Seal of Confession question

[CathMass]

Someone told me that the seal of Confession goes both ways.

I was told that one cannot reveal their penance nor tell what kind of advice they got or name the priest from whom they heard the advice.

Further I was told that if for some reason one had to reveal the advice that they had to say something like “I was told” or “From what I understand” and that they still could not say who the priest was who said it. I was also told this had to be done a few days later.

I know one should not reveal sins they may overhear while in line and that priests cannot say anything period. However, is what I mentioned even true?

Any help you can offer will be appreciated.

 

[tjones80]

Someone told me that the seal of Confession goes both ways.

I was told that one cannot reveal their penance nor tell what kind of advice they got or name the priest from whom they heard the advice.

Further I was told that if for some reason one had to reveal the advice that they had to say something like “I was told” or “From what I understand” and that they still could not say who the priest was who said it. I was also told this had to be done a few days later.

I know one should not reveal sins they may overhear while in line and that priests cannot say anything period. However, is what I mentioned even true?

Any help you can offer will be appreciated.

You can break the seal of confession with no penalty from the Church. If the priest violates the seal of confession then they are punished by canon law. However, once you break the seal of confession once then a criminal or civil court may demand you testify about your confession(s). This would apply to a divorce case or a criminal case.

 

[Kielbasi]

Someone told me that the seal of Confession goes both ways.

I was told that one cannot reveal their penance nor tell what kind of advice they got or name the priest from whom they heard the advice.

.

Someone told you wrong.

The only time you- as a lay person- need to worrying about breaking the seal of confession is if you inadvertently overhear someone else’s.

 

[bzkoss236]

Similar to doctor-patient confidentiality, the seal of Confession only goes one way, with the priest. You can tell as many people as you want about what you confessed, as they were your sins, just as it is your body that goes to the doctor.

 

[JimG]

The confessional seal applies only to the priest.

 

[adrift]

You can break the seal of confession with no penalty from the Church. If the priest violates the seal of confession then they are punished by canon law. However, once you break the seal of confession once then a criminal or civil court may demand you testify about your confession(s). This would apply to a divorce case or a criminal case.

The seal of confession only applies to the priest. You do not break the seal by talking about your confession as it does not apply to you.

You also are not protected from testifying. The law doesn’t protect the penitent only the priest who is the one who has the seal. So if you reveal your confession or if you don’t you can be compelled to testify about what you know. I doubt if they would care if it was mentioned in confession.

 

[Lancer]

There is no Canon Law Seal requirement for the penitent…but be aware that there is a serious virtue requirement demanded of all…and most especially of a penitent who elects to discuss his/her confession…especially what the Confessor says to him/her in Confession. Here is the norm for us all in all aspects of life…e CCC

2477 **Respect for the reputation of persons forbids every attitude and word likely to cause them unjust injury.**278 He becomes guilty:

• of rash judgment who, even tacitly, assumes as true, without sufficient foundation, the moral fault of a neighbor;

• of detraction who, without objectively valid reason, discloses another’s faults and failings to persons who did not know them;279

• of calumny who, by remarks contrary to the truth, harms the reputation of others and gives occasion for false judgments concerning them.

The reason that this becomes a serious requirement on the Penitent is…simply because…the bishop/priest Confessor can say absolutely nothing to defend or clarify his words or meaning or counsel or pastoral approach…his reputation and good name can be easily damaged by a penitent who talks about his confession…especially about what the Confessor says or his pastoral style…and the confessor can do nothing,nor say anything…to correct or clarify or defend himself.

I was taught to never discuss your confession…any aspect of it…with anyone just because of this potentially serious problem. If one wants to talk about his/her confession…talk about your sins…how the Sacrament helps you…but never about the Confessor.

For your consideration.
Pax Christi

serious responsibility put on the penitent…

 

[larsont7]

I agree with the others that the Seal of Confession only applies to the priest, not the penitent. That being said, it’s probably not a good idea to go around saying Fr. X only makes me say 3 Hail Mary’s while Fr. Y makes me say a Rosary, or Fr. Z gives horrible advice, etc.

Unless one has something good to say about his priest from his Confession (i.e.-he gave some good advice to avoid a particular sin), I don’t see any reason why one would want to talk about his experience in the Confessional.

 

[sw85]

You are certainly morally obligated to keep quiet anything you accidentally overhear in the confessional but I believe the excommunication policy applies only to confessors.

 

[april32010]

and any advice given to a penitent doesn’t apply to another .

 

[JimG]

There is no Canon Law Seal requirement for the penitent…but be aware that there is a serious virtue requirement demanded of all…and most especially of a penitent who elects to discuss his/her confession…especially what the Confessor says to him/her in Confession. Here is the norm for us all in all aspects of life…e CCC

The reason that this becomes a serious requirement on the Penitent is…simply because…the bishop/priest Confessor can say absolutely nothing to defend or clarify his words or meaning or counsel or pastoral approach…his reputation and good name can be easily damaged by a penitent who talks about his confession…especially about what the Confessor says or his pastoral style…and the confessor can do nothing,nor say anything…to correct or clarify or defend himself.

I was taught to never discuss your confession…any aspect of it…with anyone just because of this potentially serious problem. If one wants to talk about his/her confession…talk about your sins…how the Sacrament helps you…but never about the Confessor.

For your consideration.
Pax Christi

serious responsibility put on the penitent…

This is certainly a good point. While the confessional seal applies only to the priest, the penitent ought to exercise prudence by not discussing his confession with others. Perhaps he misunderstood something the priest said. And the priest, as you say, has absolutely no way that he could respond to something said about him.

 

[Bookcat]

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.

§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.

Can. 984 §1. A confessor is prohibited completely from using knowledge acquired from confession to the detriment of the penitent even when any danger of revelation is excluded.

§2. A person who has been placed in authority cannot use in any manner for external governance the knowledge about sins which he has received in confession at any time.

vatican.va/archive/ENG1104/__P3G.HTM