If Kate and Gerry McCann are devout Catholics, they will have gone to confession with the Priest before receiving Holy Communion. If they have made any damning admissions to him during the course of that confession, would the Priest have advised any followup counselling for them? I am not religious and have no firm idea of what happens when a killer confesses to their Priest - I know the Priest is bound by the seal of the confessional - thats all.
2007-09-10 23:57:42 · 19 answers · asked by Anonymous in News & Events ➔ Other - News & Events
Red Chrome: I don't know if Gerry McCann is a Catholic. I think maybe I heard some where he is, but not sure. The reason for the question is whether or not, IF the McCanns have done something to their child and gone to confession, the Priest would be in a position to give support by personal advise/encourage them to go to the authorities or similar. Also has the Priest got support in carrying the weight of the knowledge. Also I heard that Kate had consulted with an Anglica Priest too so don't know if thats a difference. This is totally unkonwn ground for me.
2007-09-11 03:23:30 · update #1
Good question....
LOL, I am catholic but very far from knowing PRECISELY what the situation is.
I feel pretty confident, though, that the Priest cannot divulge whatever is said to him in Confession. Not even a court of law can compel him to. The ONLY situation he could be compelled to or the only situation in which he would WANT and would be allowed by Church to reveal what was said is if an innocent person is in prison and the person who confessed is the guilty party and has so admitted to the priest that "he did it".
I remember years ago a priest telling me.
Regarding the McCanns, I read that Kate is Catholic but don't remember reading that Gerry is too. Did you actually read that Gerry is too ? A few days ago I remember the British TV referring to Kate as a "devout Catholic". If Gerry was too, surely the TV would have said "...the McCanns, devout Catholics..."
2007-09-11 03:04:54 · answer #1 · answered by RED-CHROME 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
seemingly priests are protected by law when it comes to confessions. If they do share other people's confessions with anyone at all, they are kicked out of the priesthood. The police are forbidden from asking them about confessions aswell
All they can really do is give advice to the person who is confessing and give them penance...I'd say the McCanns got a good few hail mary's!
2007-09-11 00:11:20 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
You been watching too many films, this is a real life case with a real child, not an episode of Columbo!
The church, any church, cannot condone or protect murderers or, in fact, any crime.
If a priest has knowledge of a murder and does not pass this onto the appropriate authorities, he'll find himself right in jail alongside the culprits. In fact if you attempted to give that form of confession, the priest would leave the confessional box and refuse to hear to it.
I doubt that the McCanns, despite their faith wouldbe stupid enough to confess anything to anyone.
2007-09-11 01:46:11 · answer #3 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 2⤋
I dont believe the Priest would advise any counselling, as you said he is bound by the confessional counselling outside of this may give him the right to go to the police.
I cannot see them confessing anyway even to a Priest
2007-09-11 00:04:04 · answer #4 · answered by Poppy84 2 · 5⤊ 1⤋
What kind of follow up counseling would a priest give after some one has killed there daughter..??
Mostly the priest would advice the person to confess to the law. Other then the usual hail Marys..
2007-09-11 00:08:23 · answer #5 · answered by LadyCatherine 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
I am Catholic and I follow the teachings of Jesus ; not the teachings of man who has manipulated those basic teachings; Jesus said that you may ask forgiveness and be granted it ; man doesn't know better than God and each time someone rises to the level, God knocks him down eventually; he didn't say that you have to go to a confessional box and have man forgive you; you may go directly to your maker and ask for forgiveness, he is everywhere, if you are truly sorry for your actions and ask for same, you are granted forgiveness but only God knows what is truly heart felt. The priest may feel the need to counsel in the confessional but chances are that if you are there, you are seeking forgiveness and guidance.
2007-09-11 00:32:51 · answer #6 · answered by sml 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
The McCanns went to Rome to seek an audience with the Pope. It is my belief that they went to see the Pope, seeking absolution for what has happened to their child.
Instead of receiving absolution, what the McCanns actually got, was a photo of their child blessed by the Pontiff.
2007-09-11 00:08:53 · answer #7 · answered by Robin 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
What happens between them and the Priest cannot be divulged, as far as i know but i doubt would consider counselling, usually that's done from GP.
2007-09-11 00:07:00 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
The police will be searching the church grounds. They have been to the church may times topray, and one of the clergyman gave them the keys to the church. It is possible.
Its hardly gonna be the first place to look for a missing kid.
2007-09-11 03:26:31 · answer #9 · answered by sarah 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm not a religious person but I know that what is said during a confession cannot be revealed, not even to the police.
2007-09-11 00:16:04 · answer #10 · answered by Maria 4 · 2⤊ 1⤋