When we talk about confession, many faithful carry in their heart a doubt: “How do I know that The priest will not tell my sins to others?”

Among the sacraments of the Church, there are two sacraments of healing. They are: the sacrament of penance and anointing of the sick. About penance, we know by different names and each has its own meaning:

1. Sacrament of conversion: sacramentally accomplishes the invitation of Jesus to conversion.

2. Sacrament of Penance: it establishes a personal and ecclesial conversion effort, repentance and satisfaction for the Christian sinner.

3. Sacrament of Confession:. Because confession of sins before the priest is an essential element of this sacrament.

4. Sacrament of reconciliation. Gives the sinner the love of God who reconciles. The penitent makes the experience of the merciful love of the Father

When we talk about confession, many faithful carry in their hearts the fear, and often there are those who wonder: “The priest will not tell my sins to others?”. On this issue, the documents of the Church affirm the inviolability of the seal of confession. The priest welcomes the penitent. He hears their sins, manages absolution under the sacramental seal, this means that those sins will not be revealed.

About sacramental seal Church documents state:

“The sacramental seal is inviolable; so it is absolutely illegal for a confessor in any way to betray a penitent by word or in any other manner and by any cause whatsoever.

An interpreter has an obligation to secrecy for all those who, for whatever reason, have come to  the knowledge of sins through confession “(Code of Canon Law, 893).

“Given the delicacy and greatness of this ministry and the respect due to persons, the Church declares that every priest who hears confessions is bound to maintain absolute secrecy about the sins that his penitents have confessed to him, under very severe penalties. Nor can serve up knowledge that confession gives him about penitents’ lives. This secret, which admits of no exceptions, is called ‘sacramental seal, “because what the penitent has made ​​known to the priest is’ sealed’ by the sacrament” (CCC, 1476).

The term “seal” comes from the Latin sigil stamp, seal. The priest is saddled with his silence on what was heard in confession. He can never reveal to others the sins confessed the penitent. This sacramental seal is so serious, that the Code of Canon Law so expressed in Canon 1388:

“The confessor who directly violates the sacramental seal incurs a latae sententiae excommunication reserved to the Apostolic See; and is to be punished according to the gravity of the offense. “

Violation of the sacramental seal is direct when it reveals sin in confession heard and the person of the penitent, either indicating the name or even manifesting details that anyone can deduce who it is. It is indirect when the penitent is not revealed so clearly, but there is danger that someone can now know.