Confession, face to face or not?

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http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/p...20020604_interpretationes-authenticae_lt.html

See above link (only available in Latin) about the right of a priest to require a screen for all confessions.

See the link below to read a canon lawyer’s explanation of the same right.

canonlawmadeeasy.com

Confession by Appointment and Face-to-Face

Q1: We just moved, and our new parish doesn’t have set confession times. The bulletin says “confessions by appointment.” My wife doesn’t think that’s a violation of our right to receive the sacrame…
canonlawmadeeasy.com
 
We have never used the screen. Our children are fine. What you speak of is not due to lack of a Screen.
 
A priest does not need a reason to require a screen for Confessions. The simple fact that he doesn’t want to do face-to-face is enough.

In an emergency situation (like a car accident) or other situation where a screen is simply unavailable (hospital, battlefield, etc). the priest is obligated to hear the Confession without a screen. He cannot deny Confession if a screen is unavailable. However, he can certainly choose not to offer face-to-face Confession for non-emergencies; and he does not need to provide any reason other than “I don’t want to do it that way.”
 
Honor your Pastors desire; but I too fo Face to face for the same pride defeating reason

PRAY very much for your pastor

Patrick
 
Father, I’m so pleased to see you here on the new board. We do so need to hear from our clergy on matters of Liturgy and Sacraments.
 
I think that is a matter of preference. I don’t think it makes your confession any less valid before God. Priests have their personal reasons for not preferring face-to-face confessions. Anonymity helps some people be a lot more honest. Be well and God bless.
 
“Millions of children, I’m sure, have gone to Confession face-to-face and have not been molested”

Ok? Millions of children have gone swimming in rivers populated by alligators without being eaten. Quite a few children, on the other hand, have been eaten while swimming in rivers populated by alligators. Is it morally permissible, therefore, for parents to encourage their children to swim in rivers populated by alligators because millions of children have gone swimming in rivers populated by alligators without being eaten?
 
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I don’t consider the confessional to be even remotely analogous to alligator-infested waters. I let my kids play outside even though some kids who play outside get kidnapped. I have let them sleep over at friends’ houses even though there is always a slight possibility that something terrible could happen. I even let them ride in cars, when many people die in car accidents.

I have given my children the “safe touch” talks, but I’m not going to go to ridiculous extremes.
 
That’s a ridiculous comparison.

First, it’s insulting to the Sacrament itself.

It’s insulting to priests who hear Confessions—to imply that every priest is a likely to be a child molester.
 
spiritualsoldier said:
Millions of children, I’m sure, have gone to Confession face-to-face and have not been molested”

Ok? Millions of children have gone swimming in rivers populated by alligators without being eaten. Quite a few children, on the other hand, have been eaten while swimming in rivers populated by alligators. Is it morally permissible, therefore, for parents to encourage their children to swim in rivers populated by alligators because millions of children have gone swimming in rivers populated by alligators without being eaten?
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Since many more teachers have molested kids than have priests, is it unwise to send kids to school? No? Then your analogy is flawed.

As to the OP: Either form of Confession is valid. No worries.
 
“Since many more teachers have molested kids than have priests, is it unwise to send kids to school?”

Very poor line of reasoning. The point is that children as young as 7, as a general rule, should not be left in empty rooms with adults. This general rule should apply to both teachers and priests. If they must be, there should at the very least be a camera recording the interaction. An exception to this general rule should certainly not be made on the grounds that a man is trustworthy “because he is a priest.” All you have to do is read up a little on the clergy in Guam (as one example) to see this point.
 
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spiritualsoldier said:
Since many more teachers have molested kids than have priests, is it unwise to send kids to school?”

Very poor line of reasoning. The point is that children as young as 7, as a general rule, should not be left in empty rooms with adults. This general rule should apply to both teachers and priests. If they must be, there should at the very least be a camera recording the interaction. An exception to this general rule should certainly not be made on the grounds that a man is trustworthy “because he is a priest.” All you have to do is read up a little on the clergy in Guam (as one example) to see this point.
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I might actually agree with this, though only to a limited extent. I need to think and research on it more first. However, that is not at all what your original analogy applied. Not even close.

EDIT: Since even kids need to know that their Confession is private and between them and the priest alone, I think the solution here is to have the kid in plain view through a window in the door that the parent can see at all times, but cannot hear through. This is already in place in many confessionals. How does that strike you?
 
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There are ways to be appropriately cautious that don’t involve taking the option of face-to-face confessions from children. Confessionals/Reconciliation Rooms could be designed with windows, as is becoming more common. In the East, confession is out in the open, so anybody walking by can see what is happening.
 
I grew up going to confession in a traditional confessional, which is actually three separate rooms, the priest in the middle, a grille and cloth separating him from the penitents. I would not have wanted a window where people could see me inside the confessional. There is simply no way for abuse to occur in a traditional confessional, with the priest and penitent in separate rooms, not to mention the lines waiting outside.
 
I think you make a good point, but I disagree with your conclusion that children should never be able to go to confession face-to-face. Confessionals and Reconciliation Rooms can be designed with safety in mind. They can have windows so that both parties can easily be seen by people walking by. Confessions can be heard in the open, as we do in the Byzantine Church. These are a few possible solutions that will ensure the safety of children and preserve their ability to confess face-to-face, should they prefer it.

The following pictures each show a possible solution.


https://i1.wp.com/russianorthodoxchurch.ca/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/IMG_3557.jpg(image larger than 4096KB)
 
It depends on where I am (at the hospital chapel, face to face is the only option), the priest and/or the parish. Most of the parishes here don’t have the old Confessionals. I really prefer those. But if I feel comfortable with the priest, I don’t mind face to face. I can always lower my head and eyes.
 
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