Was this a sin?

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Kayla123

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Yesterday some of my family went to a lenten penance service for confession. My sister came home and told me that she could here our mom crying during her confession. Was that a sin for her to tell me that she heard that or would it only be if she repeated mom’s sin. (she didn’t do that) Thank you for your help.
 
This would be something for your sister to take to her priest.

It depends on your sisters knowledge and her intent, for example if she is six years old and said “mommy was crying in there” or if she is 13 and says in a mocking/gossipy way “mom was CRYING in the confessional!!”.
 
The seal of the confessional is only on the priest. Good manners and christian charity tell us as laity that is we can hear what is happening during someone else’s confession that we should move away. I assume that your sister did not intentionally evesdrop, but that she simply overheard because she was waiting next in line. There was no reason for her to share what she heard though. You can certainly impress on her the privacy of the confessional and ask her not to share what she might accidentally overhear. If she chooses to speak to her priest, that is her business. Next time something like this comes up in conversation, change the subject right away.
 
Mrs_Sally said:
The seal of the confessional is only on the priest. Good manners and christian charity tell us as laity that is we can hear what is happening during someone else’s confession that we should move away. I assume that your sister did not intentionally evesdrop, but that she simply overheard because she was waiting next in line. There was no reason for her to share what she heard though. You can certainly impress on her the privacy of the confessional and ask her not to share what she might accidentally overhear. If she chooses to speak to her priest, that is her business. Next time something like this comes up in conversation, change the subject right away.
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That is not completely true. The seal applies to the prest and to anyone else who overhears another’s confession, either voluntarily (as a translator) or inadvertantly per Canon 983:

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.

Section 2 is specific that it is “knowledge of sins” that come under the seal, so just saying “I heard Mom was crying” does not technically break the seal.

To the OP: I would just sit down with sis and explain that there may be times when she will need to seek God’s grace in confession and she may break down, or laugh with joy and she would not want anyone to share that with anyone else. Just let it go be thankful and joyous that whatever was going on, mom has laid it at the foot of the Savior and was healed.
 
Maybe your sister was just concerned for your mom, and thought it was important for you to know about it. I personally would be concerned if my mom was crying in the confessional. Now that you know about it, you could pray for your mom. 🙂
 
Kayla123 said:
Yesterday some of my family went to a lenten penance service for confession. My sister came home and told me that she could here our mom crying during her confession. Was that a sin for her to tell me that she heard that or would it only be if she repeated mom’s sin. (she didn’t do that) Thank you for your help.
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It is important to learn, and your sister probably has never been told about the Seal of Confession and the law of the Church that applies to it. That no one should even mention who or when regarding Confession even though technically that may not be part under the seal. It’s best to just simply never mention anything about anybody elses Confession.
 
Mrs_Sally said:
The seal of the confessional is only on the priest. Good manners and christian charity tell us as laity that is we can hear what is happening during someone else’s confession that we should move away. I assume that your sister did not intentionally evesdrop, but that she simply overheard because she was waiting next in line. There was no reason for her to share what she heard though. You can certainly impress on her the privacy of the confessional and ask her not to share what she might accidentally overhear. If she chooses to speak to her priest, that is her business. Next time something like this comes up in conversation, change the subject right away.
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“The seal of the confessional is only on the priest.” That is incorrect!
 
Cannon law speaks specifically about priests and official interpreters. Yes it mentions others who may hear, but there is no way that this can practically be applied to someone who accidentally overhears. What ever it says, the practical advice in similar situations is that Christian charity and good manners teach us not to evesdrop on private conversations no matter where they are taking place, and not to discuss what we might have inadvertatly overheard. That is a bigger and very important lesson for the girls/women in this example to learn.

And the OPs original question about whether her sisters actions were sinful is not really the point either. She can certainly advise her sister on what constitues a sin, mortal or venial. And she can give her sister instruction on manners and behavior, but it really isn’t her place to delacre her sister a sinner in need of confession! And it definately isn’t ours.
 
Mrs_Sally said:
Cannon law speaks specifically about priests and official interpreters. Yes it mentions others who may hear, but there is no way that this can practically be applied to someone who accidentally overhears.
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My husband, on two different occasions, overheard the confession of the person before him. Each time, he mentioned it to the priest, and both priests told him most strongly that he was bound by the seal as much as the priest was.

Betsy
 
A concrete thing to do would be to buy a 'white noise" machine for the confessional area. They’re only about 50 dollars.
 
Excellent idea! Or even a rope (a la the bank) that marks the ‘wait line’ for those outside the confessionals.

My point however, is that confessionals are not the only place where we may overhear sensitive or private information. Normal good manners should guide our behavior in all of these situations.
 
Mrs_Sally said:
The seal of the confessional is only on the priest
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That is not true. See canon 983 from the Code of Canon Law. It does not matter whether or not you hear the sins intentionally either.

If confessions are being overheard, ask the priest to tell people to speak more quietly, or to see him by private appointment for confession if they cannot do so.

I’m not sure about this, but I don’t think saying you heard someone crying in confession breaks the seal- it’s just a very unwise thing to mention. It didn’t reveal anything about her sins- for all you know, she was just overly-emotional that day. Still, it’s impolite to talk about what was not meant for you to hear.

Cases like this are why I do not like to go to communal penance services.
 
Mrs_Sally said:
The seal of the confessional is only on the priest. Good manners and christian charity tell us as laity that is we can hear what is happening during someone else’s confession that we should move away. I assume that your sister did not intentionally evesdrop, but that she simply overheard because she was waiting next in line. There was no reason for her to share what she heard though. You can certainly impress on her the privacy of the confessional and ask her not to share what she might accidentally overhear. If she chooses to speak to her priest, that is her business. Next time something like this comes up in conversation, change the subject right away.
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this is not true. the seal of the confessional applies to the priest and anyone who might accidentally overhear another’s confession. Only the the penitent is free to reveal the contents of his/her confession!
 
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