Can a Priest Break the Seal of Confession by Accident?

[S_V7]

I’ve heard that a person can give their Confessor permission to break the Seal but I found this that states the contrary.

“Even if the person making the confession releases the priest from the obligation of confession, the priest cannot breach that confidentiality,” said Morrisey. “It’s necessary in order to protect that level of conscience.”
theinquiry.ca/Morrissey_confession.hide.php

A priest cannot reveal the contents of a confession either directly, by repeating the substance of what has been said, or indirectly, by some sign, suggestion, or action. A Decree from the Holy Office (Nov. 18, 1682) mandated that confessors are forbidden, even where there would be no revelation direct or indirect, to make any use of the knowledge obtained in the confession that would “displease” the penitent or reveal his identity.
catholicculture.org/library/view.cfm?recnum=1385

 

[ASimpleSinner]

I’ve heard that a person can give their Confessor permission to break the Seal but I found this that states the contrary.

That sort of goes to protection against third party coercion also.

 

[S_V7]

Let’s say a young man goes to Confession, and from it, the priest notices a great deal of potential in this person to become a religious. The young man also expresses some interest in becoming a priest someday during the Confession.
Let’s say the confessor belongs to a religious order and after hearing many Confessions from this young man, he tells his superiors that he knows a potential candidate for the priesthood and sets up a meeting between them. Would this be a violation of the seal? If so, would he be excommunicated even if he had no idea that he violated the seal?

Thanks and God bless

Any help? I really need some perspective. Would such a priest be able to validly (is that even a word?) celebrate Mass while unaware of having broken the seal?

 

[ASimpleSinner]

Any help? I really need some perspective. Would such a priest be able to validly (is that even a word?) celebrate Mass while unaware of having broken the seal?

Yes he would still validly celebrate Mass.

The only impediment to celebrating Mass is for him to be under discipline for having broken the seal… That has to be a judgement made against him by a competent superior authority (Bishop).

I am not sure we are all on the same page when it comes to understanding what this really means.

“Breaking the Seal” is not magic… It is not akin to Aladdin accidentally “wishing” for something…

 

[S_V7]

Yes he would still validly celebrate Mass.

The only impediment to celebrating Mass is for him to be under discipline for having broken the seal… That has to be a judgement made against him by a competent superior authority (Bishop).

I am not sure we are all on the same page when it comes to understanding what this really means.

“Breaking the Seal” is not magic… It is not akin to Aladdin accidentally “wishing” for something…

Is there any documentation of about this? I haven’t found it online, though, I didn’t look too well.

 

[ASimpleSinner]

Is there any documentation of about this? I haven’t found it online, though, I didn’t look too well.

Documentation to which?

I am sorry, but the longer this thread goes on, the more confused I grow about what is being asked here.

Are you of the thinking that “breaking the seal” is a mystical sort of thing that could be done on accident and then have an effect like “removing priestly powers”? At this point, that seems to be the only understanding that makes these questions kind of make sense.

A priest accused of breaking the seal of confession is dealt with by his bishop who (if he finds the accusation to have merit) punishes him accordingly.

 

[S_V7]

Documentation to which?

I am sorry, but the longer this thread goes on, the more confused I grow about what is being asked here.

might as well say it, ok hmm the example I gave is pretty much my situation. My confessor believes that I have a vocation and has talked to his superiors (I guess is who they are) about my possible calling, so we are now in communication. I’m pretty sure he came to this conclusion from my confessions, in which I discussed the possibility of taking up the habit and other things.
Would this break the seal of Confession? If so, am I to address him about it?

 

[Joe_Kelley]

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.
Can. 984 §1. A confessor is prohibited completely from using knowledge acquired from confession to the detriment of the penitent even when any danger of revelation is excluded.
§2. A person who has been placed in authority cannot use in any manner for external governance the knowledge about sins which he has received in confession at any time.
Can. 985 The director of novices and his associate and the rector of a seminary or other institute of education are not to hear the sacramental confessions of their students residing in the same house unless the students freely request it in particular cases.

 

[S_V7]

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.
Can. 984 §1. A confessor is prohibited completely from using knowledge acquired from confession to the detriment of the penitent even when any danger of revelation is excluded.
§2. A person who has been placed in authority cannot use in any manner for external governance the knowledge about sins which he has received in confession at any time.
Can. 985 The director of novices and his associate and the rector of a seminary or other institute of education are not to hear the sacramental confessions of their students residing in the same house unless the students freely request it in particular cases.

…so it would be a breach in my case?

Can. 984 §1. A confessor is prohibited completely from using knowledge acquired from confession to the* detriment* of the penitent even when any danger of revelation is excluded.

?

 

[jmcrae]

Would this break the seal of Confession? If so, am I to address him about it?

Did you discuss these issues with him outside of the Confessional, for example while receiving Spiritual Direction? (Spiritual Direction isn’t covered by the seal of the Sacrament, I don’t think.)

I am finding it hard to imagine what sins you confessed that led him to believe you had a calling to the priesthood, which is why I am thinking that you must have said something to him during Spiritual Direction, rather than during Confession itself.

 

[S_V7]

Did you discuss these issues with him outside of the Confessional, for example while receiving Spiritual Direction? (Spiritual Direction isn’t covered by the seal of the Sacrament, I don’t think.)

I am finding it hard to imagine what sins you confessed that led him to believe you had a calling to the priesthood, which is why I am thinking that you must have said something to him during Spiritual Direction, rather than during Confession itself.

by the way, I’m a girl. Possible nun

I don’t remember discussing this outside of the Confessional but I’m not too sure. Well, I guess my sins were…umm…somewhat odd, as in mostly not actions but wrong intentions behind my actions and bad and/or scrupulous thoughts (he told me I had mental gluttony, that I think too much or something of the like:blush: very true ).I believe he was the first one to mention a possible vocation and I later thought about it and really liked the idea. And it was in the Confessional in which he made comments about me getting in touch with some nuns, though I don’t know if it was actually during my confession. My possible vocation has come up frequently during confessions so I don’t really remember the details of all we talked about or exactly when.

 

[S_V7]

by the way, I’m a girl. Possible nun

I don’t remember discussing this outside of the Confessional but I’m not too sure. Well, I guess my sins were…umm…somewhat odd, as in mostly not actions but wrong intentions behind my actions and bad and/or scrupulous thoughts (he told me I had mental gluttony, that I think too much or something of the like:blush: very true ).I believe he was the first one to mention a possible vocation and I later thought about it and really liked the idea. And it was in the Confessional in which he made comments about me getting in touch with some nuns, though I don’t know if it was actually during my confession. My possible vocation has come up frequently during confessions so I don’t really remember the details of all we talked about or exactly when.

any thoughts on this?

 

[jmcrae]

any thoughts on this?

I have no idea what to think. I don’t really get all that chatty (apart from discussing my sins) when I go to Confession; I’m still trying to imagine how the subject of a vocation to the religious life would arise.

 

[CuriousInIL]

by the way, I’m a girl. Possible nun

I don’t remember discussing this outside of the Confessional but I’m not too sure. Well, I guess my sins were…umm…somewhat odd, as in mostly not actions but wrong intentions behind my actions and bad and/or scrupulous thoughts (he told me I had mental gluttony, that I think too much or something of the like very true ).I believe he was the first one to mention a possible vocation and I later thought about it and really liked the idea. And it was in the Confessional in which he made comments about me getting in touch with some nuns, though I don’t know if it was actually during my confession. My possible vocation has come up frequently during confessions so I don’t really remember the details of all we talked about or exactly when.

In my understanding, the bolded part is the key point. The seal applies to confession not the confessional or things discussed beyond confession. For example, if I am confessing and, for some reason, in the middle of that say “Father the choir party is now going to be at 8:00 not 7:00 on Saturday” he doesn’t have to show up at 7:00 because of the seal–that statement wasn’t part of sacramental confession and so isn’t sealed. Also, if he sees me later, he can ask, when others can hear, “Did you tell me the party is now at 8:00?” However, many priests I know would probably err on the side of not even doing that so as not to come anywhere near the seal. Contrast that to me asking, during confession, for forgiveness because I am going to be serving poisoned wine at the choir party at 7:00 on Saturday. Now, the seal applies—even though he may not give me absolution for this future wrong—and he can not alert anyone to this, nor try to stop anyone from coming, nor can he himself not come or not drink the wine if he otherwise would have done so. Why? The seal.

My (worthless lay) opinion is that what you have described is not covered by the seal but that many priests would not have acted as you described without a clear out of confession and out of the confessional discussion first so that there was no possibility of a violation of the seal.

 

[S_V7]

I have no idea what to think. I don’t really get all that chatty (apart from discussing my sins) when I go to Confession; I’m still trying to imagine how the subject of a vocation to the religious life would arise.

Well I remember once when I joked around about becoming a nun and think I said I would. Later I wondered if, as a result of having said that, I was now obliged to become one. I seem to remember asking this in confession and the priest saying I wasn’t obliged.
Perhaps that’s how I got around to talking about a vocation.

Nevertheless, the prospect of becoming a nun doesn’t sound so bad now:nun2: