Privacy of a Child's Confession

[Beachcomber]

This looks like an over reaction to the abuse scandals and it is certainly not going to encourage any love of the sacraments with the children.

The “old-fashioned” confessional booths would solve a lot of the concerns, and as previous posters have pointed out, they aren’t around much any more.

Kids need privacy, just like anyone else. I, too, used to go to confession on Saturday evenings when I was a kid and the privacy of the confessional was something I cherished. The thought of having to be seen by all and sundry, makes me shudder.

 

[Teelynn]

What? ??? What in the WORLD are they thinking?

I agree that this I am sure is in response and as a safety net for the sex abuse scaldal. However, there are many things that they could do that would still work and at the same time, still guard the child’s privacy.

Sometimes a petition to the bishop with many signatures does at least get his attention that this is something parents and people in general find unsatisfactory and detrimental to the sacrament. He in turn would go to the Cardinal. We have done this at several parishes in my diocese and it has worked to some degree. It is alot of work to orchestrate this but in the end it might help a great deal.

 

[whatevergirl]

I have a related question…isn’t a child only required to go, once he/she is confirmed? Once she hits a certain age? I don’t think that a 7 yr old should be cuplable for mortal sins…for example.

 

[MatthewWindsor]

I have a related question…isn’t a child only required to go, once he/she is confirmed? Once she hits a certain age? I don’t think that a 7 yr old should be cuplable for mortal sins…for example.

They go to Confession 4 months before First Holy Communion in my Diocese.

 

[Genesis315]

I have a related question…isn’t a child only required to go, once he/she is confirmed? Once she hits a certain age? I don’t think that a 7 yr old should be cuplable for mortal sins…for example.

No, they must go before receiving First Communion. Once a child has reached the age of reason, then they are capable of sinning (even if they are not mortal, they still should confess venial sins.)

 

[scylla]

This is what happens when you replace common sense with pride. These people don’t want to have the “old style” confessionals as then that would be moving backwards.
So they have to invent new ways which is pure stupidity.

How many kids want to publically confess in a clear glass confessional?

This reminds me of the public one way glass toilet, except it would be confession and with two way glass.
msnbc.msn.com/id/4326340

What is wrong with the old style confessional being used for small children, doesn’t that solve the perceived problem?

In Christ
Scylla

Of course the woman priest crowd love this sort of thing as they seek every way to destroy the priesthood, trust in men and respect.

 

[whatevergirl]

No, they must go before receiving First Communion. Once a child has reached the age of reason, then they are capable of sinning (even if they are not mortal, they still should confess venial sins.)

That’s right…my kids did this. How quickly I forget.

 

[dylanschrader]

I have a related question…isn’t a child only required to go, once he/she is confirmed? Once she hits a certain age? I don’t think that a 7 yr old should be cuplable for mortal sins…for example.

Canon Law says this about the obligation to go to confession:

Can. 989 After having reached the age of discretion, each member of the faithful is obliged to confess faithfully his or her grave sins at least once a year.

Also, children must go to confession before receiving first Communion.

From Redemptionis Sacramentum:

[87.] The First Communion of children must always be preceded by sacramental confession and absolution. Moreover First Communion should always be administered by a Priest and never outside the celebration of Mass. Apart from exceptional cases, it is not particularly appropriate for First Communion to be administered on Holy Thursday of the Lord’s Supper. Another day should be chosen instead, such as a Sunday between the Second and the Sixth Sunday of Easter, or the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ, or the Sundays of Ordinary Time, since Sunday is rightly regarded as the day of the Eucharist. “Children who have not attained the age of reason, or those whom” the Parish Priest “has determined to be insufficiently prepared” should not come forward to receive the Holy Eucharist. Where it happens, however, that a child who is exceptionally mature for his age is judged to be ready for receiving the Sacrament, the child must not be denied First Communion provided he has received sufficient instruction.

From The Code of Canon Law:

Can. 914 It is primarily the duty of parents and those who take the place of parents, as well as the duty of pastors, to take care that children who have reached the use of reason are prepared properly and, after they have made sacramental confession, are refreshed with this divine food as soon as possible. It is for the pastor to exercise vigilance so that children who have not attained the use of reason or whom he judges are not sufficiently disposed do not approach holy communion.

 

[Melissa]

We have the traditional confessionals in my parish–and I think any rule ought to allow for the traditional confessional to be built.

Although my ‘parish away from home’ (that is, the one I always visit when I visit my parents several states away from home) has something that works pretty well. They have what appears to be three rooms–like the traditional confessional, except the center one is marked as belonging to the priest, and the door to one side is ‘behind the screen’ and the door on the opposite side is ‘face to face’ … but even face-to-face is separated by a wall with a window, with the ‘penitent’s room’ slightly larger than the area of a traditional confessional. There’s frosted glass from three feet above the floor up to the ceiling (you can see someone’s in there, but that’s about all you can discern).

Clear glass on the other hand … how would you prevent lip-readers from ‘eavesdropping’ on the confession? Everywhere I’ve been (my home parish and ‘parish away from home’), there’s been clear indicators for ‘come no closer’ to keep people from being so close as to overhear what’s being said. But I don’t know that would be adequate … and I think that’s a significant concern.

 

[puzzleannie]

first I would note that a return to the old style confessionals that were common in American churches in my childhood would remove the problem entirely, kneelers on either side, penitent separated from the priest by a screen which is part of a wall, so there is no way for any contact. No coincidence that the abuse stepped up with the innovation of “confessional rooms”. Personally if I were a priest, for my own self-protection I would not have such “rooms” in my church. It would be in the open, as in European churches or Mexican churches where there are “niches” in various corners, where both priest and penitent are in full view but they are far enough away from others to insure privacy of speech. Or else it would be back to the old style “box”.

 

[Brendan]

I say, scrap all the goofy guidelines, and restore the old confessionals. Wouldn’t that solve the problem? —KCT

I agree 100%

Place them in two seperate rooms with a screen in between.

 

[Andreas_Hofer]

I would just point out that, even though most of us seem to agree that people should have the option of a full-blown confessional, the bare minimum required is the option to confess behind a screen - that’s not a preference, it’s a canonical right, so no one may be forced to confess otherwise.

Secondly, I highly doubt that canon law permits a diocese to force a penitent to have another person present and capable of hearing his confession (unless, of course, it is a necessary interpreter).

 

[jmcrae]

I agree 100%

Place them in two seperate rooms with a screen in between.

I agree completely. I wrote to the Diocese communications office and told them so. The person who responded to me agreed that that would seem to make the most sense.

I hope they go with that idea - but they won’t if none of the people who respond to the survey suggests it.

 

[Teelynn]

I have a related question…isn’t a child only required to go, once he/she is confirmed? Once she hits a certain age? I don’t think that a 7 yr old should be cuplable for mortal sins…for example.

They did in my diocese do it this way for a while as that was what they did w/ my daughter , but now I understand that it has gone back to the traditional way of confession first, then communion, then confirmation. (not to get off subject)

I have seen it done in certain parishes where it is semi face to face. (in other words it is on a side altar for everyone to see but
there is a large screen between the priest and penitent with a kneeler there. Penitents waiting, wait in the pews of the church that are far enough away for privacy, but you can still see everything. What is wrong with an adult walking a little one up there and then leaving to sit and wait in the first pew so that there is no way they can hear anything but they can see them from where they are? Maybe that’s not the ideal situation but at least, (and maybe I am misunderstanding this new concept, please, pray God that I am) but it seems this would do the trick. The more I think about this the more I come to the conclusion that they really do not want an adult to stay with the child while they confess. That I am misreading something here. Somebody tell me that I am.

 

[jmcrae]

I have seen it done in certain parishes where it is semi face to face. (in other words it is on a side altar for everyone to see but
there is a large screen between the priest and penitent with a kneeler there. Penitents waiting, wait in the pews of the church that are far enough away for privacy, but you can still see everything. What is wrong with an adult walking a little one up there and then leaving to sit and wait in the first pew so that there is no way they can hear anything but they can see them from where they are? Maybe that’s not the ideal situation but at least, (and maybe I am misunderstanding this new concept, please, pray God that I am) but it seems this would do the trick. The more I think about this the more I come to the conclusion that they really do not want an adult to stay with the child while they confess. That I am misreading something here. Somebody tell me that I am.

What about a child who is old enough to go alone, and really doesn’t want Mom or Dad to know that he had to go to Confession, because they would immediately suspect the contents of his Confession? What about that child’s privacy?

I still think “the box” is the best way to go.

 

[Teelynn]

Yep, so do I. However, if we are going on the assumption (maybe I should hesitate to “assume” anything) that this might be an overly ambitious fix for no child being left completely alone with a priest, (sex scandal) then the powers that be are definitely going to institute ways in which to cover themselves…especially in the confessional. Guess I am trying to find a compromise to this proposal that would (1) protect the priest from false accusations and (2) keep the sacrament intact for the child at the same time. I cannot see any other reason logically, for this proposed change. It’s pretty much a given that each diocese is putting into play an “insurance” plan. (at the moment, for instance, ours is doing a background check on ALL volunteers and staff for past sexual child abuse or misconduct…no one is exempt) It is an extremely ugly situation and we are seeing some of the repercussions now.

oops! I was responding to jmcrae in regard to “the box” being the best way to go. (didn’t wrap it)

 

[Andreas_Hofer]

I just thought of another canonical tidbit that might influence my judgment on open-air screens for confession (as in, priest can’t see penitent but others in the building/area can). The seal of confession prevents a priest from even revealing that someone has confessed to him - he can’t tell me whether or not my 8 year old came to him for confession on Saturday. A penitent can, of course, choose to reveal to others this information, and even what he confessed, but that is up to the penitent. Making all children confess where they might be seen in the act by anyone else in the church, though, seems to force them to divulge protected information much more easily than would otherwise be the case (of course someone might be seen in line or going in and out of the confessional, but this seems at least a little less noticeable than confessing in a place chosen for its visibility or being forced to tell your parents by sheer dint of needing them present for confession).

 

[MariaG]

Secondly, I highly doubt that canon law permits a diocese to force a penitent to have another person present and capable of hearing his confession (unless, of course, it is a necessary interpreter).

Our old priest did not understand spanish. Yet he could hear confessions from those who spoke only spanish. He said the only bad thing was he could not give advice on how to avoid future sins. But he said one could tell if someone is truly sorry for their sins even if they are speaking a different language.

And the only spanish he said he knew was “Uno Rosario”, which was his standard penance since he could never seem to remember anything else. He always felt a little bad about that, since for most people, he only gave a couple of our fathers and a couple Hail Marys for penance.

 

[valient_Lucy]

Why? So we can have TWO people potentially molest the child? Or is it because only priests do it, and if the other witness was a layperson, the child would be absolutely safe. (note: these are sarcastic, annoyed statements. I just can’t an appropriate animation to go with it)

As both a priest and layperson I’d be furious with this.

Yeah. You’re right. Now two people can molest the child.

If people in the parish are worried about the possibility of abuse, the solution is to use a screened confessional, not face to face, and to have an adult stand outside the confessional near the line of penitents. The priest can’t touch a person through the screen. It’s not rocket science people.

 

[valient_Lucy]

Our old priest did not understand spanish. Yet he could hear confessions from those who spoke only spanish. He said the only bad thing was he could not give advice on how to avoid future sins. But he said one could tell if someone is truly sorry for their sins even if they are speaking a different language.

And the only spanish he said he knew was “Uno Rosario”, which was his standard penance since he could never seem to remember anything else. He always felt a little bad about that, since for most people, he only gave a couple of our fathers and a couple Hail Marys for penance.

Yeah, that’s the great thing about the Rosary. Even in Korean, they say, Rosario. So I know what I am getting for penance.