Confessions and Roman Catholics

[LoftyLottie]

I have posted in question in Society and Culture which I think might do better in here. Any answers welcome. Thanks.

(It should have gone in Religion and Spirituality, please feel free to report as wrong category)

[bednobs]

what is the question then?

[LoftyLottie]

Its in Society and Culture with the same title as on here.

[bednobs]

but that nescesitates me pressing a button t go to another category and i'm to lazy

[LoftyLottie]

OK

http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/Society-and-Cul ture/Question455683.html

[monkeyeyes]

Priests can withold anyhting said to them in confession...........how else could you account for Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness still being free men ?

[Neilzulu1]

Oh so funny and witty no nuts.

[LoftyLottie]

So if I commited a dreadful crime and then confessed to it in a Catholic Church the priest has the right to remain silent on the matter if questioned by the police?

[bednobs]

yes. Same as if you told your lawyer

[theonlyone]

Yes , they are not allowed to break the vow of silence .

[LoftyLottie]

I certainly couldn't be a lawyer and act as defence for somebody I knew to be guilty and could go on to commit other crimes. And I certainly would have to go to the police and tell all if I were a priest. Surely it is more Christian to tell the police than to shield a murderer??

[theonlyone]

Yes , they are not allowed to break the vow of secrecy between priest and confessor .

[monkeyeyes]

Hallo, geekboy.............

I think you'll find that I answered the question........

A lawyer CANNOT act for someone that he KNOWS to be guilty.

The sacrement of confession is absolute..............you tell the police, you have to quit the priesthood.

[LoftyLottie]

Thanks for your answers. Some good ones on my other thread too, especially from Goodsoulette.

Is it really true that a lawyer can't act for someone they know is guilty??? I am not so sure of that.

[monkeyeyes]

If you have committed a crime and you tell your lawyer that you did it, he/she CANNOT act for you if your intention is to plead NOT guilty in court.

[mrs_overall]

You're wrong on that one monkeyeyes.....a lawyer CAN act for someone he knows to be guilty - it's called providing a defence.
Even if the client has pleaded guilty a lawyer will try to minimise the sentence by mitigation.
I've known some particularly sleazy criminal lawyers in my time and I'm sure many of them have KNOWN their client was guilty but have taken instruction and provided a defence based on whatever lies the client tells them.

[LoftyLottie]

Thanks Mrs Overall. I thought I was right there.

[Pippa68]

I thought that the priest must first encourage the murderer to go to the police. If after the third time the criminal has not confessed to the police, the priest can do it himself.

Don't know where I read that!

[Goodsoulette]

Maybe thats the case with noncatholic clergy then.

[Neilzulu1]

Lets face it, why would a priest let om what someone had confessed to them. They have been hiding the child molester priests for years, is it really a surprise?

Monkeyeyes is a stalker.....

and a gay.

[monkeyeyes]

Sir ! Sir ! He said it again, Sir ! He called me a 'gay', Sir !