Seal of the confessional

The seal of the confessional for sacramental churches such as ours is inviolate. I would not, under pains of imprisonment or worse reveal a confession, or even reveal if someone has even come to me and made a confession. Even someone being in 'counseling' of a pastoral nature is confidential.

With the sad situation happening here in the City of Detroit, I was stunned to read this in this mornings Detroit News....

Christine Beatty's pastor said Thursday that the embattled city chief of staff knows she made a "colossal mistake" and is repentant.

The Rev. Ronald Griffin of Rose of Sharon Church of God in Christ said Thursday afternoon he and his wife have been counseling Beatty and that she is devastated by what has happened. He wouldn't be specific, in part because of the potential legal issues she could face, but said Beatty knows she made a mistake.

Be assured that if anyone is in trouble and comes to me for counseling I will NEVER talk to anyone about it, and please don't ask me to be a spokeman for you in this type of situation either! I will consult, advise, admonish, and administer absolution to you...but I won't tell anyone else.