tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8940364093450837549.post1389199139824544115..comments2024-03-27T17:29:51.954+00:00Comments on Fr Hunwicke's Mutual Enrichment: Anglicans, and the Confessional Fr John Hunwickehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17766211573399409633noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8940364093450837549.post-13278803213877726152022-10-23T19:57:47.772+01:002022-10-23T19:57:47.772+01:00The Anglican Church tried to be everything to ever...The Anglican Church tried to be everything to everybody; it became nothing to nobody.<br />This is a useful lesson to the Catholic Church if they want their membership and donations to go off a cliff.Peterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13444205341223401272noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8940364093450837549.post-988391453782935582022-10-21T16:28:54.285+01:002022-10-21T16:28:54.285+01:00Taking up PM's post above, how could a confess...Taking up PM's post above, how could a confessor ever be successfully prosecuted for failing to report information about some anonymous person who *said* he had committed a certain offence? How could the Crown ever prove beyond reasonable doubt that Father X had withheld information that could have led to the successful prosecution of a suspect, when Father X doesn't even know who the Greyman 82https://www.blogger.com/profile/13472976732157444972noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8940364093450837549.post-62539701461388341782022-10-21T02:28:44.104+01:002022-10-21T02:28:44.104+01:00In Australia the Anglican Church sold out on the m...In Australia the Anglican Church sold out on the matter of the seal of the confessional. The Anglican Church of Australia which, in 2014, changed its<br />canon law to permit their ministers to tell others what they have heard in<br />confession provided it is to reveal the identity of a criminal offender. For this<br />ecclesial body, the State may enter “the silence and secrecy” of the “Cherubhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10998294374027724557noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8940364093450837549.post-54800281157012474002022-10-20T06:34:04.554+01:002022-10-20T06:34:04.554+01:00Fr Brennan also points out that the information fr...Fr Brennan also points out that the information from most confessions, especially those in inner-city churches where priests hear many of them behind grilles that guarantee anonymity, would be useless as evidence in court or even as intelligence to guide police investigations. 'Somebody said he had done X but I have no idea who he or the victim was, or where or when the offence was committed&PMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06144651697262763099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8940364093450837549.post-84110984049056463912022-10-19T20:19:11.202+01:002022-10-19T20:19:11.202+01:00I sincerely doubt that many priests even remember ...I sincerely doubt that many priests even remember what they hear in the confessional, or if they are really sure whom it is that they are speaking to.<br /><br />Personally, as a layman, I never remember the confidences that are entrusted to me, once the matter is sorted. I suspect that priests are much the same. If you go into the thing intending never to use the information in any way, and armyartyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00621738173563972139noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8940364093450837549.post-14525088746102651862022-10-19T08:29:58.077+01:002022-10-19T08:29:58.077+01:00The Seal of Confession must be absolute.
Conside...The Seal of Confession must be absolute. <br /><br />Considerations of impacting some criminal proceedings should not be even given any regard by those with authority. The slippery slope would come into play. Priest turning King's / State's evidence (at the cost of any genuine priesthood) for, say, a murder or aggravated rape on direction of the bishops then eventually why not too for &#Prayerfulhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01561992635589480308noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8940364093450837549.post-62546007863774338782022-10-19T07:00:40.533+01:002022-10-19T07:00:40.533+01:00At a slight tangent, I should point out that the c...At a slight tangent, I should point out that the clamour against the seal of Confession is a red herring. As Fr Frank Brennan (a Jesuit and lawyer) and other lawyers have observed in Australia, close analysis of abuse scandals shows that in nearly all of them there was more than enough information available to bishops and superiors in the external forum (i.e. not under the seal) to justify PMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06144651697262763099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8940364093450837549.post-77242686351177072142022-10-18T15:01:32.731+01:002022-10-18T15:01:32.731+01:00The priest is allowed to say, though, "I neve...The priest <i>is</i> allowed to say, though, "I never heard that", and this completely independent of whether or not he has heard it in the Confessional, because this wasn't known to him as to a man but as to God.<br /><br />Consequently, he is allowed to also answer the question "Have you heard X in the confessional" with "I never heard that", in my opinion. Moritz Gruberhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06313974490621703071noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8940364093450837549.post-11595276561927724952022-10-18T13:53:45.925+01:002022-10-18T13:53:45.925+01:00Dear Father.
I weep for you,' the Walrus sai...Dear Father.<br /><br /><i> I weep for you,' the Walrus said:<br /> I deeply sympathize.'<br />With sobs and tears he sorted out<br /> Those of the largest size,<br />Holding his pocket-handkerchief<br /> Before his streaming eyes.<br /><br />O Oysters,' said the Carpenter,<br /> You've had a pleasant run!<br />Shall we be trotting home again?'<br /> Mick Jagger Gathers No Mosquehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12879499915093940176noreply@blogger.com