Seal of Confession - are there any statistics about how often it has been broken

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FiveLinden

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I read somewhere that there is a procedure for any cases of a breach of the seal of confession to be reported to Rome. Is there any information about how many (or few) cases are reported? I know anyone who did this would be excommunicated. Are there any documented cases in history? I imagine most cases would be of eavesdropping rather than a priest doing so, or of priests becoming confused/mentally disturbed.
 
I witnessed a priest forget to turn his microphone off one time as he started confession. The poor lady’s mortal sins and dobbing were pouring out of the sound system all over church. I interrupted to tell the priest. After her confession, he apologized to those there and told us that we, too, were bound by the seal under pain of excommunication should well repeat what we heard. The poor priest and the lady were mortified, to say the least.
 
TheOldColonel said:
I witnessed a priest forget to turn his microphone off one time as he started confession. The poor lady’s mortal sins and dobbing were pouring out of the sound system all over church. I interrupted to tell the priest. After her confession, he apologized to those there and told us that we, too, were bound by the seal under pain of excommunication should well repeat what we heard. The poor priest and the lady were mortified, to say the least.
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Ouch. I wonder if the priest had to tell his bishop and what happened? It would make sense to wire confessionals with a light that came on whenever mics were live, just in case. Lapel mics are typically omnidirectional so they would pic up sound through a screen easily; and face-to-face.
 
Police bugged a confessional in Oregon. The recording was ordered sealed and the police ordered by the judge to never do such a thing again.
 
The police on the Simpsons did something similar. No recording, but they had an officer sit in the priest’s place in the confessional.

Of course, in this situation, Chief Wiggum wasn’t a priest, so it wasn’t a sacrament. If there is a seal of the confessional? Or just of confession? Would Wiggum be subject to excommunication if he was Catholic?

 
I doubt he reported that. It was mere human error and all involved seemed to understand that.
 
Perhaps the rite should begin… "Bless me Father… Is your microphone off? Either that or have confession in a Faraday Cage
 
You didn’t take a vow for the seal of confession. You are not bound by his rules applied to a priest.

I don’t have a source for you but I grew up along side a priest Canon lawyer and it came up in conversation.
 
Your Canonist may need some brushing up…

"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."
 
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The point is the priest can be deflocked and excommunicated, the average Joe overhearing in this case just gets slap in the face.
 
I thought your point was that the seal only applies to priests. It, and its penalty, clearly applies to all who hear or overhear a confession.
 
I’ve never known of a priest who has broken the seal of confession. Though several times I (and several others in line) have almost overheard confessions. Most of the time it’s been older folk who are hard of hearing and raise their voices, other times people haven’t closed the door properly. If it happens I simply recite some prayers in a low voice which stops me hearing anything. (Then I have a moment of panic as I have a hearing problem and wonder if my voice increases in volume!)
 
So what happens if you tempt a priest to break the seal of confession? Is that a sin in itself?
 
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I’m not planning on being excommunicated. But the canons contradict your claim that anyone besides the priest cannot be subjected to this penalty.

"Can. 1388 §1. A confessor who directly violates the sacramental seal incurs a latae sententiae excommunication reserved to the Apostolic See; one who does so only indirectly is to be punished according to the gravity of the delict.

§2. An interpreter and the others mentioned in ⇒ can. 983, §2 who violate the secret are to be punished with a just penalty, not excluding excommunication."
 
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You can also be imprisoned up to a year for public littering but chances are you’ll just get a fine.

You understand?

Is the offence to utter what you heard worth the churches time and effort to roll out the excommunication process? Unless you are a master confession spy or have some kind of public forum where you repeat the crime on stage/air frequently then no.
 
Amen. This happened with our priest’s first Mass ever in a parish. He simply forgot to turn off his mic, and not wanting to tell the lady to come back, proceeded. Same outcome. Everyone mortified. He told me “and she said some heavy stuff, so I felt horrible”.

All the more reason why people shouldn’t try to catch the priest on the fly.
 
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