Vatican official says "keep abuse confidential"

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silentstar

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This article shows concern for the secrecy of the confessional. However I do not see similar concern for ending abuse.

ncronline.org/news/accountability/keep-sex-abuse-sins-confidential-confessors-urged

"VATICAN CITY – A priest who confesses sexual abuse in the sacrament of penance should be absolved and should generally not be encouraged by the confessor to disclose his acts publicly or to his superiors, a Vatican official said.

Likewise, the confessor should not make the contents of such a confession public, said Bishop Gianfranco Girotti, regent of the Apostolic Penitentiary, a Vatican court that handles issues related to the sacrament of penance."
 
** "Bishop Girotti spoke strictly about the response of a confessor, and not about the wider responsibility to acknowledge and investigate priestly sexual abuse outside the confessional. "**
 
From what I have heard though, the Vatican goes to great lengths to protect priests who make victims of alter boys.
 
I thought that absolution could be conditional that the offender reveal offense to superiors and police? Theoretical question.

TS
 
silentstar said:
This article shows concern for the secrecy of the confessional. However I do not see similar concern for ending abuse.

ncronline.org/news/accountability/keep-sex-abuse-sins-confidential-confessors-urged

"VATICAN CITY – A priest who confesses sexual abuse in the sacrament of penance should be absolved and should generally not be encouraged by the confessor to disclose his acts publicly or to his superiors, a Vatican official said.

Likewise, the confessor should not make the contents of such a confession public, said Bishop Gianfranco Girotti, regent of the Apostolic Penitentiary, a Vatican court that handles issues related to the sacrament of penance."
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I’m slowly becoming disenfranchised with the Catholic Church, and I haven’t even joined yet.

When a Priest confesses to pedophilia, the Bishop should be notified immediately, the next day, a conference should be called with the Priest and Bishop, the Priest should be met in the Bishops office by a police officer, de-frocked immediately, and led off in hand-cuffs, never to serve in ministry again. He can have his absolution after he gets out of prison.
 
dnu said:
When a Priest confesses to pedophilia, the Bishop should be notified immediately, the next day, a conference should be called with the Priest and Bishop, the Priest should be met in the Bishops office by a police officer, de-frocked immediately, and led off in hand-cuffs, never to serve in ministry again. He can have his absolution after he gets out of prison.
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I think you missed a key thing here. If a priest makes a confession to another priest, then the confessor cannot tell the Bishop, or anyone for that matter, anything. Anything that is said in confession is bound by the seal of confession. That means that the confessor can tell no one under pain of excommunication (see Code of Canon Law #983/1388). No exception.

I do think that the best thing for the confessing priest to do would be to talk to his Bishop or Ordinary though.
 
“That means that the confessor can tell no one under pain of excommunication”

Then the two of them can share the prison cell for conspiracy and obstruction of justice. The Confessor is bound by civil law, no exceptions.
 
The seal of confession is absolute. A priest cannot reveal anything confessed to him in the sacrament of reconciliation.

For that matter, a priest, like anyone else, is free to go to another parish and confess anonymously in a confessional. The priest hearing his confession has no way of even knowing who he is. If he is unrepentant, the confessor might refuse absolution.

If the bishop or pastor hears about child abuse by a priest in any other way than the confessional, --i.e., he might be advised might a third party of the allegations, or told by the victim or the victim’s friends or relatives, then he has an obligation to investigate fully and apply canon law, as well as to report any crimes.

But to demand that any priest violate the seal of confession is to violate the sacrament itself.

PS–I might add this. Suppose a confessor, in violation of the seal of confession, went to the police and said “this man confessed this sin to me, which is also a crime.” What could they do with that? Any defense lawyer worth his salt could have such a statement thrown out as inadmissible.
 
curlycool89 said:
I do think that the best thing for the confessing priest to do would be to talk to his Bishop or Ordinary though.
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Many bishops have not proven to be responsible in these matters. Regardless of intentions (and I actually think most the bishops intentions where good) something must be done. We are talking about the lives of innocent children here. Never forget that. Those who cover it up are just as guilty. They have blood on their hands. I’m not a parent, and thankfully, I’ve never been effected by sexual abuse, but I shudder to think of the damage it would cause.
 
“A priest cannot reveal anything confessed to him in the sacrament of reconciliation.”

Well, to repeat what I said, he can share the prison cell for obstruction of justice if that is the case.

He is bound by civil law, if he does not report it, he is just as guilty as the perpetrator.

A criminal act is a criminal act, no exceptions.
 
Yes, keep it confidential! Just bringing it public will cause more scandal. The church does not need any more scandal, especially after the rock-up in Ireland! Bringing it thin to the public will get more people to think that all priests are abusers, and that the church is unsafe … which we ALL know is untrue! It will cause discrimination and more stereotypes!
 
dnu said:
“A priest cannot reveal anything confessed to him in the sacrament of reconciliation.”

Well, to repeat what I said, he can share the prison cell for obstruction of justice if that is the case.

He is bound by civil law, if he does not report it, he is just as guilty as the perpetrator.

A criminal act is a criminal act, no exceptions.
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I’m no canon lawyer, and I’m not a civil lawyer either. The thought of breaking the “seal of confession” is repulsive to me-but I somewhat agree with you.

The alternative is to let more priests sexually assault more children.
 
TiggerS said:
I thought that absolution could be conditional that the offender reveal offense to superiors and police? Theoretical question.

TS
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Absolution is never conditional. Before the penetent leaves the confessional he is either absolved or he isn’t. The only way a priest witholds absolution is if the penetent is not repentant or is unwilling to seek to resolve his life.
 
dnu said:
I’m slowly becoming disenfranchised with the Catholic Church, and I haven’t even joined yet.

When a Priest confesses to pedophilia, the Bishop should be notified immediately, the next day, a conference should be called with the Priest and Bishop, the Priest should be met in the Bishops office by a police officer, de-frocked immediately, and led off in hand-cuffs, never to serve in ministry again. He can have his absolution after he gets out of prison.
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👍👍👍👍
 
TiggerS said:
I thought that absolution could be conditional that the offender reveal offense to superiors and police? Theoretical question.

TS
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You are absolutely correct and absolution SHOULD be witheld until the miscreants superiors and police are contacted by the perpetrator.
 
dnu said:
“A priest cannot reveal anything confessed to him in the sacrament of reconciliation.”

Well, to repeat what I said, he can share the prison cell for obstruction of justice if that is the case.

He is bound by civil law, if he does not report it, he is just as guilty as the perpetrator.

A criminal act is a criminal act, no exceptions.
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I think that you should discuss this with a priest in your rcia class.The seal of confession is absolute.This is recognized in civil law almost universally.A priest must be willing to be martyred before breaking the confessional seal.If the confessor discusses the situation with the perpetrator outside of the Sacrament he is fully free and morally bound to report the abuser.The seal of confession is sacrosanct and among Catholics there may be no disagreement on this matter.I urge you to speak to your priest or bishop without delay.
 
dnu said:
“A priest cannot reveal anything confessed to him in the sacrament of reconciliation.”

Well, to repeat what I said, he can share the prison cell for obstruction of justice if that is the case.

He is bound by civil law, if he does not report it, he is just as guilty as the perpetrator.

A criminal act is a criminal act, no exceptions.
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Civil law does not require priests to report the contents of confessions they hear sacramentally.

And second, exactly how would a priest confessor be guilty of obstruction of justice if he does not know who was confessing to him?

In my parish, there is always quite a line at the confessional. The priest doesn’t know who is confessing, and after hearing dozens of confessions, wouldn’t be able to separate them out anyway. Or if someone confessed child abuse, is he to jump out of the confessional to identify and nab them?

Or if I report having an affair, is he obligated to inform my wife?

In any case, I’d be surprised if serial criminal abusers take the matter to confession–at least not until they’re caught.
 
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