What do I do when a friend claims to be having an affair with a priest?

[Lux_et_veritas]

If a person has a friend who infers she is having sexual relations with a priest, and whom she also claims is her confessor, what are her obligations?

Should she confront the friend? The priest? Should she contact the bishop?

I ask this with full knowledge that some individuals may be lying due to mental illness or because of some kind of sinful pattern. Repercussions for an innocent priest, victimized by such scandal would be unimaginable.

Bottom line: How should Catholics respond to such things when coming directly from a person allegedly involved?

 

[Michelle_Arnold]

If you have reason to believe that this person is lying about the situation, then the only just thing to do is to inform the priest of the allegations so that he can do what is necessary to protect himself and his ministry. Only if you know for certain that the person actually is having an affair with the priest and that the priest is attempting to forgive that sin in the confessional should you go directly to the bishop.