Do you prefer Confessing face to face or through a private confessional grid/screen?

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gabrielcannizzo

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Hello dear brothers and sisters. How are you?
On these past days I’ve been holding a conversation with a friend of mine about the Sacrament of Reconciliation. We were discussing on the positive and negative points of confessing your sins face to face (to God through) the Priest and doing it through a private confessional grid/screen.

My friend said he preferred the grid due to traditions, comfort and for the intimate experience with God. My opinion was that many people might prefer the grid/screen as they’re too self-conscious about their sins (just my opinion tho)

So, what is your opinion on this? Why some churches stopped using these kind of confessionals, and why some people prefer to confess their sins through the grid/screen.

Greetings and blessings!
 
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I don’t mind either. When I have the option I always choose face to face. Feels more like a conversation.
 
1st confession is going to be with the grid. After that, who knows?
 
Same here! I prefer doing it face to face, I think it’s helpful to build a strong sense of contrition and to grow in humility and to be more confident in Our Lord’s mercy, there’s a song we sing here a lot during the Holy Communion, it says: “My Lord you looked me in the eyes and said my name smiling, in the sand I have left my boat, together with you I will look for another sea”. That’s what confessing my sins face to face feels like to me.

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Oh, there’s an English version of the song, called “Lord, when you came to the seashore”. It’s really beautiful.
 
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It used to depend on how embarrassing my sins were. But my priests know my voice now, so there’s no escape sigh

Haha no, I like face to face best! It seems more apparent, the seriousness of my sins, when I confess looking at another human being. And yet also more comforting, at the same time…I’m not sure how to explain that part!
gabrielcannizzo said:
Oh, there’s an English version of the song, called “Lord, when you came to the seashore”. It’s really beautiful.
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They play this song a lot at the Shrine near me! One of the Carmelite novices introduced us to it. It’s a lovely song
 
I’ll come right out and say grid. I love the grid. It’s like the veil between existence and eternity. I feel like I’m confession to Heaven. I just love not being seen. The priest knows my voice anyway.
 
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I don’t mind either. Lots of people prefer a screen because they’re embarrassed, but once you’ve been going regularly, you realize the priest has heard everything under the sun a million times, and the odds of you scandalizing them are really, really low. What is completely embarrassing for you to say out loud is something he probably hears a dozen times every time he’s in the booth.
 
Good question. I choose face to face these days. I think the priest wants to see my face and I feel more transparent doing so.
 
The grid, because it’s embarrassing to do it face to face. My first confession was face to face and I didn’t say all my sins, even though I remembered them, so it was probably invalid.

I was so very embarrassed, and though I was a youngish child back then and an adult now, the whole experience has stuck with me and so I really don’t want to do face to face, unless I’d want the priest to know who I was for some reason.
 
Through the grid makes me feel closer to God, as though I am confessing to Him.

Im also shy so it’s easier that way.

Helps me to feel less anxious.
 
I’ve only ever gone face to face. I’m actually unnerved by the thought of using the grid.
 
Most grids aren’t really private - you can see through them… only a few places I’ve been have true partitions for anonymity.
 
Thanks for your opinions! I see now why some prefer the grid. In my experience I remember two times I was so embarrassed to confess my sins face to face when I had already done it for years. I was too self-conscious about those sins, and paradoxically I remember when I made my first “good” confession I wasn’t that ashamed, I was in despair though, like someone said in other topic I was thinking “Am I already damned!?”. I’m glad I had the courage to Confess all of those sins face to face.
 
Kei said:
My first confession was face to face and I didn’t say all my sins, even though I remembered them, so it was probably invalid.
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I did the exact same thing at my first confession. I decided at the last second that I was brave enough for face to face. But once I opened the door and saw the priest looking at me, I knew I made mistake. Downhill from there.
 
Well, I wouldn’t say it’s a grid. It’s more a screen, I can see the priests shoes but not his face.
 
Either option is perfectly acceptable and the important part is actually going to confession. That said, my strong preference is face to face. Somehow I can just imagine sitting down with Jesus and having him say, “Tell me what’s going on,”’ and then forgiving me. It would be a personal encounter, not separated by a screen or trying to hide from his gentle gaze. And I prefer the sacrament the same way.
 
I’ve done both, and prefer the screen. I have been trying to look at the crucifix in the room when I am not confessing my sins, which would be a bit awkward if I was doing it face-to-face. However, one time with face-to-face, the priest placed his hands directly on my head during the absolution, which was cool!
 
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