Richard Sipe dissects and lambastes seminary training in his blog, along the way calling on Andrew Greeley, urging us to

study Greeley’s cardinal [in Cardinal Sins, his 1981 novel] and note his use of confession to ease his conscience, cover his shame, regain his peace of mind, experience relief, but not to change or reform him. The pattern is established in seminary training, but lasts a lifetime in the service of sickness and crime.

Confession as cover-up?