If someone confesses murder during confession, does the priest tell the police?

Question

or keep it a secret since he is not allowed to speak of anything said to him during a confession.

what should he do?

Answer 1

A priest is prohibited from revealing ANYTHING that was conveyed int he confessional.

Priests have been tortured and died for not revealing what was discussed in a confessional.

Answer 2

The Priest cannot tell the police, however he will encourage the murderer to go to the police and confess and will not absolve the person of the sin unless he actually does so. Reason being the person who committed the murder is not sorry unless they are willing to accept the punishment, but the seal of the confessional (like lawyer/client or doctor/patient confidentiality) cannot be broken by the Priest. Nor like a lawyer or a doctor can the Priest be forced to tell what he learned in the confessional civil law recognizes the priest penitent privilege

Answer 3

No, the priest does not go to the police. What a person confesses is between that person and God.

Without the seal of the confessional, sinners would be hesitant to ask for forgiveness of their sins.

Answer 4

This is the classic question asked in every seminary class on the subject.

The answer is "NO!!"

However...the Priest can...and should...withhold the Church's absolution (banking on the fact that the penitent is serious about his or her contrition and WANTS to be forgiven!!) from the person and tell them that they must turn themselves in as a part of their penance.

Then the Priest should go with the person to the police.

But the seal of the Confessional is absolute. He can never tell what he has heard. Ever.

Answer 5

We are forbidden from telling anything about a confession. We can encourage the confessor to go to the police and withhold absolution.

In Christ
Fr. Joseph

Answer 6

unquestionably, the regulation is a splash nebulous in this one. i do no longer think of the legal equipment can "rigidity" it yet i believe they might carry the priest in contempt for no longer telling. My person-friendly expertise is that if it has to do with the abuse of a baby they might ought to tell or could be prosecuted for no longer telling. As for different crimes, i think of there is far less hard regulation. The legal equipment is a humorous element. There are rules yet a sturdy legal expert on the two side could make some incredibly sturdy arguments. I additionally do no longer think of a shrink can tell in case you tell them you killed somebody previous annoying. they're basically obligated to checklist if there is immenint danger to a guy or woman's existence and that they ought to inform to save that guy or woman from injury or demise. So in case you assert you're on your thank you to kill somebody they ought to inform, in case you informed them you only got here from killing somebody, they do no longer. finally, whilst it includes legal themes like this, do no longer place self belief in the words of anybody out right here. whether they declare to be a legal expert, priest, or shrink. basically place self belief in the be attentive to a legal expert which you communicate to in guy or woman (so can validate they're a real legal expert that has exceeded the Bar). constantly seek for suggestion from legal counsel for questions of an significant nature like this one.

Answer 7

Why should anyone have to confess anything to a priest anyway? Why not just confess to God directly? why must it go through a middle man? he is no more then a man just like you and i. It is God who listens to us and guides us, he is all just.

Answer 8

Tell the police, without a doubt. The nutter might try and commit murder again otherwise.

Answer 9

THE PRIEST IS FORBIDDEN FROM TELLING ANYONE INCLUDING THE POLICE ANYTHING HE WAS TOLD IN THE CONFESSIONAL. IF HE BREAKS HIS VOWS HE CAN BE DEFROCKED.

Answer 10

tell him to pay in the police after that he give him absolution.