Tajemnica i sekret spowiedzi. Perspektywa ekumeniczno-kanoniczna
The Secret and Seal of Confession. Ecumenical and Canon Law Perspective

Summary/Abstract: Nowadays there is plenty of fears according to the practice of individual confession of sins in the sacrament of penance. The sense of sin is disappearing which effects with lack of need to attend to the sacrament of penance. Despite those unfavourable tendencies of European culture many faithful still confess themselves. The secret of confession called “the sacramental seal” (sigillum sacramentale) is inseparably linked with this sacrament. This article describes rules of law contained by Code of Canon Law from 1983 and Code of Eastern Catholic Churches which, in clear and precise way describe the range of sigillum and secretum, as well as show subjects obliged to keep them along with the source of this obligation. The seal of sacrament is inviolable and absolute to that extent, that the minister not only cannot reveal the penitent and his sins to others, but also he must not use the knowledge acquired in the confession. Besides catholic discipline of penance, the article contains a try to describe the practice of penance in Churches and ecclesial communities not being in unity with the Holy See. The article presents also the teaching and law of the Orthodox Church and the Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession according to penance, expiation and practice of confession and absolution.

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