The Priest and the Confessor in a Case of Murder
The Priest and the Confessor in a Case of Murder
Question
What should the priest do if a person confesses to him that he has committed a murder, while the police have arrested another innocent person for the same crime, and this innocent person has become liable to be sentenced to death…?!
Answer
Confession is a sacrament, and the priest cannot disclose it.
The secret that this murderer confessed will remain a secret. However, the priest has two matters before him in such a case:
A- What advice should he give to this confessing murderer?
B- What should he do to save the innocent person who has been arrested?
Should he advise the confessor to surrender himself to the police and confess his crime?
By doing so, he would save the soul of the innocent accused person, and also relieve his own conscience burdened with his crime, even if he is sentenced to death. For the Scripture says: “Life for life” (Deut. 19:21). It also says: “From the hand of man I will require the life of man… Whoever sheds man’s blood, by man his blood shall be shed” (Gen. 9:5–6).
And his death here on earth is lighter than the punishment of eternal death.
If he is unable to surrender himself, then what should he do?
Is it possible for him to send a letter to the police and to the prosecution, stating that he is the murderer—without mentioning his name—and explaining certain details that prove that he is the murderer and that the arrested person is innocent? At the very least, the court would become doubtful.
But if he does not do this, and is unable to convince the court, then he would have committed two crimes and killed two people:
He killed the person whom he confessed before the priest that he had killed.
And also the innocent person who was arrested, if the court sentences him to death.
And the priest must say to him: Seek your eternity.
Do you choose the present life, which must inevitably end after a while, or do you choose eternity by paying here the price of your crime?
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