Post-Confession Query- Priestly Confidence

[aj1980]

Hi Everyone

I have a question. I made a confession face to face with a priest a little while ago. It was to offload my sins of impurity.

On Saturday I have an appointment with this priest again but this time with my wife.

I have kept my indiscretions (not adultery ‘proper’ but pornography) a secret from my wife. From guidance I had received, it wasn’t necessary or even right to tell my wife about these. My sins were forgiven in confession.

The discussion we will have is about our marriage. It is positive.

With this in mind- I wanted to check that there was no way a priest would raise anything I said in my confession? Or elude to it, thereby invoking my wife’s curiosity?

Praise God I am now free from the binds of that sin and living a much better life in Christ.

 

[rcuk]

Hi AJ

I’m pretty sure whatever was said is completely in confidence. I fact I know that for a fact.

But whether the priest might elude to something or not- I’m not sure.

Can any priests answer this one?

 

[revert_jen]

I’m not a priest, but I do know that priests are not allowed to allude to anything they hear in confession for any reason ever.
Code of Canon Law:

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.

That’s pretty clear.

Fear not!

–Jen

 

[pianistclare]

The seal of the confessional is permanent and binding.
No worries.
Hope your meeting goes very well.
God bless you.

 

[aj1980]

Thank you everyone. Congratulations on your 3000th post Clare!

It wasn’t in a confessional- it was face-to-face in a room, but it was still a confession and had the same format so I assume it still counts.

 

[pianistclare]

Thank you everyone. Congratulations on your 3000th post Clare!

It wasn’t in a confessional- it was face-to-face in a room, but it was still a confession and had the same format so I assume it still counts.

Thanks! I hadn’t noticed!

It still counts. Confession has the seal…the place where it occurs is immaterial.
God bless you!

 

[z_0101]

It wasn’t in a confessional- it was face-to-face in a room, but it was still a confession and had the same format so I assume it still counts.

If you asked for and received absolution, and the norms for the Sacrament of Reconciliation were followed, it could be outside on the front-porch of your house, and it would be valid.

Otherwise, if you had to be in a confessional then hospital bedside confessions wouldn’t possible either and I know that our Parish Priests often go to the elderly and those that otherwise are home bound to administer the Sacrament to them.

 

[St_Francis]

Not only is he completely forbidden from revealing in any way any aspect of what you confessed to him, many priests have the gift of forgetting–they often don’t really remember what was said to them. My priest, when I wanted to ask a question outside of confession about something he said inside confession, had me repeat what he had said and why so that he could answer my question.

 

[chefmomster2]

With this in mind- I wanted to check that there was no way a priest would raise anything I said in my confession? Or elude to it, thereby invoking my wife’s curiosity?

Praise God I am now free from the binds of that sin and living a much better life in Christ.

Priests have gone to prison for refusing to declare the contents of confessions. Ease you mind! He will not bring it up, mention it, probe you or your wife in a way that could or would reveal it or in any way break the seal.

If you think his questions are asking you to reveal it, ASSUME YOU ARE INCORRECT! I assume that he told you not to reveal this to your wife trusting in your heartfelt repentance and wishing to save her from pain. He would not hurt her or yor marriage with this information!

Be at peace!

 

[fencersmother]

That seal of confession is indeed a wonderful thing.

I might add from a lay person’s standpoint: if your priest is like mine, he hears SO many confessions in a day, a week, or a month, that he probably can’t recall with any clarity what you’ve said anyway. My local priest said he hears at least ten “impromptu” confessions a day, and on weekends, maybe 40 or more.

Go in peace. Sin no more. (I keep telling myself that, too)

 

[zz912]

Not only is the seal on Confession absolutely inviolable, if a priest were to do such a thing, he is automatically excommunicated. And the only person who can lift that excommunication is the Pope.