Catholic Church Fights Bill To Force Priests To Report Sex Crimes Heard In Confession

[emmaverybo]

41. Yes to some of what you say.

Last edited Wed Jun 12, 2019, 04:12 PM - Edit history (1)

Yes, the penitent must show contrition, and does so in the words he or she says to the priest in the confessional, “father......” I am sorry for my sins and will sin no more. The priest can ask are you truly sorry, but confessing comes with a presumption that the person confessing is indeed sorry. Go and sin no more says the priest, but he does not follow the person around.
The priest can try to ascertain that a person is not actively continuing a sin. Let’s say not still having an affair. The priest can deny absolution if he pursues an avowal of contrition with “but are you continuing the affair? “ and the person says yes. Also if a person refuses to say Father I am sorry for my sins or when Father says Go forth and sin no more says oh, I am going back to the bank to rob it again.
This denial of absolution upon proof-seeking is rare because again there is presumption of being sincere and a recognition of imperfect contrition, that we grow to fuller, more perfect contrition as we grow in faith and redemptive actions.
As to conditions to confess to civil authority, no. Nothing in Catholic literature, on the books so to speak, makes any condition but that the confessing party is contrite, will sin no more, and presumably do the penance suggested. It is not a case of you see the police first, come back to the box with proof you did, and I will absolve you.
If an individual priest is conducting confession with this condition, then that behavior is not according to church doctrine, but perhaps a course of action decided upon within a parish, perhaps in dealing with priest to priest situations.
Doubtful though, since the Vatican has stipulated that if clergy suspects abuse they must report it only to church authorities, not to law enforcement. And this new guidance is not a stipulation applying to what is heard under seal of the confessional.
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