s why the OP must initiate the next conversation with a priest and even if it is also his confessor must bring up the specific topic to be discussed.