Why is Confession private?

[Abira]

I’ve been wondering why Confession is private. I may be wrong about this, so check me, but I thought that orignally it was done publically before the congregation of the church.

I wondered why it is that it became private, who made it private, and why this privacy then become so important. I know that a priest cannot ever reveal a confession as this invalidates it???

If confession used to be public then why is privacy now so central?

Take care,

S

 

[Eileen_T]

You can read about it here … newadvent.org/cathen/11618c.htm

What it amounts to is that confession secretly to a priest has always been the practice of the Church. Although at times there was “public” confession, it ws neither taught, nor forbidden, by Christ. Public confession seems to have been imposed by certain bishops in certain places.

St. Gregory the Great (d. 604), writing to the bishops of Campania, forbade as an abuse “contrary to the Apostolic rule” (contra apostolicam regulam) the reading out in public of a written statement of their sins drawn up by the faithful, because, he declares, “it suffices that the guilt of conscience be manifested to priests alone in secret confession” (Ep. clxviii in P.L., LIV, 1210).

 

[Eileen_T]

Here’s an earlier quote from the ECF:

“As men do not make known their bodily ailments to anybody and everybody, but only to those who are skilled in healing, so confession of sin ought to be made to those who can cure it” St. Basil (d. 397) (Reg. brevior., 229).

 

[ricko]

In addition, you would be most likely to confess all your sins in private than you would publicly. We are ashamed of our sins so who would want to shout them from the rooftops? Back then it was to shame sinners and to also shun them. Confession in secret and private accomplishes much more for the sinner.

 

[puzzleannie]

judging on what converts from denominations that still practice public confession have told me, my guess is that the practice changed when the congregation got sick and tired and bored of people going up their and enjoying themselves hugely by emoting and hysterically confessing their sins in great detail. Like being forced to watch Montel or Oprah.

 

[Eileen_T]

Well, it wouldn’t have been very enjoyable for the earlier Christians. They were clothed in sackcloth, covered in ashes and had to do a long public penance BEFORE they received absolution.

That would be why they put it off.

St. Cyprian (d. 258) pleaded for greater mildness in the treatment of sinners,* “since we find that no one ought to be forbidden to do penance and that to those who implore the mercy of God peace can be granted through His priests. . . . And because in hell there is no confession, nor can exomologesis be made there, they who repent with their whole heart and ask for it, should be received into the Church and therein saved unto the Lord”* (Ep. lv, “Ad Antonian.”, n. 29).

Elsewhere he says that many who do not do penance or confess their guilt are filled with unclean spirits; and by contrast he praises the greater faith and more wholesome fear of those who, though not guilty of any idolatrous action, *“nevertheless, because they thought of [such action], confess [their thought] in sorrow and simplicity to the priests of God, make the exomologesis of their conscience, lay bare the burden of their soul, and seek a salutary remedy even for wounds that are slight” *(“De lapsis”, xxvi sqq.). (New Advent)

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

I’ve been wondering why Confession is private. I may be wrong about this, so check me, but I thought that orignally it was done publically before the congregation of the church.

I wondered why it is that it became private, who made it private, and why this privacy then become so important. I know that a priest cannot ever reveal a confession as this invalidates it???

If confession used to be public then why is privacy now so central?

Take care,

S

“I know that a priest cannot ever reveal a confession as this invalidates it???”

A priest breaking the seal of Confession does not invalidate the Confession.

 

[puzzleannie]

. I know that a priest cannot ever reveal a confession as this invalidates it???

IfS

no that is not true, but if a priest violates the seal he commits about the gravest crime he can commit in canon law and there are grave consequences to him.

 

[Brendan]

There is nothing contrary to the Sacrament that would proclude the public recitation of ones sins.

But all those who hear the sins of others given in confession are bound by the confessional seal. They cannot act on ANYTHING they heard in such a confession.

It just a LOT easier on the faithful if they just don’t hear the sins in the first place, it would save on those acting on what they heard and thus sinning themselves.

 

[Abira]

If there is nothing contrary to the Sacrament that would proclude the public recitation of ones sins then why can’t a priest give information on confessions? Why is it wrong for him to do this… is it more than simply breaking a promise not to tell?

I know crime thrillers aren’t the best source of my general knowledge in this area… but its an accurate description

S

 

[LilyM]

If there is nothing contrary to the Sacrament that would proclude the public recitation of ones sins then why can’t a priest give information on confessions? Why is it wrong for him to do this… is it more than simply breaking a promise not to tell?

I know crime thrillers aren’t the best source of my general knowledge in this area… but its an accurate description

S

Because NO-ONE, not a layperson or cleric, who hears any part of a confession, is allowed to act on what they hear - at least not to the detriment of the penitent.

If I, as happened the other day, am in line for confession and the priest and previous penitent, both being slightly hard of hearing, are so loud that I can hear what is said, I cannot myself reveal anything of what I heard to any outside party.

 

[JimR-OCDS]

A priest gave our Secular Carmelite Order group a talk on the history of Confession in the Catholic Church. I have the info placed somewhere, but for now, I’ll go from memory.

Private confessions did not exist in the early centuries of the Catholic Church, but in fact, it was prohibited. Only three of the most serious sins required confession before the congregation, and one of these was the denunciation of one’s faith, even if under the fear of torture or death. The other from what I remember was stealing from the Church. Other sins were confessed to God directly.

Private confessions came about later, as a result of the persecution of the Church in Ireland. When priest were not allowed to preach publicly, monks built little rooms along the outside walls of their monasteries, where a little window would open into a closet. There the priest could give spiritual guidance and hear confessions. After the persecution was lifted, this method of confessing sins became so part of the faith and seen as a better way of providing spiritual guidance, it became the way we have today.

Jim

 

[Abira]

Ok the replies make a bit more sense to me now lol…

would there be any occassion where a priest might have to act on somethinghe hears in confession?

S

 

[jmcrae]

Ok the replies make a bit more sense to me now lol…

would there be any occassion where a priest might have to act on somethinghe hears in confession?

S

No. The Confessional is for healing; not for punishing.

There is no possibility that a priest would ever feel the need to inform on you about your sins to anyone at all, since he is not an agent of the police, or of the government.

If there is anything he thinks you ought to do with regard to something you’ve done that might be illegal, he will tell you so in the Confessional itself. Furthermore, this will be advice given to you; not part of your penance. He would never require you to do anything that would cause you to lose your good reputation in the community.

 

[Abira]

Do Catholics believe that peer pressure is not a good way to be judged by your community? Or do they feel that the judgement of God is enough (that’s the wrong wording I know)

and would the view on that depend on whether it was perfect or imperfect contrition?

For example, some things that I do wrong I kind of slip up, and I often tell my friends to make sure that I don’t smoke when I’m out, or drink too much (when I used to drink)… I felt more of a safety in my peers keeping me on the straight and narrow… but then I’m not really familiar with perfect contrition, I don’t think I’ve ever really experienced that yet…

but I do like the idea of confession more as a healing, I think it’s only a natural thing to do to share your problems.

S

 

[puzzleannie]

we do confess our sins in the presence of God and each other, publicly, during every Mass. That is the prayer called the confetior, or the penitential rite. We just do not list our sins by kind and number out loud when we do it, but we are expected to call our sins to mind mentally as we pray.

 

[DL82]

What happens if a priest is summoned to give evidence in court? Surely they can’t swear the oath to tell the whole truth, as they know they might have to omit something they heard under seal. Does that mean they can’t give evidence at all?

 

[JimR-OCDS]

What happens if a priest is summoned to give evidence in court? Surely they can’t swear the oath to tell the whole truth, as they know they might have to omit something they heard under seal. Does that mean they can’t give evidence at all?

Correct.

Priest have gone to jail rather than reveal what was told to them in the confessional.

Jim

 

[jmcrae]

What happens if a priest is summoned to give evidence in court? Surely they can’t swear the oath to tell the whole truth, as they know they might have to omit something they heard under seal. Does that mean they can’t give evidence at all?

First, it’s extremely unlikely that anyone would summon a priest to court to give evidence against a penitent, since, even if he knew who the person was in the Confessional, and remembered the details of the Confession (which isn’t likely, to begin with) he would still be giving hear-say evidence.

A “witness” in court is someone who knows for a fact that the things alleged are true, either because the guilty person provided them with tangible evidence (they left the person’s body parts in their freezer, or used their house to hide the stolen jewelery, or something like that) or else they heard the scream and saw that person running out of the house with a bloody knife in his hand, etc.

 

[DB_AND_ALI]

judging on what converts from denominations that still practice public confession have told me, my guess is that the practice changed when the congregation got sick and tired and bored of people going up their and enjoying themselves hugely by emoting and hysterically confessing their sins in great detail. Like being forced to watch Montel or Oprah.

Brilliant…