The confessional: no longer a safe place?

Since the earliest times, the confessional has always been an essential component of liturgical furnitures, a place of reconciliation able to convey decorum and discretion.

SACRAMENT OF CONFESSION UNDER THREAT

Talking about discretion, the Catholic Church in Hong Kong seems to be fighting to preserve the sacrament of confession.

This is about a recent "struggle" due to a proposal of a national security law. This recent proposal would provide severe penalties for sedition and treason and it would be extended to priests. Hong Kong intends for this stipulation to extend to priests in regard to national security crimes learned about through religious confession. However, we know that a priest who breaks the seal of this religious sacrament would face severe penalties within the Church, from laicization to excommunication.

WHAT THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN HONG KONG THINK ABOUT IT

Nowadays the city of Hong Kong has around 400,000 Catholics out of a population of 7.5 million. Not a really large number of believers who are meant to be heard in a country even in a government where freedom seems to be restricted.

In mid-March, the Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong stated that the legislation would not “alter the confidential nature of Confession (Sacrament of Reconciliation) of the Church.” Will this really be so? What might be the next steps? To know, we have to wait and see what will happen over time. (Catholic Church in Hong Kong won’t budge on Confession)