Review article
https://doi.org/10.31823/d.25.2.3
The Sacramental Seal and the Secret of Confession
Zdenko Ilić
; Catholic Faculty of Theology, J. J. Strossmayer University of Osijek, Đakovo, Croatia
Abstract
When a person unburdens their soul to a priest to confess their sins in the sacrament of penance, a sacred bond is formed between them. It is Christ who forgives sins through the priest as the minister of the sacrament of penance. The priest cannot disclose what was said in confession to anyone and is bound by absolute professional secrecy which is called the sacramental seal. The canons 983-984 deal with two aspects of secrecy which the confessor and others who may acquire knowledge from the celebration of the sacrament of penance must observe. The secrecy pertains to everything heard in the individual confession. According to the Can. 983, the sacramental seal is inviolable. The confessor cannot reveal the contents of a confession either directly or indirectly, by some sign, suggestion, or action. If a confessor directly violates the sacramental seal, he incurs an automatic (latae sententiae) excommunication reserved to the Apostolic See. If he does so indirectly, he is to be punished (ferendae sententiae) according to the seriousness of the offense (Can. 1388, §1). Besides the confessor, an interpreter and anyone else who in any way have knowledge of sins from confession are also obliged to observe secrecy. If they do not adhere to that, they are to be punished with a just penalty, not excluding excommunication (Can. 1388, §2).
In the case of direct violation of the sacramental seal, the Apostolic Penitentiary has competence for the remission of the penalty of excommunication by a special proceeding. In other cases, the competence lies with the Ordinary.
Keywords
sacrament of penance; sacramental seal; secret of confession; confessor; penitent; direct and indirect violation; excommunication; Apostolic Penitentiary
Hrčak ID:
183859
URI
Publication date:
5.7.2017.
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