CONFESSION POLL

[Dust's Sister]

I'm just wondering if you go to confession face to face or behind the screen?

I like going face to face now.

[blovedwolfofgod]

depends on the priest. i met priests that arent comfortable with face to face and some that wont use a screen!

[scardella]

I've always thought it somewhat cowardly to go behind the screen.

I go face to face.

[shortnun]

I was taught that most people go face to face. And for years I did it that way. However, I started going behind a curtain (there aren't many boxes around any more) in high school. Confession is a real struggle for me (I seem to forget how good I feel afterwards, and I just avoid it all together). So going behind a curtain helps me a lot. I would very much like to face to face again with a confessor one day.

[Extra ecclesiam nulla salus]

the traditional way is behind a screen. in fact (from what i have heard) before Vatican II face to face was not an option for women. i prefer to remain anyomous so i use the confessional that was invented by the irish.

[Socrates]

The confessional (with screen) is traditional in the Latin Rite.
At our parish, there is the option to go face-to-face, but most go behind the screen.

[indescribable]

i love being in confession vis-a-vis, especially if i know the priest, i feel like it's a much more personal plea for forgiveness, more more tangible. our church only has a small kneeler and you'd have to see the priest to come into the office anyways. goodness this makes me feel good about confession and i want to go tomorrow!

[Piccoli Fiori JMJ]

For me it depends on the conditions... if it is a communal pennance service with like a million people, the line for the confessional/screen option is usually longest, so I go with face to face, but I love being in a confessional though and I go whenever I can in a confessional

[Sailahína]

It depends on what I feel like. I like both.

[Lounge Daddy]

now this is an interesting poll ... i thought there would be more "face to face" people - more because the way confessionals (at least the ones i have seen here in G.R.) are set up
it would seem more comfortable to go behind the screen - because when you walk into the confessional there is more of an open area in front of the priest to sit and talk, etc
...the screen seems so off to the side of the priest - it almost seems silly to go over to it an kneel, etc
is this very different in other churches?

[GuyWithAFoil]

I have never gone behind the screen

[HisChild]

We have traditional kneelers at our parish. You go in and immediately see the screen, but if you choose to go face-to face you have to walk around the screen to sit in the chair in front of him. It depends on the priest, really. When I go to my parish I go behind the screen. But when I go to confession during my Spiritual Direction, which has been the norm for the last year. . .I obviously am already there, face to face.

[Norseman82]

Behind the screen. When I made my first confession, face-to-face had not yet started.

[missionseeker]

depends on the preist. If I am comfortable with the preist, I'll go face to face but otherwise if there's a screen, I'll take it.

[benedictaj]

I like confessionals best. Also, my confessor prefers that confession is held with at least a screen. He is super cool.