Open Confessions?

[Caesar]

Tonight on the evening news I saw a report on the sex abuse scandal in my Diocese and a workshop the Bishop has set up to deal with the issue. One of the points that came up in the workshop was the possibility of having Open Confessions. The report did not elaborate on what an Open Confession was. Can anyone here tell me?

 

[1ke]

Confession without the use of the confessional.

It would be out in the open, in the chapel or church, but with enough space so that no one could overhear your confession to the priest.

 

[dbacks5439]

I fear that soon confession won’t be individualistic, but community. Like the priest will just say to the congregation, “your sins are forgiven, let’s move on”

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

I fear that soon confession won’t be individualistic, but community. Like the priest will just say to the congregation, “your sins are forgiven, let’s move on”

That is not possible, the Sacraments are always individually celebrated except in very extraordinary circumstances. Why do people and Bishops fear the private Confession. If we would just return to the old Confessional. The priest has no ability to get to the person on the other side of the wall. The problem arises when we moved to Reconciliation rooms and face to face Confessions, which should be prohibited everywhere.

 

[JimG]

I am guessing that “open confessions” means having confessions in the body of the church in plain view rather than in confessionals or in reconciliation rooms.

Our parish already does that when the confessionals are in use and another priest wants to hear confessions. While it is “open” in the sense that the priest may be sitting at the altar rail (yes, we have an altar rail), no one can overhear, and it is anonymous for the priest since he is turned away from the penitent.

The use of standard confessionals is certainly not problematic if this is a reaction to sex abuse scandals. In a standard confessional the priest and penitent are essentially in separate rooms: nothing untoward can happen.

 

[Caesar]

Confession without the use of the confessional.

It would be out in the open, in the chapel or church, but with enough space so that no one could overhear your confession to the priest.

Hmm, I really dont think I would like that.

Confession should be in the confessional, kneeling behind the screen. I dont think I would feel very comfortable confessing my sins out in the open.

 

[paramedicgirl]

Hmm, I really dont think I would like that.

Confession should be in the confessional, kneeling behind the screen. I dont think I would feel very comfortable confessing my sins out in the open.

Not me either.
These innovations have to stop somewhere.

 

[Unfinished]

That is not possible, the Sacraments are always individually celebrated except in very extraordinary circumstances. Why do people and Bishops fear the private Confession. If** we would just return to the old Confessional.** The priest has no ability to get to the person on the other side of the wall. The problem arises when we moved to Reconciliation rooms and face to face Confessions, which should be prohibited everywhere.

What a novel idea. It’s a shame it went away in the first place. I always use the screen anyway.

I went in one once that was the size of my bedroom. I wonder, what is the point of that? It had two huge lazy-boy type chairs and a dinky little kneeler with wooden blinds used as a screen.

 

[dbacks5439]

Why should any of us be embarrassed in confessing our sins. Perhaps this is Satan’s doing. Making us feel bad and therefore discourages us from going at all. Who cares if the person faces the priest or not, or whether we should kneel or not. As long as the sins are being confessed and we are receiving absolution, I don’t see the problem.

 

[JimG]

Hmm, I really dont think I would like that.

Confession should be in the confessional, kneeling behind the screen. I dont think I would feel very comfortable confessing my sins out in the open.

Have you never attended a penance service with six or seven extra priests present? In those cases, most of them are stationed in plain view, outside of the confessionals.

 

[Jeanette_L]

Why should any of us be embarrassed in confessing our sins. Perhaps this is Satan’s doing. Making us feel bad and therefore discourages us from going at all. Who cares if the person faces the priest or not, or whether we should kneel or not. As long as the sins are being confessed and we are receiving absolution, I don’t see the problem.

I have to agree with you on this. I am new to the Catholic Church, but I have always chosen the face to face confession. It’s not the priest that I am ultimately confessing to, in reality it is Christ, and I certainly can’t hide from Him, what difference should it make to me what the priest thinks of me if it’s Christ’s forgiveness I am seeking? I haven’t done the priest wrong, I have wronged Christ, my humility is before Him.

 

[WILKM]

I must admit that I used to have a terrible problem with going to Confession. It was worse than going to the dentist. Over the last few years, it’s definitely a lot better. I find that the more often I go, the better it is whereas if I leave it too long, then I get all edgy. I could kick myself afterwards!

I’ve come across many people who say, “I don’t need the Church or the priest, I can go directly to God. And he can come directly to me”.

But then they often wonder, “Did God hear me? Or was I talking to myself? Did he forgive me? Or am I just imagining his forgiveness?”

That is what is so wonderful about the Catholic Church, there’s no need to wonder like that. When I hear the priest saying “I absolve you from all your sins”, I know, in faith, that my sins are forgiven as I know that Jesus is acting through the priest.

Thank you Jesus, for the sacraments.

 

[OutinChgoburbs]

Don’t the Eastern Rites celebrate confession out in the open, next to a particular icon?

I don’t think the confessional or reconciliation room is the place where these very, very few priests are choosing to sin. More often, it seems to follow a pattern of gaining trust, then abusing authority. I’d worry instead about the rare priest who takes children to places unchaperoned, such as theme parks with a lot of motels nearby; or even the movies on a 1:1 basis. I wouldn’t worry about the reconciliation room.

But if I had a choice- I’d say quit using the confessionals as storage closets, change the little light bulbs under the red and green covers (the ones that let people know the priest is in, and that the confessional is in use), and use them for people.

 

[1ke]

Hmm, I really dont think I would like that.

Confession should be in the confessional, kneeling behind the screen. I dont think I would feel very comfortable confessing my sins out in the open.

Well then, be glad you did not live in the time of the early church when confession was completely public-- in front of the entire congregation-- and you wore sack cloth and ashes afterwards.

Honestly, there is no one “right” way receive Reconciliation. It has changed enormously in form through the centuries. The confessional is but one way to receive the Sacrament. So, I disagree that “confession should be in a confessional, kneeling behind a screen”. That is one way to receive Reconciliation.

Face to face is not an “innovation”, it is one of the ways that confession has always been available.

Even in an open environment, you do not have to go face-to-face, as the priest is usually sitting in a chair facing away from the penitent unless the penitent chooses to go face-to-face.

 

[TOP]

I get better spiritual advice in face to face confessions, but behind the screen I feel the presence of Christ more. Tim

 

[AELondon]

The real shame isn’t whether we do our confession face-to-face, in a confessional, in the open, behind a screen, etc… but rather, the shame is that there are scores of Catholics, probably a majority, who don’t understand the importance and necessity of this sacrament.

I know I’m preaching to the choir, but it amazes me how short the confession line is compared to the communion line. I know dozens of “Catholics” who haven’t been to confession in years - probably decades.

God bless all of you who go to confession regularly, regardless of whether you are sitting on a sofa across from the priest, in a confessional, or out in the open. And let’s pray for our brethren who think that just going to Mass is sufficient, or that going to a community penance service is good enough.

 

[Cristiano]

Why should any of us be embarrassed in confessing our sins. Perhaps this is Satan’s doing. Making us feel bad and therefore discourages us from going at all. Who cares if the person faces the priest or not, or whether we should kneel or not. As long as the sins are being confessed and we are receiving absolution, I don’t see the problem.

Well I am really embarrassed in confessing my sins. I am embarrassed because I did wrong out of my choice. I would feel more comfortable behind a screen, but I prefer the face to face confession because it is harder on me. It is my way to really acknowledge my sorrow for my actions. A few weeks ago I had a non scheduled confession after the daily Mass, I would not wait until the weekend. The priest asked me to move to the side of the chapel (he did not have the confessional key with him) and I listened to my confession. It was hard, people were around and the understood what was going on. However, I am glad that I did it and did not wait for the Saturday confession.

 

[Cristiano]

Well then, be glad you did not live in the time of the early church when confession was completely public-- in front of the entire congregation-- and you wore sack cloth and ashes afterwards.

About 25 years ago in Italy, a group of friends of mine would submit themselves to duty of public confession. I do not remember which lay order they belonged to, but it always freaked me out. That is some thing I could not do, unless it truly were the only form of confession available.

 

[Unfinished]

Well I am really embarrassed in confessing my sins.

Heh. I know that feeling.

But imagine confessing to the same priest, your spiritual director, all the time. And you know this man personally, you go on retreats, have dinner, and talk all the time.

Then when you fub up, you have to confess it to him. It’s almost like going to tell your real mom or dad that you did something dirty or something. (Even if it wasn’t dirty, you know what I mean)

That’s why I am always thankful for the screen. (When my spiritual director is not around to hear my confession )

 

[Cristiano]

Heh. I know that feeling.

But imagine confessing to the same priest, your spiritual director, all the time. And you know this man personally, you go on retreats, have dinner, and talk all the time.

Then when you fub up, you have to confess it to him. It’s almost like going to tell your real mom or dad that you did something dirty or something. (Even if it wasn’t dirty, you know what I mean)

That’s why I am always thankful for the screen. (When my spiritual director is not around to hear my confession )

Well that is close my situation, and that is why I am embarrassed when I go. In this situation you know that you cannot rationalize/justify your sins because the priest knows you well.