Ohio Man tells priest He Killed Girlfriend

[twf]

Search the forum or the Catholic.com quick questions. What you will find is that as long as the Priest believes the person is sorry for their sin they must absolve and cannot require turning themselves in either a condition of absolution or as a penance as these would break the seal.

I understand that the priest himself can’t inform the authorities, but why can’t he ask the penitent to turn himself in as penance? I do not understand how you can say that a person is truly contrite for the sin of murder (or whatever it may be) if they are not committed to submitting themselves to the authority. Scripture and the Catechism are very clear that Catholics are bound to obey legal authority if it does not conflict with Catholic morality… are you telling me that Catholics are free to murder and are not obliged to serve a prison sentence like everyone else? What am I missing? It seems to me that you are saying that the priest can absolve one mortal sin - murder - even if he knows full well that the pentitent inteds to commit another mortal sin (gravely disobeying the God ordained legal authorities and escaping justice). It was always my understanding that in order to receive absolution one must have firm resolve to sin no more.

Man: I have committed the sin of murder.
Priest: Are you contrite?
Man: Yes.
Priest: Do you intend to turn yourself in?
Man: No, I have no desire of going to prison.
Priest: So you intend to sin by disobeying the legal authorities in direct violation of the clear commandment of Scripture, Tradition, and the Catechism?
Man: Yes
Priest: Well I can’t oblige you to turn yourself in, so even though I know you are going to commit another mortal sin the moment you leave the confessional, I must absolve you.

That can’t be right. It makes no sense at all in light of everything I know of Catholic morality.