What is ethical is not always moral

I'm wading into controversial territory.

Unlike teachers, healthcare workers, social workers, and mental health professionals, priests are not mandated reporters. Understandably, this feels morally wrong. There had been too many cases of sexual abuse that had gone unreported. I am in no way advocating that nothing is to be done. However, a priest's duty is to save souls. That is their calling.

While the priest cannot alert authorities if they are aware of an abuse in the course of a confession, they are in a very powerful position to encourage the individual to do so themselves. There are other ways to ensure justice is served without violating the code of ethics. On the other hand, they are not bound by that oath if the knowledge did not come from a confession. Indeed, if the individual is truly repentant, they need more than just forgiveness.

The Church has made a lot of mistakes, but this is not the reason for my post. My empathy lies with those who struggle with the need to keep confidentiality despite it being morally wrong.

Why do I feel they should abide by that oath even though it is morally wrong? Because it is ethically right. What is ethical is not always moral. That is a dilemma all helping professions face. The code of ethics is very clear on what is acceptable professional behavior. Most are common sense, but some go against normal sensibility.

I am not just talking about abuse, which the law is quite clear on. The priesthood is a special case. There are other situations when the code of ethics forbids one to do the "right" thing. What then? A client clearly needs a hug, but nonprofessionally necessary physical contact is strictly forbidden. A client's family needs an update but the client's guardian refuses to give consent.

It is a very hard decision to make, to go against something that is morally wrong because otherwise one would have to violate their perspective code of ethics and very likely lose their license to practice. It may seem selfish to think "I might lose my license," but it's a lot more than that. It's also a matter of trust. It might sound contradictory, but a professional must be trusted to uphold their code of ethics every time. Without fail. They don't get to pick and choose as they please when and where they would violate their code of ethics. This is where problem-solving comes in. What can one do instead to make things right under the circumstances?

So, reader, I am asking for your stories. Have you had to keep confidentiality in your professional capacity even though you feel it is the wrong thing to do?

As always, please keep it civil and relevant. I promise I will refrain from commenting on your experience, but I might be curious enough to ask questions to better understand your story.