Seal Of Confession

[Dave]

I've always heard that the seal of confession may never be broken for any reason whatsoever. However, in Fr. John Hardon's Pocket Catholic Dictionary, under the entry for "seal of confession," it says that the priest may not say anything UNLESS the penitent gives him permission to tell someone. Was Fr. Hardon mistaken here?

[cappie]

From the Code of Canon Law: Can. 983 §1 The sacramental seal is inviolable. Accordingly, it is absolutely wrong for a confessor in any way to betray the penitent, for any reason whatsoever, whether by word or in any other fashion.

§2 An interpreter, if there is one, is also obliged to observe this secret, as are all others who in any way whatever have come to a knowledge of sins from a confession.

Can. 984 §1 The confessor is wholly forbidden to use knowledge acquired in confession to the detriment of the penitent, even when all danger of disclosure is excluded.

§2 A person who is in authority may not in any way, for the purpose of external governance, use knowledge about sins which has at any time come to him from the hearing of confession.

"But WITH PERMISSION OF THE PENITENT one may speak of sacramental matters with the penitent himself and with others, even outside of confession. Such permission can be given e.g. that the confessor may consult someone more experienced concerning a difficult case. However presumed permission is insufficent. If the penitent of his own accord begin speaking of such matters outside confession, he thereby implicitly gives the priest permission." a book by Heribert Jone and urban Adelman "Moral Theology"

It gives the whole picture I think.
this is a quote from