Confession

[MissScripture]

So, I've been wondering why it seems to be the norm (at least around here) that confession is done face-to-face rather than behind the screen. And, while it is said to be optional to do the face-to-face, it is kind of stupid not to, because the priest sees you as you come in anyway. (I'm speaking from the set-up that I usually encounter.) Does anyone know why this would be? Is it proper? I've just been thinking about this, because I think a lot more people would make use of the sacrament if it weren't face-to-face (I know I would!), because it's rather intimidating.

[cappie]

Remember that you confess your sins to Jesus Christ’s representative on earth. You confess to Christ and the Church. Your humility, honesty, and penitence should be tempered by this fact. Also remember that confessions are absolutely confidential. The priest will never share your sins with anyone else. He is instructed to keep the seal of the confessional even under pain of death; so do not let your worries affect your confession.

Having said that there is a duty on behalf of the priest to provide you with the approved ways of going to confession.

From the Rite of Penance:

IV. CELEBRATION OF THE SACRAMENT OF PENANCE

Place of Celebration

12. The sacrament of penance is ordinarily celebrated in a church or oratory, unless a legitimate reason stands in the way.

The conferences of bishops are to establish the norms pertaining to the confessional, which will include provision for clearly visible confessionals that the faithful who wish may readily use and that are equipped with a fixed screen between the penitent and the confessor.

Except for a legitimate reason, confessions are not to be heard outside a confessional

[LouisvilleFan]

Just about every parish has a weekly Confession schedule, so in any city of a decent size you should find a time to go when others are there and you can celebrate the sacrament anonymously, if you prefer. Most of the time it's before Sunday Vigil Mass, but some parishes make it available during the week too. I tend to prefer going face-to-face just because it feels more natural.

[thessalonian]

I prefer face to face myself. It's much more personal. I can understand it being intimidating as confession in general was for me when I was young. But as Fr. Cappie said, don't let it intimidate you. I have never had any preist treat me differently outside of confession, knowing what I had confessed. In fact I am told they are taught to not even remember it. That said, screen confession is fine and I hope you can get to one if you cannot do face to face. It's always been available when I have gone.

[onlygrace08]

I personnally like having a screen, and the way we have it set up, the priest can't see you... you are pretty much in a different room... I'm not sure why it isn't availible some places but, I just work with my scedule so I can go to a certain church where I know they have confessionals with a screen...

God Bless

Anna

[Resurrexi]

[quote] Most of the time it's before Sunday Vigil Mass, but some parishes make it available during the week too. [/quote]

Most more traditional churches don't have satruday vigil Mass, so you can't assume that all do. Confession is usually all day saturday, and the first half of the day on sunday and before and during all weekly Masses.

[MissScripture]

[quote name='thessalonian' post='1045925' date='Aug 18 2006, 07:55 AM']
I prefer face to face myself. It's much more personal. I can understand it being intimidating as confession in general was for me when I was young. But as Fr. Cappie said, don't let it intimidate you. I have never had any preist treat me differently outside of confession, knowing what I had confessed. In fact I am told they are taught to not even remember it. That said, screen confession is fine and I hope you can get to one if you cannot do face to face. It's always been available when I have gone.
[/quote]
Actually, the most intimidating part is that I usually cry...and I don't like crying in front of people, ever...I mean, of course I don't like telling someone everything I've done wrong, but I can get over that part far easier than the crying thing...

[thessalonian]

Praise God for your tears of sorrow over your sins! It's a grace. I am sure the preists would like to see more tears in the confessional. I understand where you are coming from. Bless you.

[phatcatholic]

btw, the set up is inappropriate if he can see you when you walk in. you have the option of confessing anonymously, but that option is removed if the screen isn't between him and the doorway. this of course, assumes that confession is being set up in a room.

at St. Peter's (in Steubenville), the priest sits in a middle closet, anonymous penitents use the closet to the left of him (which has a wall w/ a screen separating the penitent from the confessor), and face-to-face is in the closet to his right, which doesn't have a wall separating the two closets. so, there's no fear of walking into a room to have confession and the priest seeing you when you walk in.

btw, i said "closet" b/c i didn't know what else to call it. its basically 3 vertical rectangular boxes placed beside each other and against the wall. they aren't recessed into the wall like a closet would be. does that make sense?

[fearundercontrol]

yes that makes plenty sense.

i've been to st. peter's before. it's a beautiful church!

[journeyman]

[quote name='phatcatholic' post='1046094' date='Aug 18 2006, 10:41 AM']
btw, the set up is inappropriate if he can see you when you walk in. you have the option of confessing anonymously, but that option is removed if the screen isn't between him and the doorway. this of course, assumes that confession is being set up in a room.

at St. Peter's (in Steubenville), the priest sits in a middle closet, anonymous penitents use the closet to the left of him (which has a wall w/ a screen separating the penitent from the confessor), and face-to-face is in the closet to his right, which doesn't have a wall separating the two closets. so, there's no fear of walking into a room to have confession and the priest seeing you when you walk in.

btw, i said "closet" b/c i didn't know what else to call it. its basically 3 vertical rectangular boxes placed beside each other and against the wall. they aren't recessed into the wall like a closet would be. does that make sense?
[/quote]


Weren't confessionals formerly called "the box" . . . this could be a reason :

[MissScripture]

[quote name='phatcatholic' post='1046094' date='Aug 18 2006, 11:41 AM']
btw, the set up is inappropriate if he can see you when you walk in. you have the option of confessing anonymously, but that option is removed if the screen isn't between him and the doorway. this of course, assumes that confession is being set up in a room.

at St. Peter's (in Steubenville), the priest sits in a middle closet, anonymous penitents use the closet to the left of him (which has a wall w/ a screen separating the penitent from the confessor), and face-to-face is in the closet to his right, which doesn't have a wall separating the two closets. so, there's no fear of walking into a room to have confession and the priest seeing you when you walk in.

btw, i said "closet" b/c i didn't know what else to call it. its basically 3 vertical rectangular boxes placed beside each other and against the wall. they aren't recessed into the wall like a closet would be. does that make sense?
[/quote]
That makes sense. And it's a far more logical set-up than I've ever experienced here. Every time I've ever gone to confession around here (usually at my own parish or thorugh school, so in my years of school that covers 2 other parishes...and a school gym...). It's either in a room with a screen set in there, but in such a way that the priest has to see you, or it's on two folding chairs along the sides of a larger area (such as around the edges of the gym or the church or the gathering space...)