Confessing to a deacon

[yinekka]

A friend of the family who had been away from the Church for a while decided to go to confession. He went to the presbytery but the priest wasn’t there. The deacon said “I will hear your confession.” and he did!

This doesn’t feel right, is it?

 

[martino]

That is soooooo not right! The deacon should have known better and he probably did but just didnt care. Tell your friend that the confession was not valid and that they need to go back and make sure that a “priest” hears the confession. I would also notify the pastor of the church (refer to Canon 965 below) so that he can correct the deacon. My pessimistic guess is that the pastor doesnt care either and your friend may need to call the Bishops office but then again, there is a good chance that the Bishop won’t care either! :banghead:

Can. 965 Only a priest is the minister of the sacrament of penance.

 

[pnewton]

Some on needs to re-take Deacon 101!

This is NOT a valid confession.

 

[condan]

Is the deacon bound by the seal of the confessional? That’s scary!

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

It was not a valid Sacrament so there is no seal. The Deacon does however have a moral obligation.

 

[Joe_Kelley]

Note to simulate a sacrament is a most serious crime

Can. 1378 §1. A priest who acts against the prescript of ⇒ can. 977 incurs a latae sententiae excommunication reserved to the Apostolic See.

§2. The following incur a latae sententiae penalty of interdict or, if a cleric, a latae sententiae penalty of suspension:

1/ a person who attempts the liturgical action of the Eucharistic sacrifice though not promoted to the sacerdotal order;

2/ apart from the case mentioned in §1, **a person who, though unable to give sacramental absolution validly, attempts to impart it or **who hears sacramental confession.

It should be reported to the appropriate Congregation, I think it is Cardinal Arinze, in Rome.

 

[Camp_Pueblano]

I would question if this individual was really a deacon? I am hoping to be accepted into the diaconate formation in my diocese next year and in the documentation it states very specifically that deacons DO NOT hear confesssions.

It would appear that there may be more to this occurence than meets the eye!