Priests are not supposed to forgive sins if the sinner is determined to continue the sin.
I guess what puzzles me is why the abuser is seeking absolution if they are determined to continue in their wicked ways.
It just seems to me that there are a number of sins that I wouldn’t want made public, but was determined to resist on my own with Christ’s help. But sexual child abuse is not one of them. If I couoldn’t help myself (or thought that I couldn’t) then it seems to me that I must either make a definite decision to continue unrepentedly, or I must make the decision to let society put me where I could do no more harm to the innocent.
And if the former, why am I going to a priest, anyway? What’s the point?
Priests are not supposed to forgive sins if the sinner is determined to continue the sin.
I think it is worth pointing out, for those who may not be too familiar with Catholic sacraments, that in actuality priests cannot "forgive sins if the sinner is determined to continue the sin." The sacrament of penance is only valid if the penitent has true repentance for their sins and an intention to avoid falling into sin again in the future. Even if a person lies to a priest about their contrition and says they are repentant when they are not any absolution given does nothing for the penitent at all. Confession is not some sort of shortcut to forgiveness that avoids repentance and conversion on the part of sinners. We cannot fool God.