Are there sins confessed in confessional that must be confessed outside of it?

[Scott_Waddell]

If one has confessed adultery in the sacrament of penance and received absolution, is there an obligation to confess to the spouse? I suppose this could be a broader question: Are there sins confessed in the sacrament of penance that must be confessed outside of it?

 

[Michelle_Arnold]

Scott Waddell:

If one has confessed adultery in the sacrament of penance and received absolution, is there an obligation to confess to the spouse?

No. The priest can never require of the penitent any action that would reveal to outsiders the contents of his sacramental confession. The priest may encourage the penitent to confess the adultery to his spouse, but the priest cannot condition absolution upon such an outside confession. To do so would be a violation of the sacramental seal of confession.
Scott Waddell:

I suppose this could be a broader question: Are there sins confessed in the sacrament of penance that must be confessed outside of it?

Again, the priest can never, under any circumstances, require of the penitent an action that would reveal the contents of a sacramental confession. He can encourage the penitent to do so, but cannot condition absolution upon it.

As for the penitent, he may feel the need to confess outside of the confessional in order to make amends for his wrongdoing; and such confession may or may not be prudentially sound. However, he is under no requirement to do so and must realize that whatever he confesses outside of the sacrament of penance is not protected by the sacramental seal.