Confession, face to face?

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Can I, if I feel more comfortable doing comfession face to face with the father do it that way or do I have to do it in the confession box (sorry dont know what it is called)

Thanks and God Bless.
 
Most churches I’ve been to have the option of both. Also, most priests (that I’ve observed) allow you to schedule times when they can hear confession. I would guess that they could hear you either way in that circumstance.
 
I know that they are required to give you the option of being annonymous, so some parishes might not have the face to face option in the confessionals. If that is is case, I’m sure you’d be able to make an appointment. Ask the priest after mass. “Father, I’d like to make a face to face confession sometime. What are my options?”
 
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Jabronie:
I know that they are required to give you the option of being annonymous
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**Really? Our church only has a confession room so our only option is face to face. Could you point me in the direction of some supporting documentation of your claim? **

Malia
 
**Really? Our church only has a confession room so our only option is face to face. Could you point me in the direction of some supporting documentation of your claim? **
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I cannot imagine why a parish would NOT provide for a basic right such as anonymous confession.

From the website of Catholics United for the Faith:

Regarding the option to confess behind a fixed screen or face-to-face, the Code of Canon Law states: “The conference of bishops is to issue norms concerning the confessional, seeing to it that confessionals with a fixed grille between penitent and confessor are always located in an open area so that the faithful who wish to make use of them may do so freely” (Canon 964 § 2). The Pontifical Council for the Interpretation of Legislative Texts provided more clarity to the norm in its 16 June 1998 decree. In this decree, the Holy See preserves the right of the priest to require confession behind a screen.

The relevant canon is 964 § 2 of the current code of canon law.
 
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Roman_Catholic:
Can I, if I feel more comfortable doing comfession face to face with the father do it that way or do I have to do it in the confession box (sorry dont know what it is called)

Thanks and God Bless.
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The “confession box” is called the confessional. Yes, you may confess “face-to-face”. The confessionals I’m familiar with have both options available to the penitent.
 
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Roman_Catholic:
Can I, if I feel more comfortable doing comfession face to face with the father do it that way or do I have to do it in the confession box (sorry dont know what it is called)

Thanks and God Bless.
Click to expand...
My understanding is that you may only confess face-to-face if the priest grants you that option. (That is: If the priest desires only to hear confessions anonymously, that is his right)

tee
 
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Chatter163:
I cannot imagine why a parish would NOT provide for a basic right such as anonymous confession.

From the website of Catholics United for the Faith:

Regarding the option to confess behind a fixed screen or face-to-face, the Code of Canon Law states: “The conference of bishops is to issue norms concerning the confessional, seeing to it that confessionals with a fixed grille between penitent and confessor are always located in an open area so that the faithful who wish to make use of them may do so freely” (Canon 964 § 2). The Pontifical Council for the Interpretation of Legislative Texts provided more clarity to the norm in its 16 June 1998 decree. In this decree, the Holy See preserves the right of the priest to require confession behind a screen.

The relevant canon is 964 § 2 of the current code of canon law.
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Thanks so much. I only converted to Catholicism last summer so there is still much for me to learn. But it seems every time I do learn something it is something that my current parish is doing wrong.
Malia
 
If you belong to a parish with a church more than 20 or so years old you probably only have the old style confessionals with the screen between the priest and the penitent.

But most newer churches have a small room. There is usually some small free-standing screen and a couple of chairs/kneelers in addition to that of the priest’s. You can either sit/kneel where the priest can see you or stay on the opposite side of the screen if you want to remain anonymous.

Sometimes an older church will be renovated to have a room for face-to-face confession. Or the parish might find a small room or closet to use. The size of this room probably dictates whether or not there is room for a screen to allow anonymous confessions.

A church, old or new, might also have some confessionals for anonymous confessions but have others for face-to-face confessions. In that case you’d have to know ahead of time which was which.
 
I attend confession at one of two churches. Both have small rooms with free-standing screens with kneelers attached. On the priest’s side, there is a chair for him and one for the confessee, should they choose to go face to face.
 
Feanaro’s Wife said:
**Really? Our church only has a confession room so our only option is face to face. Could you point me in the direction of some supporting documentation of your claim? **

Malia
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Everyone is entitled to call and make an appointment with a priest for an open (face to face) confession outside normal confession times. You don’t need documentation to prove this. Just call the Church office.
 
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Roman_Catholic:
Can I, if I feel more comfortable doing comfession face to face with the father do it that way or do I have to do it in the confession box (sorry dont know what it is called)

Thanks and God Bless.
Click to expand...
The priest always has the option of offering Reconciliation face to face. He must always offer a screen. If offered either way the person then has the option to choose. If a priest only offers the use of a screen then one may not insist on face to face.
 
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thistle:
Everyone is entitled to call and make an appointment with a priest for an open (face to face) confession outside normal confession times. You don’t need documentation to prove this. Just call the Church office.
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I’m not sure if you misunderstood me… I was asking for documentation that churches must provide anonymous confession (which as far as I know our church does not).
Malia
 
Feanaro’s Wife said:
I’m not sure if you misunderstood me… I was asking for documentation that churches must provide anonymous confession (which as far as I know our church does not).
Malia
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Sorry. I misunderstood you. I think anonymous is the norm and the person confessing can ask for an open confession, either by sliding the screen or curtain in the Confessional (which I have done before), or by seeing the priest outside normal confessional times (which I have also done before). One time I sat in the pews of the church with the priest for a confession. Another time a priest heard my confession while we were walking around the church carpark.
I actually prefer an open confession because once its over you also have the chance to talk to the priest about things other than sins!
 
Hey great thanks everybody. Helped out a lot. I will call and set up a time and date to do my confession. I wanted to do it this way because 1) I would be more confortable doing this and 2) It will add to the humility of the experience.

Thanks agains everyone
 
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