 |
| Author | Post |
|---|
JillD
Member
| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | Visalia, California USA |
| Posts: | 600 |
| First Name: | Jill | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | heathen, EvFree, Messianic, LC-MS, Catholic 2007 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Sun Apr 20th, 2008 08:53 pm |
|
I was wondering about the pedophile priests. I've heard that one could confess to first-degree murder and the confessor, the one hearing confession that is, could not do anything except to forgive the penitent. The crime would remain hidden. Isn't that correct?
So, if a priest confesses to another priest that he is or had been sexually abusing children in the parish, what can the confessor do about it? This isn't one of the reasons that pedophile priests weren't removed from the priesthood, is it?? Would there be any exception made to the vow of secrecy when a confession like that is made?
Just wondering...
Jill
____________________
"The alternative to obedience is to turn the conversation into a cacophony of Christians making it up as they go along." - Fr. Richard John Neuhaus
|
|
|
BodRod
Member
| Joined: | Mon Oct 2nd, 2006 |
| Location: | Apple Valley, California USA |
| Posts: | 720 |
| First Name: | Cliff | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Raised an SDA, then Generic Christian, finally at home with ... |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Sun Apr 20th, 2008 10:48 pm |
|
The way I understand it, the person, doing the confessing, is required to stop doing the crime (read ANY sinfull act) or the priest is NOT allowed to give forgiveness nor absolution.
Rick! Where are you???
____________________
Gratias agamus Domino Deo nostro.
|
|
|
David W. Emery
Network Helper
| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | Brownsville, Texas USA |
| Posts: | 1714 |
| First Name: | David | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Catholic |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Sun Apr 20th, 2008 11:07 pm |
|
I've heard that one could confess to first-degree murder and the confessor, the one hearing confession that is, could not do anything except to forgive the penitent.
Jill, how is a criminal priest as any different from any other criminal? If a man off the street confessed to murder or sexual abuse, the confessor could not report that, either. Nor could a defense lawyer with whom the man had discussed the matter.
But regarding the sacrament of penance, perhaps you are forgetting that absolution can also be withheld if the penitent is not truly repentant? And that the confessor’s counsel can urge the penitent to turn himself in? If the penitent is in earnest about his salvation, it will happen.
Yes, of course, a recalcitrant criminal will refuse to turn himself in, and the confessor can do nothing about that. But then neither can you or I. If anyone should hear about it, is this any more than hearsay? Where is the evidence? Then it is up to the victim or an eyewitness to step forward, just as with any other crime.
Do you not see that accusing the confessor of “covering up” a penitent’s crime is just as invalid as accusing a lawyer of “covering up” a client’s guilt if he does not reveal the contents of privileged communication? How can he do his job if it comes to this? It’s not the office of the defense lawyer to accuse, and neither is it the office of the priest, because even a guilty criminal is entitled to God’s forgiveness (if he is truly penitent) just as he is entitled (by law) to a genuine defense in court.
David
|
|
|
CajunRick
Network Helper
| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | Houma, Louisiana USA |
| Posts: | 4981 |
| First Name: | Rick (& Kermie) | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Lifetime Catholic, Latin Rite |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Sun Apr 20th, 2008 11:13 pm |
|
JillD wrote: I was wondering about the pedophile priests. I've heard that one could confess to first-degree murder and the confessor, the one hearing confession that is, could not do anything except to forgive the penitent. The crime would remain hidden. Isn't that correct?
So, if a priest confesses to another priest that he is or had been sexually abusing children in the parish, what can the confessor do about it? This isn't one of the reasons that pedophile priests weren't removed from the priesthood, is it?? Would there be any exception made to the vow of secrecy when a confession like that is made?
Repentence is a big part of the Sacrament of Reconciliation, as is a sincere desire to avoid the sin in the future, and performing acts of restitution.
In the case of murder, if someone confesses a recent murder still under investigation, a priest can require the person to confess to the act and accept his punishment from society, especially if someone else has been arrested. It's different if, for example, a person confesses killing someone 50 years before.
A case of pedophilia would be the same. A single act many years before would elicit a different response from an ongoing act by a serial predator.
The fact is that many of the predators were sent for medical and psychological treatment, were pronounced "cured", and were returned to ministry based on medical advice. The bishops, in an effort to provide the best possible care for a brother priest, often accepted advice that turned out decades later to have been wrong. Unfortunately the victims were often overlooked in the process.
There are bishops who were flat-out wrong in the way they handled things, but most of them did what they honestly thought was best for all concerned based on the best legal, moral, ethical, and medical advice. They tried to weigh the needs of the victims with those of the priest, and the preservation of the assets of the diocese. Some of them were spectacularly wrong in hindsight, but as they say, hindsight is 20/20.
It is not my intention to defend the actions of the priests/bishops involved, especially not in this thread or forum, but we do need to remember that the bishop as pastor of his flock needed to try to keep the best interests of all the faithful in mind.
Last edited on Sun Apr 20th, 2008 11:16 pm by CajunRick
____________________
Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore seek not to understand that you may believe, but believe that you may understand. - Augustine
Rick Luquette
Luquette Lane
|
|
|
Current time is 09:22 am | |
|
|
|
|
|
