Can what you say in confession be used against you?

While what you’ve said to police before they put you under arrest can be used against you, not everything you say to the police can be used in court. Once you have been placed under arrest, the law says that police officers are supposed to read you your rights before questioning you.

Can a Catholic priest disclose confessions?

Under Roman Catholic law, it is forbidden for a priest to disclose information — under any circumstances — obtained in the form of religious confession. If a priest breaks what’s called “the sacred seal of confession,” he will be subject to excommunication from the church.

Is female masturbation a sin for Catholics?

Catholic theologians are divided into camps on masturbation, marriage and other church teachings. Then there’s masturbation. While banned by the church, Farley wrote, the practice is neither inherently good, or bad. “Self-pleasuring,” Farley said, can help or harm “well-being or the liberty of spirit” — it depends.

Can you confess a crime to a priest?

The priest is forbidden to disclose anything said in the confessional under penalty of excommunication. Priests can counsel the penitent, and try to convince him to go to the police himself. The priest cannot report it, no matter the severity of the crime.

What is a mortal sin Catholic?

mortal sin, also called cardinal sin, in Roman Catholic theology, the gravest of sins, representing a deliberate turning away from God and destroying charity (love) in the heart of the sinner. Such a sin cuts the sinner off from God’s sanctifying grace until it is repented, usually in confession with a priest.

Is it illegal to force a confession?

If a statement or confession is “involuntary,” it can’t come in at trial. Under the Fifth Amendment, suspects cannot be forced to incriminate themselves. So, confessions to crimes that are coerced, or involuntary, aren’t admissible against defendants in criminal cases, even though they may be true.

What is a Miranda confession?

Miranda warnings inform people of their constitutional rights to remain silent and to have a lawyer present during police questioning. Police read Miranda rights after detaining someone but before beginning an interrogation (questioning).