Why is Confession private?

[BillFL]

I highly recommend the film “I Confess” by Alfred Hitchcock (1953) B&W

IMDB review: An Alfred Hitchcock film with very little action or suspense, this moral issue- drama still maintains interest for the most part. Montgomery Clift is intriguing as “Father William Logan,” a Catholic priest from Quebec who hears a murder confession, is charged with the crime himself, and never wavers from his vow to keep confessions private.

The question Hitchcock apparently poses with this is is, “Is that still morally right when it means you leave a killer out on the loose?”

Complicating the matter is an old girlfriend, played by Anne Baxter, who still loves the priest. However, once again the cleric remains true to his vows and doesn’t get involved with her.

Karl Malden, meanwhile, plays a gung-ho cop out to solve the crime.

This movie could use a little more suspense and action, plus a bit of the old Hitchcock humor, but still is more than passable.

My comment:
If a Priest ever reveals what he has heard in confession he is automatically excommunicated. I think only the Pope can reinstate him

 

[Christophorus]

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

Gratias et pax vobiscum,

My guess is because man is not forgiving they way God is forgiving.

pax.

 

[M-Dent]

In New Hamshire, not long ago I was forced to write to local legistlatures to reject a Bill (House Bill 1127) that would require priests to revealed certain abuses even in confession. I wrote how that was basically a bill to persecute priests.

The House sent the bill for further study.

 

[JimR-OCDS]

In New Hamshire, not long ago I was forced to write to local legistlatures to reject a Bill (House Bill 1127) that would require priests to revealed certain abuses even in confession. I wrote how that was basically a bill to persecute priests.

The House sent the bill for further study.

They tried that here in Massachusetts, then Gov. Mitt Romney, a mormon, vetoed it.

Jim