Have you confessed face-to-face?

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I always confess face to face. I feel that the “face to face thing” is a way to show that I want to take responsibility for my sins. I don’t like it , of course, but who said it should be comfortable to admit wrongs. :crying:

The face to face thing gives the priest the opportunity to know me better and to to give me good advice adapted to me and my situation in life.

Confession is to be reunited with God after sinning.

"In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places … " (Jn14:2) ❤️

I always feel free and happy afterwords!
:dancing: :love: :dancing:
 
I went into my first confession with the near certainty that if I died that day, I would go straight to hell. That’s pain! Carrying all that garbage around is pain!

Telling the priest was like a p(name removed by moderator)rick, compared to the spiritual equivalent of sucking chest wounds and broken bones that I’ve suffered for so long.

What a blessing to speak to one of Christ’s ordained representatives and have him act in my behalf. It’s so much more than I deserve!

God is so good!

Elizabeth
 
I go face to face. We have 3 priests at all times. The only time I have gone anonymously is with our Monsignor and that is because when I went in the door was closed. Which made me think that he does not do face to face maybe?

THen a friend of mine(old timer) told me that we are suppose to ask if it is ok with the priest first anyway, even if the door is open. So now I ask. I didnt know that they can refuse face to face and I dont know why they woould.
 
In the Eastern Church, confession is done in front of the icon of Christ at the iconostasis. The priest stands next to the penitent or behind the penitent and the penitent look directly at the face of Christ while confessing. For absolution, the penitent bows down and the priest places his stole over the penitent, saying the prayer of absolution. This is my preferred way of doing it. But when going to a Roman rite Church, I’ve done it both anonymously and face to face and it doesn’t make too much difference to me. The point is to make a good confession and hear the words of absolution.
 
I just find it easier and prefer to talk to a person that I can see. There’s more to communciation than just the verbal part.

I also prefer talking to someone in person, rather than talking to someone on the phone. And it drives me crazy when my husband or kids try to talk to me from another room.

Just me.
 
I always confess face to face. I feel it makes me more accountable.
 
until my current parish, I have not had the option of a traditional confessional with screen in most churches for 30 years. In most churches either they have gone to a room with windows, due to exagerrated fears of abuse, communal confessions with a priest and an extra chair in the 4 corners of the Church, or other arrangments. I most often confess in the context of spiritual direction or at a retreat, when only face to face is possible or offered.
 
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VeronicasJude:
I go face to face. We have 3 priests at all times. The only time I have gone anonymously is with our Monsignor and that is because when I went in the door was closed. Which made me think that he does not do face to face maybe?

THen a friend of mine(old timer) told me that we are suppose to ask if it is ok with the priest first anyway, even if the door is open. So now I ask. I didnt know that they can refuse face to face and I dont know why they woould.
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Either the priest or the penitant can chose to only confess behind a screen. Our priest only does the screen. Latin rite Catholics always have the right to an anonymous confession, they can only chose a face-to-face one if it is offered.

When I see a church that does not have at least the option of confession behind a screen, I take that to be a sign that there is a good chance (though not always the case) that the parish is less than orthodox in other ways too.
 
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kmktexas:
Either the priest or the penitant can chose to only confess behind a screen. Our priest only does the screen. Latin rite Catholics always have the right to an anonymous confession, they can only chose a face-to-face one if it is offered.

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yeah, it would be nice to have the option which is supposed to be guaranteed in canon law, but in 30 years I have rarely been in a parish that offered the choice. In the 4 midwestern dioceses I have belonged to, many churches eliminated the “reconciliation room” of the 70s due to concerns about abuse in the confessional. Apparently their logic never followed to the point of recalling that in the old fashioned 3-box confessional, physical contact would be impossible, they went to glass enclosed rooms, turning the sacristy or brides room into a makeshift confessional. In some modern churches they have build 2-3 glass windowed cubicles for confessionals. I absolutely HATE confessing in a situation where others can watch me, but quite often it is simply the only choice. In fact, travelling in Mexico, most mission sites there is no confessional of any kind (or pews for that matter), so public confession, and kneeling in the dirt for confession, adoration, and Mass, is the practice.
 
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Patchunky:
When the priest gives absolution, he places his stole over the head of the person and places his hands on top of the stole and gives the absolution.
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So THAT’S where it comes from!

Our soon to be deployed priest would drape the end of his stole over my shoulder when giving absolution (or when giving a blessing). I had never heard of this, but it felt very nice.

Our priest has some things he does which are from the Eastern Rite, so I might have guessed. I never thought to ask him.

Thank you!
 
I never have, and hopefully will never have to. It’s hard enough anonymously and I don’t think I could do it face to face. I’ve been lucky though, I have always managed to find a church that offered anonymous confessions, except in Central America and in Mexico. There it generally seems to depend on whether or not you are in a larger town or a mission style outpost area…
 
I always go face to face. I feel like I am more accountable for my sins by having to look into the eyes of your confessor. In addition it makes for a more intimate and open session. I may be initially uncomfortable -who isn’t? but then I am grateful for the kindness and sense of comfort when directly in front of the priest. A smile can go a long way in helping us feel able to fully confess all and fully accept absolution.
 
I have to usually twice a year…
My school holds all School Confession… So we get maybe 15 Priests to come to our School and they hear our Confessions…
That idea is great and all… But they have it in our Gym… You sit on the bleachers and wait for a Priest to be free…
They have it set either face to face or you sit behind the Priest… Now… If you can Confession looking at most of the School and not the Priest… Then bleh :eek:
 
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kmktexas:
When I see a church that does not have at least the option of confession behind a screen, I take that to be a sign that there is a good chance (though not always the case) that the parish is less than orthodox in other ways too.
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Well, we have both, happily, at our parish, but only one priest! There are three booths, and a combo situation that allows the penitent to close the door, kneel down behind the screen, and go no further; or go all the way into the room and have a seat opposite the priest. The priest can’t see if one kneels because there’s a sort of vertical partition. It’s really very clever, and a good use of space.

And St. Peter’s in the Loop has both: confessionals in the church proper, reconciliation rooms on the mezzanine.

By the way, none of these are enclosed in glass. 😃
 
A bit of explanation here. I am planning to make my First Holy Communion this coming Sunday, so I haven’t been to Confession yet.

However, I must say that I prefer the “behind-the-screen” method. I think that it makes the whole thing more reverent. At Confession, the Priest is not your “buddy”, he is there to absolve you from your sins! So I plan to use the screen.

That said, of course I believe that face-to-face Confession are valid. I just prefer using the screen.
 
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GoLatin:
A bit of explanation here. I am planning to make my First Holy Communion this coming Sunday, so I haven’t been to Confession yet.

However, I must say that I prefer the “behind-the-screen” method. I think that it makes the whole thing more reverent. At Confession, the Priest is not your “buddy”, he is there to absolve you from your sins! So I plan to use the screen.

That said, of course I believe that face-to-face Confession are valid. I just prefer using the screen.
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It’s OK. My husband, an old cradle Catholic, ALWAYS uses the screen/ booth/ privacy. He is so fussy, he wants to use a “real” confessional and goes downtown to St. Peter’s. He won’t go to a penance service because there’s all these priests out on folding chairs and everybody can SEE even if the chair is facing the other way (He has a point). Isn’t it nice that there’s a choice?👍

I never feel my confessor is a “buddy”. I know that’s a misconception people might make about face-to-face. I feel it’s more a familial role as well as judgement role, and above all else, he acts in persona christi. At that time, I can see that he takes very seriously his role of father, and he is a very good father in the confessional.

And blessings and congratulations on your First Communion. :blessyou:
 
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