In the Catholic Church, what you’re describing would be considered an extremely serious violation — and it is not acceptable under any circumstances.
The Seal of Confession Is Absolute
The Church teaches that the Seal of Confession is inviolable. According to the Code of Canon Law (Canon 983 §1):
“The sacramental seal is inviolable; therefore it is absolutely forbidden for a confessor to betray in any way a penitent in words or in any manner and for any reason.”
A priest who directly reveals what someone says in confession incurs automatic excommunication (Canon 1388 §1). That is one of the gravest penalties in Church law.
This applies:
No matter what the sin was (even murder)
No matter when it happened
No matter who the penitent is
Even if civil authorities demand it
There are no exceptions for crimes committed as a child.
There are no exceptions because of mental illness.
There are no exceptions after baptism.
If a priest truly revealed confessional content, that would be a canonical crime.
About the Murder at Age 9
A few important points from Catholic moral theology:
A child of 9 is below the age of canonical responsibility for serious penalties.
The Church recognizes that severe trauma, abuse, or dissociative disorders can reduce or eliminate moral culpability.
If the man was not baptized at the time, baptism later would wipe away all sins committed before baptism.
After baptism, prior sins are not held against the person sacramentally.
If Gossip Is Actually Happening
If priests are truly:
Repeating his confessions,
Sharing them with other clergy,
Or worse, discussing them with lay people,
that would be a grave violation of Church law and priestly duty.
However, before concluding that this is what is happening, there are other possibilities:
1. The information may be coming from outside confession
If the man has spoken publicly about his past, or told people outside the sacrament, that information is not protected by the seal.
2. There may be misinterpretation due to trauma or dissociation
Dissociative identity disorder, complex trauma, and prolonged abuse can create:
Heightened suspicion
Hypervigilance
Fear of being exposed
Perception that private things are being talked about
That does not mean the man is “crazy” — trauma is real — but it can affect interpretation of events.
3. Priests might discuss safety concerns without referencing confession
A priest cannot reveal confession content.
But outside the confessional, if someone makes threats or confesses ongoing harm, clergy may have civil reporting obligations depending on jurisdiction — but they still cannot reveal sacramental confession itself.
Why Would the Church Do This?
Officially and legally: they would not and may not do this.
If it were happening, possible explanations would include:
Severe misconduct by an individual priest (rare but possible)
Information learned outside confession being repeated
Miscommunication
Psychological factors affecting perception
But there is no theological or canonical justification for broadcasting confessions because someone committed a childhood crime.
Important: Support and Safety
The situation you describe involves:
Childhood sexual abuse
Spiritual abuse
Dissociative identity disorder
Fear of betrayal
Possible paranoia about being exposed
Whether or not the breach is real, this person needs:
A trauma-informed therapist (preferably experienced with dissociation)
Possibly a canon lawyer if he genuinely believes a priest violated the seal
A safe spiritual director outside the immediate environment
If this story is about you, I want to say gently:
The Church does not teach that you are permanently marked because of something that happened when you were 9 — especially if you were abused. That is not Catholic theology.
If you would like, I can explain:
What baptism does theologically
How the Church views childhood culpability
What to do if you suspect a priest broke the seal
Or how trauma can affect perceptions of trust
You’re asking a very serious and important question.
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