Is there any benefit in using confessionals or reconciliation rooms?

[AdamP88]

Here is what Canon Law has to say on the subject:

Notice it says a “just” cause, which is much easier to justify than a “grave” cause.

On the other hand, it does appear to favor use of some kind of fixed location within the church or oratory and it does specify a grate should be available.

In addition to this, part of the rationale of the confessional is that the person will have the option of either a face-to-face (if the grate can be opened) and an anonymous confession.

The other benefit of the confessional is that it makes allegations of impropriety against the priest unlikely.

I prefer the confessional. It seems more fitting to the sacrament. Though I do have face-to face sometimes, but only with my SD.

 

[Reuben_J]

Our priests hold regular confessions only once a week and emcourage appintments or just simply asking them whenever they are available, which means the confesdions usually take place in his office or wherever he is at the moment. I am very happy with that arrangement, because I prefer face to face and have no problem kneeling on the floor. After reading some of the previous threads on confesdionals/reconciliation rooms, I wonder if I am missing something and if it is OK to never use one. So, my question is: if I like to be face to face and do not need a kneeler to kneel, are there any benefits to using confessionals, or are they basically just for people who require anonimity and/or kneelers?

Remembering that the main requirement is to confess our sins to a priest, it really does not matter where that may be. Confessionals actually came much later, perhaps for logistic purposes. And then the matter of privacy and conduciveness. And maybe ambiance.

Because of the above considerations, in the modern churches, confessionals have become very useful. I like your priest though, who has made himself available anytime for confessions.

 

[FrancescaMaria]

Thank you everyone. To be honest, I actually prefer to be almost anywhere else outside of the confessional (reconciliation room), because it is very small and if I kneel facing the priest, I usually find myself uncomfortably close to him. I much prefer being in his office or the sacristy or any bigger room, so that I can kneel in front of him and still maintain an appropriate distance. I was just wondering, if it was OK for me to never (or at least as little as possible) use the confessional, if I don’t really see any benefit in using it (in my case). Thank you everyone, who addressed this issue for me.

 

[ccmcmg]

Thank you everyone. To be honest, I actually prefer to be almost anywhere else outside of the confessional (reconciliation room), because it is very small and if I kneel facing the priest, I usually find myself uncomfortably close to him. I much prefer being in his office or the sacristy or any bigger room, so that I can kneel in front of him and still maintain an appropriate distance. I was just wondering, if it was OK for me to never (or at least as little as possible) use the confessional, if I don’t really see any benefit in using it (in my case). Thank you everyone, who addressed this issue for me.

I’ve never knelt when confessing face to face. We have chairs. I kneel behind the screen, but some are so uncomfortable on my knees at one parish (with no face to face option) I might consider standing next time, which I don’t prefer at all.

I prefer face to face, even though it’s sometimes very hard…which is fine too. I can honestly say that I’ve avoided some sins because I dreaded the thought of confessing it to my regular confessor at my next appointment, which reminds me of how hard it would be to face God personally with that sin.

 

[truetofaith]

I’ve never knelt when confessing face to face. We have chairs. I kneel behind the screen, but some are so uncomfortable on my knees at one parish (with no face to face option) I might consider standing next time, which I don’t prefer at all.

I prefer face to face, even though it’s sometimes very hard…which is fine too. I can honestly say that I’ve avoided some sins because I dreaded the thought of confessing it to my regular confessor at my next appointment, which reminds me of how hard it would be to face God personally with that sin.

You’ve avoided Committing some sins or Confessing the sins???

It you didn’t confess them, you committed a sacrilege…so it would make sense to go to another parish & definitely not go face to face.

 

[PelagiathePenit]

we are a dual natured creature…both a physical side to us and a spiritual side. Physical things like icons, rosaries, crucifixes, kneelers, bells, candles…the motions we use at Mass…all these things help to appeal to our physical nature to help us spiritually connect to the spiritual/unseeable.

So, do you need a confessional ? no. For centuries they didn’t exist. there was a time where you confessed in front of the entire congregation!

Which ever you think will assist u in touching the divine more and which will assist you spiritually …that’s the one you should use more often.

I often go to confession at this one parish that has a beautiful confession. to my right is a huge picture of the prodigal son, right in front of me is a beautiful crucifix I kneel in front of along with a gate that looks like prison bars between me and the priest… the bars give me a sense of where I am in my sin when I come to confession. I love using that confessional personally.

Yet sometimes going face to face with the priest and looking him in the eye is more humiliating and I feel I sometimes get more from it. I also like going face to face because I show Jesus how much I’m willing to change by choosing to be uncomfortable

The prison bars comment was a little hilarious

 

[Dmitri77]

I prefer face to face, even though it’s sometimes very hard…which is fine too. I can honestly say that I’ve avoided some sins because I dreaded the thought of confessing it to my regular confessor at my next appointment, which reminds me of how hard it would be to face God personally with that sin.

Same here.

 

[adamhovey1988]

Because of time constraints, I mainly go to a confessional, but my PREFERRED method is face-to-face.

 

[ccmcmg]

Originally Posted by ccmcmg View Post
I’ve never knelt when confessing face to face. We have chairs. I kneel behind the screen, but some are so uncomfortable on my knees at one parish (with no face to face option) I might consider standing next time, which I don’t prefer at all.

As I said, it has helped avoiding the SIN. Please don’t tell me I committed a sacrilege; I did no such thing. I never said I didn’t confess any sins. I thought that was clear.

 

[babochka]

I prefer face to face, even though it’s sometimes very hard…which is fine too.** I can honestly say that I’ve avoided some sins because I dreaded the thought of confessing it to my regular confessor **at my next appointment, which reminds me of how hard it would be to face God personally with that sin.

I’ve also had that experience. Face-to-face is part of it, but a bigger part is having a regular confessor.

 

[truetofaith]

As I said, it has helped avoiding the SIN. Please don’t tell me I committed a sacrilege; I did no such thing. I never said I didn’t confess any sins. I thought that was clear.

Sorry, I misunderstood you…now you made it perfectly clear.