|
0 members (),
1,087
guests, and
72
robots. |
|
Key:
Admin,
Global Mod,
Mod
|
|
|
Forums26
Topics35,506
Posts417,454
Members6,150
| |
Most Online3,380
Dec 29th, 2019
|
|
|
|
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 4,518
Catholic Gyoza Member
|
|
Catholic Gyoza Member
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 4,518 |
The article below is about a Greek Orthodox priest who used the confessions of others to blackmail them for money.  http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20060303/od_afp/cyprusreligionoffbeat_060303190747 I'm not trying to castigate the Greek Orthodox Church, I want to know about this phenomenon in the East. I have never heard of it happening in the Western Church. It has never been pointed out that any priest has done it. I would guess that the Church's critics would love to jump on that one. I was told that if it happened that a priest told what was revealed in Confession that he was anathematized ipso facto and latae sententiae, in other words on the spot! And only the Pope himself reserved the right to lift the penalties. How will the Greek Orthodox handle a scandal like this? 
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 194
Junior Member
|
|
Junior Member
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 194 |
I do not know the canon law, but I can tell you about the civil law in the State of Missouri. I also know a little about the criminal law.
The priest can be sued for monetary damages for any harm he caused by violating the priest-penitent privilege. The jury may be given the option of awarding punitive damages on top of the actual damages sustained by the penitent.
The priest may also face prosecution under the criminal law. I never practiced criminal law so I do not know the answer in this area of the law. However, there probably is some statute that makes the priest's conduct criminal.
Assuming its a run-of-the mill lawsuit, expect the priest to be ordered to pay approximately $100,000 in actual damages depending upon the harm actually done by him. He could also be ordered to pay approximately $100,000 in punitive damages.
On the criminal side, I would expect that the priest may face a prison sentence of 5-15 years in one of Missouri's correctional institutions.
There may or may not be canon law penalties. However, he should be more worried about the prospects of going to prison because priests generally do not fare well in prison.
JP
JP
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 10,994 Likes: 10
Moderator Member
|
|
Moderator Member
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 10,994 Likes: 10 |
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 937
Member
|
|
Member
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 937 |
What will this do to the Holy Sacrament of Penance? The diminishing use of this sacrament has already been discussed on another thread.
If this article gains a larger awareness, will it have a significant impact on Orthodox and Catholics around the world who still take part in this precious gift?
It is truly the evil one's doing, I believe.
Let us pray for this priest, his parishioners, and all other priests that they might have the strength and courage to see and rebuke the evil one.
In Christ,
Michael
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 3,411
Member
|
|
Member
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 3,411 |
I'm not trying to castigate the Greek Orthodox Church, I want to know about this phenomenon in the East. I have never heard of another case of this happening. The OCA guidelines for priests says the following The secrecy of the Mystery of Penance is considered an unquestionable rule in the entire Orthodox Church. Theologically, the need to maintain the secrecy of confession comes from the fact that the priest is only a witness before God. One could not expect a sincere and complete confession if the penitent has doubts regarding the practice of confidentiality. Betrayal of the secrecy of confession will lead to canonical punishment of the priest.
St. Nicodemus the Hagiorite exhorts the Spiritual Father to keep confessions confidential, even under strong constraining influence. The author of the Pedalion (the Rudder), states that a priest who betrays the secrecy of confession is to be deposed. The Metropolitan of Kos, Emanuel, mentions in his handbook (Exomologeteke) for confessors that the secrecy of confession is a principle without exceptionSo I would expect that if the charges are true, the priest will be defrocked and excommunicated. He has really already excommunicated himself if this story is true. I�m sure using Turks as his henchmen will not increase his popularity either. Also, Cyprus is an autocephalous church with its own synod, and is not under the authority of the Church of Greece. What will this do to the Holy Sacrament of Penance? The diminishing use of this sacrament has already been discussed on another thread. I doubt if this one story by itself will have a wide ranging effect. There are unfortunately other scandals that have happened in the recent past that I think will do more damage. It is truly the evil one's doing, I believe. Yes. Let us pray for this priest, his parishioners, and all other priests that they might have the strength and courage to see and rebuke the evil one. We must remember the priests and bishops are humans. Just this last week I learned of a priest and friend who has fallen, and it was like a death in the family. Andrew
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 1,070
Member
|
|
Member
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 1,070 |
An OCA priest once told me that some arab orthodox jurisdiction in the middle east had this problem before. It caused parishioners to abandon the confessional altogether, and they carried the new custom to America. Probably no one has statistics on how many/how often go to confession, but perceptions indicate that confession is more frequent among the slavic churches. But. once this sort of thing happens there is usually no going back.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 943
Member
|
|
Member
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 943 |
I am so pleased that Rilan gave good explanation that the Orthodox Church DO maintain the secrecy of the Confession.
I have felt so scared and nervous about joining the Orthodox Church (IF I ever thought about it) mainly because of this issue. I had thought the Orthodox Church has a weak or loose seal of Confession. That the priests can get away with breaking a seal to report anybody of anything that's confessed.
I had heard from a former Orthodox priest that there's no strict rules saying that the Confession MUST be protected and kept secret.
So, I am thankful that Rilan has put my fears to rest about this.
SPDundas
Deaf Byzantine
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 576
Member
|
|
Member
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 576 |
Breaking the seal of confession to make money or blackmail people in my opinion is a serious crime against the sacrament. What I do have a problem with is the same old scenario where a murderer or child molester confesses to a priest. How would a person like that expect to be able to receive any forgiveness without the forgiveness of their victims? No one who calls themself a Christian has the right to pass off a heinious crime onto the conscience of a priest. We are not talking about crimes against the state but crimes against humanity!
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 4,518
Catholic Gyoza Member
|
|
Catholic Gyoza Member
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 4,518 |
Bergschlawiner,
Usually, part of the penance of a crime like that is to turn oneself in. If I were a priest, and maybe this is why I'm not, I would not give absolution until the person turned himself in. So, I would hold absolution, make the person call the cops, then give the absolution if it was a serious crime.
If it's stealing pens from the office, or lying about one's weight, or something that can be reconciled easily with out lasting damage to anyone, of course I wouldn't do that. That case would be for extreme circumstances.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 3,411
Member
|
|
Member
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 3,411 |
SPDundas I had heard from a former Orthodox priest that there's no strict rules saying that the Confession MUST be protected and kept secret. I can�t imagine what this priest might have meant, if that was the case nobody would confess. Confession in Orthodoxy is intensely personal, we are confessing to God but in the presence of our confessor. There is no anonymity, we are truly baring our souls to God and the priest or hieromonk who is our witness. It would needless to say be an egregious sin to betray this trust. Fr. George Morelli of the Antiochian Archdiocese touched on a subject mentioned here regarding cases of confession involving abuse. He says: The role of clergy, clinicians, and non-professionals in reporting abuse
What is the role of clinicians, clergy, and laity when discovering abuse? Licensed health practitioners (nurses, marriage and family counselors, physicians, psychologists, etc.) are mandated reporters by law. This usually means they must not only inform appropriate authorities such as the police, but inform and intervene with the victim (or potential victim) as necessary.
A priest may be a mandatory reporter in some jurisdictions. Sacramental confession is excluded. Counseling or communication with a priest in a pastoral situations puts the priest (or other clergy) in a very ambiguous and serious position. The priest must act out of love and the purity and clarity of his heart, for both the victim or potential victim and the abuser. If the abuser comes to the priest, the priest must attempt to convince the abuser to accept the fact that they have as serious problem and must seek the help that is needed. This may involve emergency hospitalization or perhaps incarceration. In this case the hospital staff would be mandatory reporters. If a priest is a mandatory reporter, this information must be told to all involved and the laws of the jurisdiction must be followed. Further down he says An interesting side issue for Eastern Orthodox (and Western Roman) priests is the Seal of Confession. Suppose an abuser or victim approaches the priest for the Holy Mystery of Confession. Sometimes it can be anticipated what the person is about to say. Other times word has gotten back to the priest hinting at some serious family trouble. Often a priest can intuit the problem through the spiritual gift of discernment.
In such a case inform the alleged abuser you cannot hear the confession at this time. The upcoming discussion will not be a confession and thus not under the seal.. A priest-mental health practitioner (like myself) can do the same as delineated above except the mandatory reporting law would have to be followed. If someone slipped by my "intuitive anticipation" and disclosed abuse in Holy Confession, I would withhold absolution and tell the person they are "without absolution" (or "'excommunicated" so to speak) until they report the abuse to the authorities. As a followup, since the Seal of Confession still holds, I would try and contact the abused and, without violating the confession, do all I can do to protect and guide him to safety. I think both of those offer some insight in to what is a very difficult situation. The full article is here [ antiochian.org] . I will also say my priest has told me hearing confessions is the hardest thing he does. Andrew
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 2,440
Member
|
|
Member
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 2,440 |
Dear Dr. Eric,
In Greece, and I suppose in Cyprus and sometimes here, the priesthood is merely a profession. It is not always a calling. Basically, someone may be chosen by the town to become a priest because of their speaking voice, or their chanting, etc. Usually they are poor, and are grateful for the help.
What happens is the same thing that occurred in the RCC. Too many become priests, that shouldn't be priests.
Zenovia
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 4,518
Catholic Gyoza Member
|
|
Catholic Gyoza Member
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 4,518 |
Too many men don't become priests who do have the calling...  Especially in the RCC... 
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 951 Likes: 1
Member
|
|
Member
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 951 Likes: 1 |
I'm not trying to castigate the Greek Orthodox Church, I want to know about this phenomenon in the East. Dr. Eric, I could not say the word phenomenon. I live in East. The secret of the confession is kept according to Pedalion and all the canons. Alas to those priests, both in the Romano-Catholic or Byzantine-Catholic Church, or in the Orthodox Church who mock their mission. As a grass it is our life and soon we will have to answer for any deed and word. In Christ, Marian +
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 4,518
Catholic Gyoza Member
|
|
Catholic Gyoza Member
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 4,518 |
Dear Marian, The phenomenon was about this case not the Orthodox in general. As kids in Catechism Class we were told that a priest would never reveal what was told in Confession (of course the confessional screen helps with anonymity) because he would go straight to hell if he did!!!
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 10,994 Likes: 10
Moderator Member
|
|
Moderator Member
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 10,994 Likes: 10 |
..and for those priests that do break the seal of confessions, they probably will go straight to *h---*!
This just goes to show how the evil one works through different weaknesses of us humans-priests notwithstanding- to make us fall.
For some priests (and lay persons) it is through sex, and for others it is through greed and manipulation....
May our Lord have mercy on all priests, for their accountability will be a greater one.
The Roman Catholics traditionally prayed special litanies for priests. I think that we should follow that beautiful intention for the strong spiritual life of our beloved Fathers in the faith and the Church.
In Christ,
Alice
LITANY FOR PRIESTS
Jesus, meek and humble of heart,Jesus, meek and humble of heart,
give all priests Thy spirit of humility;
Jesus, poor and worn out for souls,
give all priests Thy spirit of zeal;
Jesus, full of patience and mercy for sinners,
give all priests Thy spirit of compassion;
Jesus, victim for the sins of the world,
give all priests Thy spirit of sacrifice;
Jesus, lover of the little and the poor,
give all priests Thy spirit of charity.
Mary, Queen of the Clergy, pray for us;
and obtain for us numerous and holy
priests and religious.
Amen.
|
|
|
|
|
