Confession Question

[JessicaCeleste]

How does one who is hearing-impaired / deaf give their confession? Do they take an interpretor with them?

I have weird questions some days…sorry

 

[tee_eff_em]

That is certainly one way, and is provided for in Canon Law:

Can. 983 §1 The sacramental seal is inviolable. Accordingly, it is absolutely wrong for a confessor in any way to betray the penitent, for any reason whatsoever, whether by word or in any other fashion.
§2 An interpreter, if there is one, is also obliged to observe this secret, as are all others who in any way whatever have come to a knowledge of sins from a confession.
…
Can. 990 No one is forbidden to confess through an interpreter, provided however that abuse and scandal are avoided, and without prejudice to the provision of can. 983 §2.
…
Can. 1388 §1 A confessor who directly violates the sacramental seal, incurs a latae sententiae excommunication reserved to the Apostolic See; he who does so only indirectly is to be punished according to the gravity of the offence.
§2 Interpreters and the others mentioned in can. 983 §2, who violate the secret, are to be punished with a just penalty, not excluding excommunication.

tee

 

[ltbpoe43]

I hope the priest reminds the interpreter of this sacred and important duty and due consequences - lest folks think the priest broke the seal.

Does this mean the interpreter has to be a Catholic?

Can the pennitent write the sins down for the priest to see then give absolution and pennance? (Now you got me thinking of weird questions!!)

 

[jc-servant]

Why would the penitent not go face-to-face in the confessional and read the priest’s lips? The priest is not the deaf party, so why would they need an interpreter?

The person can just speak his/her sins (unless they are mute in which case they could write them down) and receive absolution even if they cannot lip read for a long-winded “counseling” type of reconciliation. The priest could point at the appropriate step in the process in a small confession pamphlet so the person would know when to say the act of contrition and when they were getting absolution.

Technically I don’t think the priest and the penitent even have to speak a common language. If no priest is available to hear your confession in a certain language, the church does not deny you the sacrament because Jesus is the real person you are speaking to anyway.

 

[JessicaCeleste]

That’s assuming the penitent can read lips in the first place

You even answered a different variation of that question - what happens if you are in a foreign country, don’t speak the language and need to go to confession. Your answer made perfect sense

Why would the penitent not go face-to-face in the confessional and read the priest’s lips? The priest is not the deaf party, so why would they need an interpreter?

The person can just speak his/her sins (unless they are mute in which case they could write them down) and receive absolution even if they cannot lip read for a long-winded “counseling” type of reconciliation. The priest could point at the appropriate step in the process in a small confession pamphlet so the person would know when to say the act of contrition and when they were getting absolution.

Technically I don’t think the priest and the penitent even have to speak a common language. If no priest is available to hear your confession in a certain language, the church does not deny you the sacrament because Jesus is the real person you are speaking to anyway.

 

[puzzleannie]

How does one who is hearing-impaired / deaf give their confession? Do they take an interpretor with them?

I have weird questions some days…sorry

we prepare deaf children for the sacraments every year. when the priest who is proficient in ASL is not here they use pencil and paper. None has ever needed an interpreter, most don’t even need pencil and paper, but it is available if needed. don’t make up problems where none exist.