Supreme court's Notice on practice of sacramental confession
The Supreme court of india recently tried to know the validity of the practice of sacramental confession in Kerala. Three Christians from Ernakulam , Kerala belonging to Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church had filed public interest litigation aganist the practice of sacramental confession.
The compulsion to confess is a serious intrusion into the privacy of a person. This pernicious practice of forced, compulsory, and mandatory confession from every member (both men and women) is causing several other problems including sexual exploitation of women and blackmailing. The petition claimed that even men are exploited, with money being extorted from husbands to keep their wives’ confessions secret.
That's why the Supreme Court issued notice on this public interest litigation (PIL). This PIL questioned the practice of sacramental confession before a priest as violative of an individual’s privacy and human dignity. Article 21 of the Indian constitution ensures right to life with Dignity as fundamental right.
The petition highlighted instances in the recent past where women in the church were sexually exploited or even raped by priests who blackmailed them, threatening to publicise their confessions.
What is sacramental confession?
The Sacrament of Confession is one of the seven sacraments recognized by the Catholic Church. Catholics believe that all of the sacraments were instituted by Jesus Christ himself. In the case of Confession, that institution occurred on Easter Sunday, when Christ first appeared to the apostles after his Resurrection. Breathing on them, he said: “Receive the Holy Spirit. For those whose sins you forgive, they are forgiven; for those whose sins you retain, they are retained”
There has demands to analyse the 1983 Code of Canon Law in the light of the International Bill of Human Rights and Indian civil law to ensure gender justice. Moderate Christians want to facilitate the gender sensitization of men, particularly bishops, priests and seminarians, as proposed by the bishops' 2010 Gender Policy of the Catholic Church of India.
The Christian women have decided to set up a legal subcommittee, to deal with the abuses under the Indian Christian Women's Movement, an ecumenical forum that strives to bring equality for women in their churches. The subcommittee will study guidelines existing within certain congregations and regions that deal with these cases. The group also will continue to accompany and support victims of sexual abuse.
The Conference of Religious India, the national forum for major superiors of both men and women congregations, in matters of common concern should also play a crucial role to check the misuse of sacramental confessions.
Christian women first became concerned after a media expose of the sexual abuse in the Catholic church led to an unprecedented crisis.
A group of 24 women under Streevani met in August 2010 and sought to initiate a dialogue with the Indian bishops to provide a safe and secure environment for children and women in church institutions.
They recommended a code of professional ethics for pastoral workers, including priests, and a policy to address sexual abuse for every diocese and religious congregation.
