“I don’t know what you mean by “presumes nothing is said about it in Confession.” A priest cannot speak about or act on anything he learns in Confession.”
That was my point I guess. The whole public logic train ceases at that point. Most Catholics, if they cared about it at all in the first place, might talk their concerns over in confession.
“If I were a pastor with such a couple in my parish, and another parishioner were to bring it up, I would tell him he has no reason to be concerned.”
I’ve never heard of it ever being brought up to a priest by a concerned party. There is probably a reason or reasons for that. It might happen a lot, sure, but I haven’t heard about it anyhow.
Freegards
Of course people bring these things up in Confession, but what is said in the confessional takes place in another galaxy, another universe. The priest can never mention or act upon anything he knows from a Confession. It’s totally irrelevant to this discussion.
The issue everyone is talking about is the refusal of Communion to people who are living together outside of Matrimony.
The overarching norm is: They must not be given Communion.
Exception: If they are living chastely, they may receive Communion. But, to avoid scandal, they must receive where they are not known, or let it be known that they are living chastely.
Obviously, if a couple live in a parish where 20 people know their business, and 1,000 people don’t, they have no reason to discuss any of this outside their circle of friends and family.
In my experience, third parties in the parish NEVER bring up any questions about this sort of thing with the pastor.