Sit-stand-kneel and box or chair in room?

[Vic_Taltrees_UK]

Continuing my questions about confession.

When I have examined my conscience and am looking at arranging a time for confession I shall be wondering about some practicalities. Should I sit, stand or kneel, and should it be in a box or with a chair in a room?

I have done all those in the fairly recent past and have no idea whether any of it was any good.

 

[Trident_H]

If there’s a box I like to kneel. It helps me focus. I don’t do the chair in the room bit because I’m not all that social at the best of times. But I mean that’s up to you really. I don’t know. I’ve only recently started to go to confession again so that’s just where I’m at right now.

Peace.

-Trident

 

[Cor_ad_Cor]

I tend to go with my mood and the environment of the space. Sometimes, I want to kneel behind a screen; other times, I’ll feel better about myself if I can face another human being while in such a vulnerable state. Sometimes, the place I’m going dictates the arrangement. If I visit a new chapel or church, I do what it appears they expect people to do, as evidenced by the arrangement of the furnishings or what others in line ahead are doing. If it’s scheduled, I’m fully prepared for face-to-face in the chair, perhaps even in Father’s office, if necessary.

In short, you have to be comfortable to make a good confession and not distracted, but if you don’t know the layout of the place before you get there, you should be ready to adapt.

 

[brad90956]

I like to kneel behind the screen. It’s not that I do not want to look my priest in the face, but I like to kneel and lower my head to be humble. It also helps me to concentrate because I like to close my eyes and imagine that I am kneeling before God as I confess my sins to Him.

 

[coachdennis]

Continuing my questions about confession.

When I have examined my conscience and am looking at arranging a time for confession I shall be wondering about some practicalities. Should I sit, stand or kneel, and should it be in a box or with a chair in a room?

I have done all those in the fairly recent past and** have no idea whether any of it was any good**.

With all due respects, I have no clue what you mean by this statement. Being forgiven of sins is ALWAYS GOOD whether you are in a reconciliation room or in a confessional. That should be your focus.

 

[pianistclare]

Decide if you want to confess face to face or in a traditional confessional.
Once you do that, your options are pretty much decided fro you.
It’s your remorse, contrition, and absolution that are important.
Not whether you are kneeling or sitting.

Perhaps you should meet with a good adult catechist for a refresher course on Catholicism. Or join RCIA for a review.

Peace.

 

[Confiteor_Deo]

It depends on what you want to do.
I would support kneeling since that is a humble posture that is appropriate, in my opinion, for the Sacrament of Penance. You may sit in the chair, if they have one, or stand if you don’t wish to kneel. Whether you wish to confess face-to-face or behind the screen also limits your options since you probably will sit for face-to-face or kneel for the screen since those are the only options they offer in the confessionals I’ve been in. The norm, it seems, is to kneel behind the screen since some confessionals don’t offer the other options.

 

[arkwright]

Sit-stand-kneel and box or chair in room?

They are all acceptable me .

I do them all …not at the same time of course .

 

[babochka]

Continuing my questions about confession.

When I have examined my conscience and am looking at arranging a time for confession I shall be wondering about some practicalities. Should I sit, stand or kneel, and should it be in a box or with a chair in a room?

I have done all those in the fairly recent past and have no idea whether any of it was any good.

You may do whichever of these choices fits the circumstances best and makes you comfortable. Different parishes have different situations set up. Some might have a confessional. Some might have a reconciliation room. Some might offer sitting or kneeling as an option, others might just have a kneeler, but no chair. (I’ve personally never seen standing in the Latin Rite.) None of these is a better option than the others, but it is important to respect the local culture in this regard.

I’m a Byzantine Catholic, and we don’t have “behind-the-screen” confessions. I am used to, and most comfortable with, confession standing or sitting, facing an icon of Christ. I wouldn’t go to an FSSP parish and expect to be able to go to confession in the same way. I would expect, under ordinary circumstances, kneeling and behind a screen, in a “traditional” confessional. I wouldn’t prefer it, but I would accept it as the way it ought to be for that particular confession.

Having the personality that I have, though, I am uncomfortable in new circumstances. Since I’m not used to it, if I go to a Latin Rite parish, I go through a few scenarios in my mind, “acting out” where I will sit/stand/kneel, what I will say and how I will say it,
practice the “script”, since it is different than what I’m used to. It helps with anxiety.

I could be reading you wrong, but it seems like you are also dealing with anxiety. If this is the case, be prepared and do not let your anxiety, or anything else, rob you of your opportunity for absolution and the peace of soul that accompanies it. Get to confession, in spite of your nervousness, anxiety, or fear that you won’t do it just right. The priest will probably guide you if you are in need of guidance, and God will certainly get his part right.