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superamazingman
Guest
Obviously, he’s not afraid of you. But it might not be best to go on a case by case basis. So… he would do that for everyone.
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Corki
Guest
That’s a horrible set of assumptions. No priest can every be pressured into a face-to-face confession unless the penitent is on his death bed. My parish only has the option of behind the screen confessions. There are many reasons a priest may feel this is a better approach and he is completely within his rights to do so.
Now, on the other hand, if a priest** only **offers face-to-face confession, he is not within his rights and you would have every reason to be wary of him and to go elsewhere if possible.
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g_ncl
Guest
I cannot think of any - pls give some examples. Also “feeling it is a better approach” is still nowhere near refusing face-to-face confession.
I personally wouldn’t, provided I would go to him in the first place (unless it’s an emergency, I choose rather carefully where I go and I would never go to someone just because face-to-face is offered). But the point is that he should offer what people want, I don’t believe either method is essentially wrong. Many churches in my area only offer confession by appointment anyway and once you have to call or email anyway, you can also say how you want to do it. I have no problem with people who want to do it in the box (the way you confess also changes over time, as you, as a person and as a Christ-follower change) but I would be rather unhappy if the Church suddenly decided that was the only way. (Not that I think it could be enforced anyway.)
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superamazingman
Guest
Actually, the church has already decided that. Anytime you receive face to face, it is purely because the priest has chosen to allow it in that instance, and nothing more. Canonically, the universal way is behind the screen.
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mcw013
Guest
An interesting article. The parish I currently attend doesn’t even have a confessional, and the priest simply sits in the church and hears confession there, and while giving absolution HE DOES put his hand on people, and authorities don’t come after him, and as far as I know he didn’t need a lawyer yet.
It all boils down to culture. I’m currently where I am for some months, and touching here is totally acceptable. Who knows how acceptable it will be in the next place I happen to be?
My opinion, it’s all culture.
It all boils down to culture. I’m currently where I am for some months, and touching here is totally acceptable. Who knows how acceptable it will be in the next place I happen to be?
My opinion, it’s all culture.
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superamazingman
Guest
yet.
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superamazingman
Guest
maybe your parish should look at investing in a confessional…
Can. 964 §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.
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babochka
Guest
Please keep in mind the universal Church when stating that something is the universal way of doing things. Anonymous Confessions are not a part of the tradition of the Eastern lung of the Catholic (universal) church. I’m not arguing the merits of such in the Western Church, simply stating a fact. I know it must seem that we Easterners are always harping on this sort of thing, but the current or even historical and traditional practice of the Latin church does not make for a universal norm.
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superamazingman
Guest
I’m not denying that, but don’t forget that this is a latin rite board, in the latin rite L&S forum… I shouldn’t really need to specify that I’m talking latin rite…
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Corki
Guest
Well, here’s a few reasons:
- space - since anonymous must always be available, there isn’t always room for both an anonymous and face-to-face option in the same space.
- money - in older churches the confessionals are designed for anonymous confessions. It costs money to do a remodel, money that the priest might feel is better spent on something else.
- size of the parish. I belong to a very small parish. Sometimes, my kids and I are the only ones there at the beginning of Confession time. A priest might think that face-to-face with no one else within eyesight is not prudent.
- diocisan policy - not common in the US but in other countries, face-to-face is unheard of
- personal preference. You have expressed a strong preference for face-to-face. Why is it so hard to understand that a priest might have the opposite preference?
Sure, but only within what the Church allows. The Church does not allow a priest to only offer face-to-face confessions. If a priest does that, it means he is operating outside the norms of the Church which is usually a bad sign.
We don’t have much of that here. I don’t know of any parish that doesn’t have scheduled times.
Well, it was that way for hundreds of years but I can understand why you might be unhappy. I was around when the Church suddenly allowed face-to-face and I don’t think the right to an anonymous confession was restored until the 1983 canon law. I tried it (face-to-face) twice and didn’t go back for over 20 years.
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babochka
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Except when you say “universal”.
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Corki
Guest
When the term universal is applied to canon law or to the rubrics, it doesn’t extend to the Eastern Churches by default. The Church for example says things like “the universal norm is to kneel during the consecration.” That doesn’t mean that it applies to the Eastern Churches since rubrics, by definintion are for one Church at a time.Except when you say “universal”.
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OraLabora
Guest
At the abbey I’m affiliated with, there’s an option for either face-to-face or behind a screen. The “confessional” is actually a reconciliation room at the back of the conventual chapel, but it’s very well set up. When you enter there’s a large screen with a prie-dieu in front of it. The priest by default sits behind the screen. Well beyond the screen there are two chairs, one for the priest and one for the penitent. If you want anonymous, you kneel when entering the room and the priest is behind the screen so you don’t get to see them (but since I know all the monks I can identify him anyway!). If you move further you sit in the chair and the priest will move from behind the screen to sit with you for face-to-face. Since I know all the monk-priests it doesn’t really matter for me! The regular confessor is a wonderful 80 y.o. priest who is also the abbey’s historian. But sometimes he’s away and there’s a substitute.
It’s a pretty good system that allows for both preferences. I prefer face-to-face because the regular confessor knows me, knows my issues, and gives very good advice.
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Faithdancer
Guest
Too true, about 70% of professed Catholics make Reconciliation one a year or less (i.e. never), according to the Fordham U. study.
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Angelsflight
Guest
Oh goodness. I freak out if I cant make it once a week.
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superamazingman
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me too!
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Angelsflight
Guest
If I could I would go every other day. My poor priest would have a coronary though. I guess its hard putting up with me once a week even.
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babochka
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I wonder what the statistics are for those who attend Mass regularly? It is always so misleading when we see statistics like this because Mass attendance is so low. I would be interested to know the frequency of Confession for those who are actively practicing the faith.
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superamazingman
Guest
Me too. At this point in my life, a week is tops. Usually it’s every 5-10 days.If I could I would go every other day. My poor priest would have a coronary though. I guess its hard putting up with me once a week even.
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Pug
Guest
How often, if ever, do you participate in the
Sacrament of Reconciliation or Confession?
By Mass Attendance
Weekly or more, Less than weekly but at least once a month, A few times a year or less
Once a month or more 6% 2% 0%
Several times a year 31 17 2
Once a year 25 18 4
Less than once a year 23 41 28
Never 15 22 66
Sorry, I tried to put in spaces, but the editor cut them all out. Find this sort of info here. It is a pdf file.
So this is saying that of those who go to mass at least weekly, 38% go to confession less than once a year or never. I get that by adding 23 and 15.
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