Confessors, penitents, and the whole kablooey, By Uddin Ifeanyi

Subject to limits (of course), especially the requirement to report harm to children, even when the priest comes into this knowledge at confession, this privilege is not without rules. First, the information covered by this privilege must have been generated when a parishioner (loosely defined) talks to a priest. The priest must also be in receipt of this information in his spiritual capacity. Finally, even when the penitent owns the right to keep confession proceedings secret, both confessor and penitent must intend that the proceedings remain private.