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

[JimG]

Why do you think this is?

I think it is because face to face more often leads to a conversation rather than a simple confession. And conversation takes longer than confession and absolution.

 

[OraLabora]

I simply found the local cathedral (huge place, regular confessions, and far enough away that I didn’t have to worry about personally knowing or running into any of the priests),

I use St. Joseph’s Oratory in Montreal for similar reasons. They also always have a priest on duty for counselling. He can also hear a long confession if need be.

 

[CTBcin]

Interesting discussion.

When I first became Catholic, I always confessed behind the screen, partly for tradition’s sake and partly out of shame of my sins.

Now, it is about 50%-50% behind the screen and face-to-face. When I schedule a confession with my spiritual director or a priest I know, it is always face-to-face. When I’m going with a priest I don’t know, it’s almost always anonymous. When I’m going to my parish’s regularly scheduled confessions, it’s about half and half.

 

[ColorMomma]

Going to another church is totally fine! I purposely go to confession not in my home parish because I am highly involved. I actually confess in about 3 parishes. What’s funny is that when I show up to confession in the neighboring town, I always run into other parishioners of my current parish!

 

[Reuben_J]

Both, for a reason. In my parish/diocese, I know most of the priests/ Bishops, some in a familiar way. I would rather confess face to face, it’s more personal and besides, there is no pretending that I do not know them. I have gotten over being embarrassed about sins, even for embarassing types of sins - you just got to grit your teeth and blurt them out. Thus a better situation for me is just to confess face to face with the confessor.

If I go for Confession in other parishes, which is very rare, probably coming incognito (behind the screen) would be preferable - to make it more business-like, so to speak.

Always find Confession healing and very much depending on it for my spiritual journey.

God bless.

 

[MD1]

I prefer confessing with a grid/screen for privacy. It helps me collect my thoughts without being self-conscious, as strange as that sounds lol.

 

[Hope1960]

In ours, the priest has a light on in his part of the confessional and it’s very dim where I’m kneeling, so I don’t think he can see me.

 

[babochka]

I have not been to confession for over 50 years, when I was made to go as a child. Since retiring from teaching, I have been going to church more, have been participating in bible studies, exploring my faith, and volunteering at church as a Lector. My problem is this- I committed many grave sins both during my troubled teen years and during my first marriage for which I want to confess and ask forgiveness for, but I am ashamed to to this in front of my priest. In fact, there is no way I can do this. Our day of reconciliation is coming up where there will be several priests to hear confessions, I do not know if this is behind a screen or face to face. Also, are we all just sitting around talking to priest during this time or is there some kind of privacy? Should I just call my church and ask? Can I request not to have my priest? I was thinking about going to a different church just for confession. I am really struggling with this.

It sounds like your parish is having a Lenten Penance service. That can actually be a really good time to return to the sacrament. Of course, anytime is a good time to return to confession. They usually bring in several priests from other parishes in order to have all the confessions heard. In my experience, they have had a number of opportunities to go behind a screen and also several areas set up for face-to-face. They will probably have a prayer service and will sometimes lead you through an examination of conscience as a group. Then you will have an opportunity for individual confession with one of the priests, who will be stationed throughout the church. It can be a particularly helpful experience to see all of the other sinners in the same boat and there for the same reason. However you do it, please go! I was away from the sacrament for more than 10 years. The relief I felt after my first confession back was indescribable. It took me another year or so to get into the habit of regular confession and I cannot understate how much I love the sacrament now.

 

[dallas_r]

The Church used to make people confess in front of the whole Church.

“We would like to invite up St.Anthony’s youth group to confess now!”

Masturbation, porn, and lust x99999

Forgot gossip.

 

[babochka]

babochka:

Why do you think this is?

I think it is because face to face more often leads to a conversation rather than a simple confession. And conversation takes longer than confession and absolution.

I don’t know… I’ve only had one confession that devolved into simple conversation and it was behind a screen. It made me quite uncomfortable and I couldn’t figure out how to gracefully exit. The conversation was led by the priest. I learned that he was getting his Master’s degree in my field and all about his studies. All sorts of information about this priest. Then my husband (then-fiance) went in and his took even longer. Also behind a screen, as it was the only option in that church. But I don’t see this as a common problem and if you don’t go face-to-face yourself, I’m not sure how you would know. I tend to seek out confessors who spend a few minutes giving good spiritual advice, but I don’t think that is what you mean by conversation. I don’t think that brief spiritual direction is out of place in any confession.

I know a priest who will give you a 60-second special if that’s what you’re seeking. He asks, “Is that all?” if I pause for a breath. I feel rushed. In and out and he’s half-deaf, so he probably doesn’t even really hear you. His line moves along at a good clip. But those aren’t the kind of confessors that I seek out, whether behind the screen or in person.

 

[melvfe]

I prefer face-to-face.
This is because I have a hearing impairment so I need to lip-read.
However, I can get nervous when I confess sometimes, which leads me to forgetting certain sins, so I am beginning to write my sins down on a piece of paper and read my sins aloud to the priest if I have the opportunity to write.

 

[JimG]

I think probably most confessions before afternoon Mass at my parish take about 2 minutes or less. Personally, I’ve never felt rushed. The priest greets me, I say how long since my last confession, and tell my sins. He gives a penance, maybe a few words of advice, gives absolution, asks that I say the act of contrition in the pew along with the penance. Go in peace. He closes the slide. It doesn’t take long but it’s not rushed. It’s confession and absolution.

 

[gabrielcannizzo]

That’s exactly what happened to me a lot of times at the Society of Jesus Church. A priest called Luis Ardiles, who passed away last year used to have long queues of people to confess, even when other priests were offering the sacrament of reconciliation at the time, it must have been because of how fast the confession used to be, also he always told you the same things: “Hi, you can leave your backpack over there. How long has it been since you last came to confession? What do you want to ask Our Lord forgiveness for? [Hears confession] as penance give thanks to Our Lord for all that he’s given you. Here, have a holy card I made for you [gives you a holy card of St. Ignatius or Our Lord Jesus] take as well this schedule of the Spiritual Exercises taught in “Cura Brochero” by Jesuit fathers. See you next time”. As you said, confessions didn’t take long but they weren’t rushed.
I still remember all his words at heart, I miss him, like many of us at the community.

 

[starlady]

I will go either way. I first learned by face to face, just because it was often the only way available at retreats or school penance services. It wasn’t until I went to a Catholic college that I went behind the screen…because that was the often the only option available due to the use of more “traditional” confessionals. It was weird for me to get used to that, but I didn’t really mind it.

Either way, I don’t really have a preference. I often go face to face out of habit, but as long as I can go to confession, I am happy!

 

[Augustinian]

As per canon law, confession in a confessional is the official norm. Confessions in confessionals- or at least behind a screen- is guaranteed, face to face is the optional.

 

[ebozeman]

I originally posted that I was very uncomfortable confessing face to face with my priest because I have not been to confession for over 50 years (as a child) and I do have a lot of sins that I need to confess to and I would be mortified if he knew these things about me. To say this has been weighing heavily on my mind is an understatement. So, after mass I asked my priest about our upcoming Mass of Reconciliation on Wednesday. He explained a little about how it works and that I can confess to someone other than him if I wanted to. So, I will be attending confession this Wednesday night after mass. Wish me luck and I’ll let everyone know how it went.

 

[Edward_H]

The screen is overall better…more sincerity…directness…less excuse making wants to come out.

 

[EnglishTeacher]

I prefer the screen; I have only ever done face to face once, and that in that instance no other option was offered.

I find it easier to be fully honest with the screen, and it just feels more secure. I am rather shy, especially when it comes to confession, and adding in a face-to-face element would make it so much more difficult to say what I need to say. Plus, I just don’t want the priest knowing who I am or remembering what I confess.

 

[babochka]

The screen is overall better…more sincerity…directness…less excuse making wants to come out.

Wow. It only took Western Christians 15 and a half centuries to figure this out. Please pray for us poor souls in the east who still haven’t figured out how to make direct, sincere, and excuse-free confessions.

Seriously though, I am glad I’m a member of universal Church that has a variety of options, knowing that what works best for one person will not necessarily be best for all.

 

[Edward_H]

Maybe examine on the vice of sarcasm this week, prepping for Saturday. Just a thought.