Confessional outside of the church?

[DarkLight]

I was just wondering if anyone else has seen this done. Our parish has confessions held at the local catholic store, which also doubles as something of a local Catholic community center. There’s confessionals built into the building itself, as well as I think a small chapel.

 

[Blessedwithfive]

At the teen retreats they hold them outside with a few lawn chairs. Seems to work ok but VERY few kids go.

 

[Memaw]

I was just wondering if anyone else has seen this done. Our parish has confessions held at the local catholic store, which also doubles as something of a local Catholic community center. There’s confessionals built into the building itself, as well as I think a small chapel.

When I lived in Colo. before our Church was built Father used to have Mass in the public school Gym and he heard confessions there too. Also, Fr. John Hardon S.J. would at times hear a confession right outside. They would just kneel where they were. This was at the Marian Congress at Alexandra S.D. I’m sure many Chaplins heard confessions on the battlefront. God Bless, Memaw

 

[PaulfromIowa]

There is no rule that the Sacrament of Penance must be in a church.

 

[Pax2u]

I’ve gone to Confession on a porch/deck before. Wherever the need and opportunity present itself…as long as it’s private, doesn’t have to be in church.

 

[svid2]

Pax Christi!

Confession can take place in the back seat of a taxi, on a battlefield, almost anywhere.

God bless.

 

[PietroPaolo]

I’ve confessed at coffee shops, parking lots, you name it - if I need to confess and am meeting with a priest for some reason and we can find an entirely private place, somewhere with no danger of being overheard, I’ll confess. I do tend to try to not confess if I’m meeting with a priest for a social reason, I hate to make him work when we are supposed to be just visiting.

 

[asia53]

At the Living the Faith Catholic Conference at the Colorado Convention Center. Confession was in its own area away from the other activities with portable dividers. 10 priests with long lines, available for 6 hours each day of the 2 day conference.

 

[Chatter163]

There is no rule that the Sacrament of Penance must be in a church.

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.

 

[babochka]

I was just wondering if anyone else has seen this done. Our parish has confessions held at the local catholic store, which also doubles as something of a local Catholic community center. There’s confessionals built into the building itself, as well as I think a small chapel.

I think this is a great idea, to make confession easily accessible to people. I once heard of a priest who set up a confessional in a shopping mall!

I am a bit surprised that it is in place of confessions at the church, however.

 

[Mary_Ellen]

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

Good points, thanks for bringing Canon Law into the conversation, it’s very helpful. All hinges on what constitutes “just cause.”

When I did my general confession it was in the basement of the rectory, not in the confessional, for which I was grateful. It was much more comfortable to sit with a table between me and the priest for the hour it took for such a lengthy process.

 

[Pax2u]

“Just cause” is the key. When I went to Confession on the deck it was an outside conference, and Confessions were heard throughout the day. Obviously, church would be the first choice, but isn’t always available when the need arises.

 

[babochka]

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

I think that can be interpreted very loosely. It does not say “serious” or “grave”, simply “just”. Just cause could indeed include bringing the sacrament to where the people are, as a matter of convenience. Confessions are frequently heard on retreats, in priest’s offices, in private homes, on park benches, on ski lifts (I know this one from personal experience), etc… What is a just cause? A sinner has asked for God’s mercy in the sacrament of Reconciliation and it they are not in a church. It seems it would be unjust to make the person wait until both parties could be in a church.

I don’t know how this would apply to the situation in the original post, but I think we can assume the practice has been approved by competent authorities.

 

[Chatter163]

I understand the point that has been raised about what constitutes just cause, and how that threshold is lower than grave cause. (I personally have confessed in a number of places outside church, including in the corner of an airport, standing over a trash can.) I was responding to the poster who claimed that “There is no rule that the Sacrament of Penance must be in a church,” which, as one can see, is not correct.

 

[FrDavid96]

Good points, thanks for bringing Canon Law into the conversation, it’s very helpful. All hinges on what constitutes “just cause.”

When I did my general confession it was in the basement of the rectory, not in the confessional, for which I was grateful. It was much more comfortable to sit with a table between me and the priest for the hour it took for such a lengthy process.

In cases like this, a “just cause” means “someone asks to go to confession.” If there is no confessional available, then that’s cause enough.

What the canon is addressing is more the issue that a parish has an obligation to have confessionals available, and to use them. In other words, a pastor cannot say that confessions will be heard in the parish hall from now on, and the confessionals will not be used. If we’re talking “overflow” then that’s a just cause.

 

[DarkLight]

I think this is a great idea, to make confession easily accessible to people. I once heard of a priest who set up a confessional in a shopping mall!

I am a bit surprised that it is in place of confessions at the church, however.

All the local parishes have confessional times as well. My impression is it’s a way to provide an additional time for confessions, especially as it’s downtown on a weekday, when most parishes are either weekend or evening. It’s staffed primarily by retired priests of the diocese.

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.

It’s definitely a proper confessional with a grate and everything. It sounds like the building might qualify as an oratory, I believe it has its own chapel.

 

[FrDavid96]

All the local parishes have confessional times as well. My impression is it’s a way to provide an additional time for confessions, especially as it’s downtown on a weekday, when most parishes are either weekend or evening. It’s staffed primarily by retired priests of the diocese.

It’s definitely a proper confessional with a grate and everything. It sounds like the building might qualify as an oratory, I believe it has its own chapel.

The words “oratory” and “chapel” are specific in canon law, it’s unlikely that either word would actually apply in the canon law sense, given that it’s inside a commercial business. Although we use the word “chapel” very loosely in English, a canonical chapel must be under the control of the local bishop. HOWEVER that’s just academic.

There’s no problem, and on the contrary, it’s a very good thing that confessions are more available to people. I realize that no one is trying to claim that it is a problem—but it needs to be said.

We have to keep in mind that when the canon talks about “the proper place to hear confessions” the canon is not intended in any way to exclude other places; it’s meant to exclude the idea that priests will actively avoid either having or using a proper confessional.

 

[L_Marshall]

I can’t find pictures, but in when I was in Rio for WYD, one of the outdoor markets had sound-proofed confessionals in it, among all the little stores. I thought that was pretty cool.