Can a priest require all confessions to be done face to face?

[twf]

There is no doubt that both use of a confessional or face to face are licit options. What bothers me are those (admittedly few) priests I have encountered who do not allow the penitent the option to make an anonymous confession. One priest would come out of the reconciliation room after each confession to make eye contact, shake hands, and escort the next penitent in. It’s a lovely gesture but I personally know people who will avoid confession completely if they are required to meet the priest’s eye in this manner.

 

[babochka]

There is no doubt that both use of a confessional or face to face are licit options. What bothers me are those (admittedly few) priests I have encountered who do not allow the penitent the option to make an anonymous confession. One priest would come out of the reconciliation room after each confession to make eye contact, shake hands, and escort the next penitent in. It’s a lovely gesture but I personally know people who will avoid confession completely if they are required to meet the priest’s eye in this manner.

Well, that’s just awkward and I have a strong preference for face-to-face confession. I don’t, however, want my confession to become a social time.

Seriously, though, I’m glad that the Church has accommodations for a variety of preferences. I recently went to confession behind a screen for the first time in many years. I attended a retreat at a parish that was not my own and their confessionals were not set up for face-to-face, so I went behind a screen. For me, it was kind of weird. I’m used to the visual feedback and I’m an extremely visual person. It was much harder for me behind the screen. If this were my only option, I think I would go less frequently, though I would still confess when it was absolutely necessary.