Confession in the sanctuary

[Brockwurst]

Hello,

I am a new Catholic and I am unsure about certain things. I tried going to confession yesterday. It was not at my home parish as my job makes it dificult to be there at the sceduled times. I have confessed at this parish before but this time I was very uncomfortable with how it was being done. The priest was not in the confessional but at the front of the sanctuary near the altar. For me this eliminated any sense of privacy because of the fact that it was in front of others who where there. So here is my question. Is it lawful for a priest to hold confession this way? Because I don’t see how I can truely have a good confession if I don’t have a sense of privacy.

Thank you

 

[1ke]

From the Code of Canon Law:

Can. 964 §1. The proper place to hear sacramental confessions is a church or oratory.

§2. The conference of bishops is to establish norms regarding the confessional; it is to take care, however, that there are always confessionals with a fixed grate between the penitent and the confessor in an open place so that the faithful who wish to can use them freely.

§3. Confessions are not to be heard outside a confessional without a just cause.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

It sounds like you have confessed at this parish previously and the priest was using the confessionals in the past but this time he wasn’t.

There might have been some good reason why he wasn’t using the confessional, such as they are being renovated, or that the priest had some physical limitation as to why he couldn’t get in and out of the confessional. As others have said, usually they only have confessions out in the open when there are a huge number of penitents wanting to confess at some shrine or retreat or during Holy Week/ Advent, and even in those cases they will try to put a couple priests in confessionals or in “penance rooms” because some people have difficulty confessing “in the open”. Like you, they feel too exposed even if no one is sitting close enough to hear what they say to the priest.

If you want to confess again at this parish you might try calling before you go, and asking if there will be a confessional or penance room you can use rather than “out in the open”.

 

[GiftofMercy]

Yes, we have Bishops , and have had Cardinals that sit near the Sanctury on Divine Mercy Sunday , and at othe times, hearing confessions.
Praise God when so many would like to engage in the Sacrament , that more locations are utilised for the clergy to get the job done, so to speak, and not turn people away.

 

[po18guy]

It might just be me, but I am concerned not that others will hear me, but that God sees me. if there are others in the vicinity, just move closer and speak softly.

We had one priest who was hard of hearing (bless his heart!) and we had to shout our sins out.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

It might just be me, but I am concerned not that others will hear me, but that God sees me.

As one who suffered from confession anxiety for some years, it can be really nervewracking to train yourself to “confess in the open”. The only way to get over this is to confess in the open over and over again until it becomes reasonably normal. I go to confession 2 or 3 times a month so I have lots of chances to “practice”. Someone who just goes 2 or 3 times a year is not going be getting enough “practice” to conquer the fear.

 

[mythbuster1]

Though, “just cause” includes the Confessional being structurally compromised. St. Mary’s Basilica in Norfolk hasn’t used the regular Confessional in several years due to ongoing renovations.

 

[regression]

Oh wow! Once I went to confession after Mass (the priest couldn’t finish confessions prior to Mass). Before he went into the confessional, he took the batteries out of his mic and handed them to the next person in line That is one way to ensure the mic isn’t accidentally on!

 

[Phemie]

We had that happen once. I’d never seen our 70 year old sacristan move so fast and have never seen it again.

 

[dochawk]

We had one priest who was hard of hearing (bless his heart!) and we had to shout our sins out.

A priest about whom I will otherwise listen to Thumper’s daddy and say nuttin’ at all once commented that all the priests he had brought in for confession afterwards that day were old, deaf, and blind, so not to worry about being recognized or heard . . .

’

 

[InThePew]

The priest who took us for confession practicum (learning to hear confessions) in the seminary made us memorise the words of absolution because, as he put it, “the first time you hear a confession probably won’t be in a confessional”. As it happens my first time was, but I’m incredibly grateful to him for that advice having since heard confessions in all sorts of places.

I can sympathise with the OP though, I never like the idea of chairs in the sanctuary for a Rite II (at least not where the penitent can be easily seen). As for microphones, they don’t belong anywhere near a confessional!

 

[1cthlctrth]

I would recommend respectfully telling the priest that you are more comfortable in the confessional. That’s the way an individual confession is supposed to be. If the priest declines, I would recommend reviewing other church bulletins in your area for their confession times. Here is a link to most church bulletins. Outstanding site:
parishesonline.com

 

[Phemie]

I would recommend respectfully telling the priest that you are more comfortable in the confessional. That’s the way an individual confession is supposed to be. If the priest declines, I would recommend reviewing other church bulletins in your area for their confession times. Here is a link to most church bulletins. Outstanding site:
parishesonline.com

If the church only has a Reconciliation Room, as opposed to a multi-compartment confessional, it may well be that the priest doesn’t feel comfortable using it and wants to remain in the open.

 

[MiserereMeiDei]

That feeling when you get a pre-taste of the final judgement.

 

[ReaderT]

Confession “in the open” is normal for Orthodox as we don’t have anonymous confessional booths. It’s always face-to-face. Usually priests leave a wide “buffer zone” between the confessor and the rest of the congregation, for privacy.

That feeling when you get a pre-taste of the Judgement.

Doesn’t your church teach that confessed sins won’t appear at final judgment? (Ours does)

 

[MiserereMeiDei]

I’ve heard both. But then I don’t really worry about the general judgement so long as my particular judgement goes well.