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superamazingman
Guest
No, but it gives preference to behind the screen, and makes clear that any priest can refuse to hear confessions face to face for any reason (other than on their deathbed), even if the penitent requests it.
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po18guy
Well-known member
If you had the power, would you ban face-to-face confession?
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superamazingman
Guest
I don’t know… since I’ll never be the pope, I won’t have to worry about it… I would seriously consider it, or at least promote the rights of priests in that area.
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utah_rose
Guest
I like the Confession box also. I belong to a smaller parish where everyone knows everybody including the priest, and I feel more comfortable in the “old fashioned” confessional boxes. The ones I’ve been in with a screen don’t seem to give as much privacy, but then too maybe the priest confined to a box like this isn’t physically comfortable. I too feel when I’m face to face I get embarrassed and do feel like it’s a counseling session. I’m a lifetime Catholic but still get uncomfortable going to Confession.
po18guy
Well-known member
You have made your preference crystal clear. I wonder what the Priests think?
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Annabelle_Marie
Guest
I have only been face to face…and it takes humility. We are allowed the option of behind the screen. Our reconciliation room does not allow for a grate nor the option for a seperate enterance for the priest. It’s squeezed enough as it is. But there are two outside windows…on a side of the church that hardly anyone walks by. I have NEVER had the priest lay his hands on me during absolution.
Our parish is about 1,200 families…small building…and our priest (our only one) offers two times a week for confession. Wed night is only 1/2 hour but he usually stays until the last one is heard. Sat is an hour before Mass so he can’t hear all of them although…truth be told…usually if you don’t want to wait…go Sat. I went last Sat and there was 15 minutes after me where there was no one. In our parish if you don’t hear about reconciliation then you are not listening.
Our parish is about 1,200 families…small building…and our priest (our only one) offers two times a week for confession. Wed night is only 1/2 hour but he usually stays until the last one is heard. Sat is an hour before Mass so he can’t hear all of them although…truth be told…usually if you don’t want to wait…go Sat. I went last Sat and there was 15 minutes after me where there was no one. In our parish if you don’t hear about reconciliation then you are not listening.
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Angelsflight
Guest
I personally like face to face confessions. Sometimes i get a little embarrased with him sitting 3 feet away from me, but usually he closes his eyes anyway, so it makes it a little easier. My new confessor is my spiritual director as well, and we usually take about 30 minutes in confession. I make appointments for a tuesday usually, so not to hold other people up when they are waiting in line.
Speaking of which…Its Tuesday! Off to confession!
Speaking of which…Its Tuesday! Off to confession!
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superamazingman
Guest
The priest I talked to about it said he is seriously considering implementing this in his own parish.
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Pug
Guest
Red emphasis added. These descriptions both appear to be a higher standard than a “just cause”. Yet, interestingly, we have the following quote which seems to be a clearly lower standard than a “just cause”. The emphasis is in the original.
What is going on for you all with the phrase “just cause”? Do you realize that the phrase “just cause” applies to both situations, the hearing of confessions outside of a confessional and to the priest being able to refuse face to face confessions? Why make “just cause” stronger for one thing and weaker for the other? Why not make them both be “just cause”? The language for both is “just cause”, unless there are more dubiums that I haven’t read (quite possible). If so, please provide them.
In case if you wonder where I get “just cause” for both, see this link for the priest refusing face to face, which also contains the other quote on the page.
Why not just let it be just cause, as stated in the law/dubium/inquiry?
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Corki
Guest
I didn’t think I was being vague. A just cause will be a very good reason. It can’t be “just because”.
I think this is the portion of the link to which you are referring.
It says the priest can legitimately decide to hear confessions only in a confessional. Isn’t that what we’ve been saying? There have been several posts that have given reasons the priest might want to do this. There is one cause that is “automatic”, IMHO. Since each penitent is entitled to an anonymous confession, hearing confessions only in the confessional will assure that. A priest doesn’t need** more **reason than what is already given in the canons.
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ByzCathCantor
Guest
Of course, this is a matter decided upon by the Latin Church, but the practice of confession outside a confessional (call it “face to face” if you wish, so long as it is recognized that Christ’s face is the other one involved) does exist in the Eastern Churches in communion with Rome. There is merit to both approaches.
Bear in mind that no confession is truly private, as we confess to a priest in persona Christi, to Almighty God, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and all the angels and Saints in heaven, as it will be when we all are to face the dread judgment seat of Christ for the final account.
Bear in mind that no confession is truly private, as we confess to a priest in persona Christi, to Almighty God, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and all the angels and Saints in heaven, as it will be when we all are to face the dread judgment seat of Christ for the final account.
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Pug
Guest
You said “a very good reason”. You did not say “a good reason”. Why did you do that? The choice to add the modifier word “very” to me implies the need for something extra, something beyond a good reason. That is why I am asking about if perhaps you are suggesting we need to require more than the canon requires.I didn’t think I was being vague. A just cause will be a very good reason. It can’t be “just because”.
I think this is the portion of the link to which you are referring.
It says the priest can legitimately decide to hear confessions only in a confessional. Isn’t that what we’ve been saying? There have been several posts that have given reasons the priest might want to do this. There is one cause that is “automatic”, IMHO. Since each penitent is entitled to an anonymous confession, hearing confessions only in the confessional will assure that. A priest doesn’t need** more **reason than what is already given in the canons.
I agree that if the canons/dubiums say “a just cause” then the priest doesn’t need more than that to be in compliance with law. He only needs that.
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babochka
Guest
Sounds like a good parish and a fantastic priest. I wish more preached about Confession.I have only been face to face…and it takes humility. We are allowed the option of behind the screen. Our reconciliation room does not allow for a grate nor the option for a seperate enterance for the priest. It’s squeezed enough as it is. But there are two outside windows…on a side of the church that hardly anyone walks by. I have NEVER had the priest lay his hands on me during absolution.
Our parish is about 1,200 families…small building…and our priest (our only one) offers two times a week for confession. Wed night is only 1/2 hour but he usually stays until the last one is heard. Sat is an hour before Mass so he can’t hear all of them although…truth be told…usually if you don’t want to wait…go Sat. I went last Sat and there was 15 minutes after me where there was no one. In our parish if you don’t hear about reconciliation then you are not listening.
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Annabelle_Marie
Guest
He is. He often talks about what a gift it is.
Talks about abortion being wrong…but if you have experienced that…the church has a healing for you through reconciliation…
Baptism…what it is…and after that…how do you get clean? Reconciliation…
and so on…I just wish more people took advantage of it…being a returning Catholic after being Protestant for 20+ years…the people that don’t go…just don’t know what they are missing!
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Franklin33
Guest
I was baptized catholic, but was brought up in the protestant world and when i really discovered the catholic faith, i can't tell you how happy i am. And as you stated, its so very true, the one's that don't go to confession are missing out on so much. its amazing to me how long the communion lines are in church every week, but how short the lines are to confession. i wish and pray that more people would come to see the importance of the sacrament. I love going to confession :)
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g_ncl
Guest
When I did my theology degree, my canon law lecturer said in explanation of faculties that once he travelled to an ordination with a teenage altar boy on a train. It was the kind of train that has separate sections for 6 or 8 people, the kind you see in Agatha Christie films
Since the two of them were alone, the altar boy asked my lecturer if he’d hear his confession. He said he was planning to do it before the ordination mass with a random priest in a confessional, but since they were alone there… Anyway, my lecturer heard his confession, while they were travelling across the country. The reason he told us the story in canon law was that he said he about knew looking out through the window where the boundary of the diocese was, and since he only had faculties for his own diocese, he knew he had to absolve the altar boy while they were still within territory. Now if a canon lawyer who thinks the boundary of the diocese is important is willing to hear someone’s confession in a train, then I don’t think there can be so much wrong with face-to-face confessions…Mind, Tim, I don’t think I could quite do it while driving… we often have coffee with Fr. while I do it but I would not trust myself with driving…
Well, I’m not sure, since for example the sacrament of the sick is hardly ever celebrated “properly”… Oh, and have you ever attended a mass at someone’s house? And what about those in prison? You see, it’s not that simple: sacrament=in church.
… khm… we are not so paranoid here yet. The idea is not that we need to protect every priest by default because they are all innocent until proven guilty. Whoever has an allegation has to prove it, not the other way round, since it is impossible to prove that you haven’t done something and no legal system in the developed world would accept such principles in its legal system.
That’s fine. But you did not say “Latin America”. You said “other countries”, and I’m afraid Europe is part of “other countries”. I can tell you at least two countries where face-to-face confession is common, so your statement of “face to face confession is unheard of in other countries” does not stand up.
Well, I taught in a catholic school run by an order of monks who are also all priests and so I had and have many friends amongst them. None of them confessed in a confessional - they just went to each others’ rooms.
I think here we are talking about two different things, Corki. While I think a priest should agree to hear my confession face to face, I am fine with him refusing to do it. I just won’t go to him any more. I live in a place with about a million people within easy driving distance (legally not one town but that matters little) and the reason I live here is exactly the choices city living offers you on every level. This includes confession, too.
I agree with you on this. In my Eastern European native country churches offer confession several times a week (while face to face is still available) but here in the UK it’s a sorry state of things
No, but I was talking about the history of the sacrament, its roots and the fact that when it came into existence in the form we practice it now, confessionals were still centuries away.And I may be wrong but I am guessing that you weren’t around then.
Canon law also gives preference to marriage between two catholics, but it is still possible to have a mixed marriage. Preference is that - a preference.
I don’t want an anonymous confession. My confessor is my spiritual director as well, I go to see him for an hour, we first talk about what I need direction on and then I confess. These are occasions I truly look forward to and do not want to be behind a screen or grille.
I am also amazed at how many people say that they feel better in the dark behind the screen because it’s a small parish and everyone knows everyone. Well, do you not think then that the priest also knows who you are?
You obviously know who he is if he is the parish priest. So… are you both pretending?Yes, me, too. I could never understand why people were afraid. The only time I am tense is if due to some emergency I have to do it - in a confessional box.the ones that don’t go to confession are missing out on so much.(…) I love going to confession
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MSSheBear
Guest
Excuse me for interrupting here but I would like to add my :twocents: Our priest has stated that he prefers face to face. We have some confessional thing that has a curtain in it. Rumor has it that it is rarely used.
You see, the problem is, I am working during the scheduled confession, and I have claustrophobia. As in, I am not getting in that oversized coffin thing. So I have only been to a Reconciliation Service. So I am becoming once of those Catholics that never go to Confession (except at the Reconciliation Service.) I came into the Church last Easter, so yes, I’ve only been once.
I would try getting into a box or closet only if absolutely necessary, meaning, that I would do so only if no other option was available to me. Fortunately, we do have the Reconciliation Services.
I believe I would, ahem, benefit from more frequent confession but I am a little confused about how I am suppose to accomplish it.
You see, the problem is, I am working during the scheduled confession, and I have claustrophobia. As in, I am not getting in that oversized coffin thing. So I have only been to a Reconciliation Service. So I am becoming once of those Catholics that never go to Confession (except at the Reconciliation Service.) I came into the Church last Easter, so yes, I’ve only been once.
I would try getting into a box or closet only if absolutely necessary, meaning, that I would do so only if no other option was available to me. Fortunately, we do have the Reconciliation Services.
I believe I would, ahem, benefit from more frequent confession but I am a little confused about how I am suppose to accomplish it.
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Pug
Guest
Our parish priests are happy to schedule confession at times other than those posted. Have you tried using the make an appointment route? I’m sure they’d be glad to allow you to confess more often than twice a year (the typical rate for those special services). The bonus for this method is that you could request that it be in his office if he is okay with that. No box there.Excuse me for interrupting here but I would like to add my :twocents: Our priest has stated that he prefers face to face. We have some confessional thing that has a curtain in it. Rumor has it that it is rarely used.
You see, the problem is, I am working during the scheduled confession, and I have claustrophobia. As in, I am not getting in that oversized coffin thing. So I have only been to a Reconciliation Service. So I am becoming once of those Catholics that never go to Confession (except at the Reconciliation Service.) I came into the Church last Easter, so yes, I’ve only been once.
I would try getting into a box or closet only if absolutely necessary, meaning, that I would do so only if no other option was available to me. Fortunately, we do have the Reconciliation Services.
I believe I would, ahem, benefit from more frequent confession but I am a little confused about how I am suppose to accomplish it.
You may just be able to contact the parish secretary to make a generic appointment with the priest (you don’t have to say what you want to talk about) or some priests are really open and available through their email. You need to figure out what method works best to schedule with your priest.
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maltmom
Guest
What is a Reconciliation Service?Excuse me for interrupting here but I would like to add my :twocents: Our priest has stated that he prefers face to face. We have some confessional thing that has a curtain in it. Rumor has it that it is rarely used.
You see, the problem is, I am working during the scheduled confession, and I have claustrophobia. As in, I am not getting in that oversized coffin thing. So I have only been to a Reconciliation Service. So I am becoming once of those Catholics that never go to Confession (except at the Reconciliation Service.) I came into the Church last Easter, so yes, I’ve only been once.
I would try getting into a box or closet only if absolutely necessary, meaning, that I would do so only if no other option was available to me. Fortunately, we do have the Reconciliation Services.
I believe I would, ahem, benefit from more frequent confession but I am a little confused about how I am suppose to accomplish it.
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YoungTradCath
Guest
Several priests (or one) will do a para-liturgical event where readings are done and there might be a short homily, then there is made time for private confessions after a public “confession.” Only the private confession is sacramental, however.
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