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PeteZaHut
Guest
Is the person confessing also bound to the Seal of the Confessional? Obviously, it’s not good to tell anyone details of your confession, but do we have the same restrictions as a priest?
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JMJ_coder
Guest
Hello,
No. You can tell anyone you like what you have done.
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dbacks5439
Guest
I’m not sure if you intended that comment to be humorous, but I had a laugh.
A related question. Would the person confessing be bound by canon law not to tell anyone what the priest said in the confessional?
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PatienceAndLove
Guest
Two good examples of not keeping the seal of the confessional:
A murderer has confessed to the murder. The priest may include turning ones self in as part of the penance, or encourage the murderer to go to the police station.
An adulterer/adultress confesses to an affair. The priest may encourage that person to confess to the wronged party.
We are not bound by the confessional, but it does not do us any good to dwell on sins that have been forgiven. In the above examples, our sins have affected others.
A murderer has confessed to the murder. The priest may include turning ones self in as part of the penance, or encourage the murderer to go to the police station.
An adulterer/adultress confesses to an affair. The priest may encourage that person to confess to the wronged party.
We are not bound by the confessional, but it does not do us any good to dwell on sins that have been forgiven. In the above examples, our sins have affected others.
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JMJ_coder
Guest
Hello,
I aim to please.
As far as I know, the penitent is the only person not bound by the sacramental seal. The priest and all others (interpreters, passer-bys, etc.) are all bound, but no mention of the penitent. I have never heard anyone mentioning to not mention say what the penance given was, what advice was given, etc.
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Joe_Kelley
Guest
I think one is free to speak of it, but should observe great charity in doing so. The priest is unable to defend himself against adverse comments.
Yes to the second, no to the first. The priest cannot bind anyone to do anything that would reveal the content of the confession.
Encourage, yes, require no. In fact, confessing to the wronged party may be a most imprudent thing and may cause more harm than good.
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puzzleannie
Guest
absolution cannot be made conditional on either of these two suggestions. a priest may refuse to absolve the person who is not contrite and refuses to stop the sinful behavior, however, until such time as the person becomes truly repentent and intends to change.
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PatienceAndLove
Guest
I realized that after the edit time was passed. Thanks for clarifying (you too puzzleannie!)
True, although some people may choose to confess to the wronged party
In which case, that’s okay, for as long as the priest never bound him to do so.
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love4mary
Guest
A good point was made by an above poster. WE as the person confessing are not bound by the seal, but anyone who over-hears a confession IS bound.
If you only want God to hear your confession, whisper
If you only want God to hear your confession, whisper
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stpetric
Guest
No.
BUT he should be careful that no one who hears about whatever he discloses could get the impression that it was the priest who divulged the content of the confession.
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DL82
Guest
Isn’t this contrary to Christ’s own commandment in Matthew 5, if you are making your offering (and the psalmist tells us that the offering acceptable to God is a humbled and contrite spirit) to God, and realise that you have something against your neighbour, FIRST be reconciled to your neighbour and THEN go and make your offering?
Surely the Church cannot contradict this by saying you can make a confession in private for something you have done to hurt another person, and forgiveness can be given without obliging the person to be reconciled to the person he has harmed?
Or would it just be seen as a sign of lack of contrition if the person hadn’t already confessed to the harmed party before coming to confession, and the priest could withold absolution on those grounds?
It is permissible to make reparations in secret. If there is reason to believe that some harm could come to the penitent, then the patient is not obliged to expose himself. Confession does not require one to be reconciled. It does require that reparation for any harm be made. But no penitent can be required to expose himself, since that would essentially use the priest’s authority to reveal a confession, which is breaking the seal.
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Joe_Kelley
Guest
Note Psalm 51
I always thought Uriah deserved an apology here, but David says his sin is only against God.
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