Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

TESTING THE FAITH 'Confession' of child abuse no longer secret?
WorldNetDaily ^ | January 27, 2006

Posted on 01/27/2006 8:26:48 AM PST by NYer

click here to read article


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 101-103 next last
From Wikipedia

Seal of the Confessional

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

(Redirected from Seal of Confession)
Jump to: navigation, search

For Roman Catholic priests, the confidentiality of anything that they learn from penitents during the course of confession is absolute. This strict confidentiality is known as the Seal of the Confessional.

According to Roman Catholic Canon Law 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.

Priests may not reveal what they had learned during confession to anyone, even under the threat of their own death or that of others. (This is unique to the Seal of the Confessional. Many other forms of confidentiality, including – in most states – attorney-client privilege, allow ethical breaches of the confidence to save the life of another.) For a priest to break confidentiality would lead to an latae sententiae (automatic) excommunication reserved to the Holy See (Code of Canon Law, 1388 §1).

In a criminal matter, a priest may encourage or require the penitent to surrender to authorities and may withhold absolution if the penitent refuses to do so. However, this is the extent of the leverage they wield;they may not directly or indirectly disclose the matter to civil authorities themselves.

There are limited cases where portions of a confession may be revealed to others, but always with the penitent's permission and always without actually revealing the penitent's identity. This is the case, for example, with more serious offenses, as some excommunicable offenses are reserved to the bishop or even to the Holy See, and their permission to grant absolution must be obtained.

Civil authorities in the United States are usually respectful of this confidentiality. However, several years ago an ambitious attorney in Oregon secretly recorded a confession without the knowledge of the priest or the penitent involved. This lead to official protests by the local Archbishop and the Vatican. The tape has since been sealed, and the Federal Court has since ruled that the taping was in violation of the 4th Amendment, and ordered an injunction against any further tapings.


1 posted on 01/27/2006 8:26:52 AM PST by NYer
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: american colleen; Lady In Blue; Salvation; narses; SMEDLEYBUTLER; redhead; Notwithstanding; ...
Catholic Ping - Please freepmail me if you want on/off this list


2 posted on 01/27/2006 8:27:22 AM PST by NYer (Discover the beauty of the Eastern Catholic Churches - freepmail me for more information.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: NYer
Local police officials – some who are practicing Catholics as well as leaders in the church – still argued for passage of the law.

In other words, the Church will submit itself to the state, not God.

3 posted on 01/27/2006 8:30:31 AM PST by doc30 (Democrats are to morals what and Etch-A-Sketch is to Art.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: NYer

A good priest would reveal a criminal, especially one harming a child.

A bad judge will only give him 60 days.

Welcome to New England, 2006.


4 posted on 01/27/2006 8:31:00 AM PST by timsbella (Mark Steyn for Prime Minister of Canada!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: NYer

The "confessional" part of it will go over like a lead balloon at the Supreme Court.


5 posted on 01/27/2006 8:32:46 AM PST by Gay State Conservative
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: timsbella

What took this so long?

Why is this already not a law in all 50 states?


6 posted on 01/27/2006 8:37:48 AM PST by The_Republican
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: NYer

In TX they are required to do this with exception of confession. Certain people , teachers, coaches, doctors, clergy are required by law to report any and all suspected child abuse. Case in point if they do not they can be held criminally liable.


7 posted on 01/27/2006 8:42:42 AM PST by TXBSAFH (Proud Dad of Twins, What Does Not Kill You Makes You Stronger!!!!!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: NYer
And suddenly the oft-heard argument of "separation of church and state" just, goes away...
8 posted on 01/27/2006 8:47:49 AM PST by DTogo (I haven't left the GOP, the GOP left me.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: doc30

No can do. Any Catholic priest who goes along with this ain't a Catholic priest. He's something else.


9 posted on 01/27/2006 8:47:54 AM PST by karnage
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: timsbella

A good Catholic priest would urge the penitent to surrender himself - but cannot and must not go to the cops himself.


10 posted on 01/27/2006 8:50:52 AM PST by karnage
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: The_Republican

They can certainly pass the law. But no proper Catholic priest will obey it.


11 posted on 01/27/2006 8:51:34 AM PST by karnage
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: karnage

You're correct. I had to go re-read the seal to be clear.


12 posted on 01/27/2006 8:54:48 AM PST by timsbella (Mark Steyn for Prime Minister of Canada!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: NYer

We have the confessional privilege for a reason. Circumventing it is a bad idea.


13 posted on 01/27/2006 8:55:26 AM PST by JamesP81
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: The_Republican
What took this so long? Why is this already not a law in all 50 states? SD
14 posted on 01/27/2006 8:55:36 AM PST by SoothingDave
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: The_Republican
What took this so long? Why is this already not a law in all 50 states?

Because it's absolutely unenforceable. A priest must follow man's law, but only when it does not interfere with God's law.

SD

15 posted on 01/27/2006 8:55:56 AM PST by SoothingDave
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: SoothingDave

So where in God's law does it say that he has to protect Child Molestors?


16 posted on 01/27/2006 8:57:10 AM PST by The_Republican
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: The_Republican

"So where in God's law does it say that he has to protect Child Molestors? "

Nowhere. There is no Biblical support for the seal of the confessional. Indeed, there's no Biblical support for the Sacrament of Confession.

What there is, however, is the First Amendment of the Constitution, which affirms the right of freedom of worship. The Roman Catholic Church has a doctrine about a priest's responsibility to keep confessional admissions secret.

So, circumventing that is going to be a knotty legal problem, and will be unlikely to succeed.

Still, there is no Biblical support for the seal of the confessional.


17 posted on 01/27/2006 9:05:14 AM PST by MineralMan (godless atheist)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: The_Republican
So where in God's law does it say that he has to protect Child Molestors?

That's what I was thinking...I betcha this is one element of dogma the current Pope may revisit. It's hard to find a Biblical basis for keeping quiet about a violation of law, man OR God's.
18 posted on 01/27/2006 9:07:40 AM PST by beezdotcom
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

Comment #19 Removed by Moderator

To: NYer
Some lawmakers said Catholic priests had told them they would go to prison before divulging any information told them in confession.

Wouldn't be the first time.

The State is NOT God. Deal with it.

20 posted on 01/27/2006 9:09:29 AM PST by ArrogantBustard (Western Civilisation is aborting, buggering, and contracepting itself out of existence.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 101-103 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson