(c) Unlawful use of sacramental knowledge happens if there is no direct or indirect violation of the seal, but the confessor’s conduct is such as to make confession distasteful either to the penitent or to others, as when a superior is guided in giving his vote or directing his subject by information gathered from confession. This is forbidden in Canon 890.
(d) Apparent violation of the seal happens if there is really no direct or indirect violation of the seal, or unlawful use of confessional knowledge, but a priest’s language is calculated to arouse a reasonable suspicion that some such sin is being committed (e.g., if a preacher or retreat master or writer of moral cases uses illustrations from confessions heard by him which will excite distrust in his own or other penitents). Serious scandal and defamation may also be caused by public statements unfavorable to the morals of a certain city or community or class.
2769. Special Abuses.—Two abuses to which confession is especially exposed are defamation and impurity, and hence the law of the Church provides special safeguards against these dangers (see 2753, 2757, 2759).
(a) Defamation.—The fame of third parties is protected by the law which forbids the confessor to inquire about the penitent’s accomplice, the fame of the penitent by the law of the sacramental seal, and the fame of the confessor by the law which subjects those who bring a false accusation of solicitation against a confessor to excommunication specially reserved to the Pope, to retractation, reparation, and severe penance (Canons 888, n. 2, 889 sqq., 2363).
(b) Impurity.—The danger that a confessor will be tempted to solicitation by his knowledge of the frailty of a penitent is provided for by the law which severely commands formal denunciation of those guilty of solicitation (Canon 904); the danger that a penitent may be induced to yield to solicitation by a promise to absolve the sin is met by the law which invalidates absolution of an accomplice (Canon 884).
2770. Absolutio Complicis.—Absolutio complicis in peccato turpi invalida est praeterquam in mortis periculo (Canon 884).
(a) Objectum legis est peccatum turpe, i.e., quodvis peccatum contra sextum, consummatum vel non consummatum, colloquiis, aspectibus vel factis patratum. Necesse est autem quod peccatum sit utrinque certum (quoad factum et jus), externum, et grave (qua internum et qua externum). Unde non agitur de peccatis contra alias virtutes, neque de peccatis luxuriae mere internis vel levibus.
(b) Subjectum de quo in lege est complex seu socius immediatus et formalis in ipso actu peccati; et sic non sufficit ad complicitatem cooperatio etiam proxima (1507), nec peccatum mere materiale, quale fit ab amente, dormiente, ebrio, infante, renitente. Non requiritur tamen quod compar sit puber vel alius sexus, neque quod confessarius tempore complicitatis jam inter clericos adscriptus sit.
2771. Effectus Legis de Absolutione Complicis.—(a) Quoad Absalutionem.—Invalida et illicita est absolutio directa peccati nondum remissi si extra periculum mortis datur. Est valida sed illicita: absolutio directa peccati nondum remissi, in periculo mortis data, quando alius sacerdos confessionem recipere potest; necnon absolutio indirecta peccati nondum remissi, extra periculum mortis data, quando poenitens bona fide peccatum reticet. Est valida et licita absolutio directa peccati nondum remissi, in periculo mortis vel in gravissima necessitate (utputa urgente praecepto ecclesiastico et divino confessionis et communionis annuae) data, quando alius sacerdos aut nullimode aut nonnisi cum gravi incommodo (scil. infamiae, scandali, periculi confessionis sacrilegae) haberi potest; necnon absolutio directa peccati jam remissi, etiam extra hoc periculum et hanc necessitatem facta. Non una tamen est sententia auctorum in interpretandis dubiis hujus legis, nec omnes conveniunt cum placitis hic positis, nam de dubiis alii strictius, alii mitius judicant.
(b) Quoad Censuram.—Excommunicatio specialissime reservata S. Sedi ipso facto incurritur a confessario qui illicite absolvit vel fingit absolvere, sive directe, sive (quando poenitens ad tacendum inductus est a confessario ipso) indirecte. Censura non incurritur igitur si confessio tantum auditur, si poenitens propria sponte peccatum reticet, si sacerdos dubitat num poenitens complex sit (Canon 2367).