Use of the Confessional Screen

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I prefer the screen, too, even when I know perfectly well that Father recognizes my voice and we both know he does. There is much to be said for the symbolism of posture during the Sacrament. I have gone to Confession face to face only a few times. Once when I was visiting my mother in another state. I thought I would try it. The church had a Reconciliation Room rather than a Confessional. It was OK and the priest was very nice, but…just not the same. As for the priest forgetting our sins. I truly believe they do; otherwise they would be so burdened. I have heard that priests pray a “forgetting prayer” or some such thing to help them. And I say “God bless them for carrying out this duty with love!”:angel1:
 
I heard from a Priest that he only uses the screen, because he wants to kneel during his confessions. In those instances where he has gone face to face, he still kneels during his confession, but it’s a little more awkward. He feels very strongly about that for himself, but he allows face-to-face, so he doesn’t make it incumbent on everyone else.

I have always gone face to face. For me, it felt like going behind the screen wasn’t properly confronting my pride. Going face to face was more humbling to me, which I thought was a good thing.
 
It’s stupid not to use a screen. It is easier for the priest not to be scandalized if he doesn’t know whose sins he is forgiving. Also, it is ridiculous NOT to kneel while having your sins absolved. I just cannot imagine something like that…

Gaude Maria Virgo, cunctas heresis sola intermisti,

Matthew
 
I use the confessional screen. I don’t know the actual numbers, but I know there are enough people who use the screen, especially in churches where they only offer the screen. Most people prefer to remain completely annonymous. If you see the priest, you remain less annonymous.

Also, many priests also let you do it without a screen, but look down to the floor instead.
 
I use the confessional screen . . . I know my priest knows who I am but that’s not what I’m there for; I’m there to confess my sins to God and His priest as His representative. Staying behind the screen allows me to be more honest and less concerned about appearances, to concentrate on the Sacrament of Reconciliation and the grace that is imparted to me there. It’s far more personal to me when I have that sense of privacy . . . it reminds me more of the secret prayer Jesus spoke of in Matthew 6.6.
 
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EENS:
It’s stupid not to use a screen. It is easier for the priest not to be scandalized if he doesn’t know whose sins he is forgiving.
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You think the priest doesn’t recognise who is confessing :rolleyes:
Oh, and thankyou for calling the Orthodox church stupid 😦 . We have never used screens.

John.
 
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EENS:
It’s stupid not to use a screen. It is easier for the priest not to be scandalized if he doesn’t know whose sins he is forgiving. Also, it is ridiculous NOT to kneel while having your sins absolved. I just cannot imagine something like that…

Gaude Maria Virgo, cunctas heresis sola intermisti,

Matthew
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Someone needs to attend a “debate management” class.
 
For myself, I prefer to use the traditional confessional with screen. I have on several other occasions used face to face either at the Rectory with an appointment or Reconcillation Room at one of the many parishes I have lived at.

More importantly, I think, is the lack of scheduled times for Confession. Once a week a half-hour before the Saturday Evening Vigil Mass is not enough, nor convenient enough. Outside of prior to Christmas and Easter, most parishes do not schedule Confessions at other times or days.

As previously stated, the Eastern Christian tradition for the Sacrament is for face to face, if I recall correctly, in a corner or other slightly secluded area of the church.
 
I sometimes go a bit out of my way to a parish that has many (often 15+) confession times during the week, at all hours so it is convenient for all. It is flexible enough to work well for people at all stages of life (even busy families whose children have them running on Saturday afternoons). The priests normally don’t rush because there are no set ending times; there always seem to be some but not a long line of penitents. This is just a normal parish not a cathedral or monastery, but the pastor seems to care about the sacrament enough to make sure that it is available.

The main confessionals have three doors, one for the priest and two for the penitent to choose from (one marked “face-to-face;” one marked “traditional” screen). Based on the times I’ve been there, the traditional option is as popular as the face-to-face. I’ve done both and find that the screen helps me to focus on my confession, not external things. It’s like entering a cocoon where you’re freed of other distractions. I don’t know if I necessarily care as much about the anonymity as the sense of privacy and being in a special, sacramental place in which to do the confession. I’ve heard that the face-to-face method tends to encourage people to turn it into more of a casual conversation or counseling.
 
**Most of the parishes in our area offer confession a half hour before the Saturday evening Mass. One offeres it on Monday evening…I would like to have it before Mass on Sundays…Very convenient, and people would use it, I know. **

I do believe the inconvenient and short times are partly responsible for the lack of participants in the Sacrament of Penance. It does give the impression that the sacrament is not really all that important.
**Many do come to the Easter and Christmas celebrations of the Sacrament, so I do think there are those who are still interested, and who see the worth of availing themselves of the opprotunity to go to confession. **
**I believe that if parishes would put a real emphasis on this sacrament people would respond favorably…Many just don’t think the Church cares anymore whether they go or not. **
 
I have only used the screen once. I much prefer face-to-face. Since I try to always go to the same priest, my confessions also tend to be sessions for spiritual direction. Besides, with my accent, the priest would know who I am even behind a screen. I can also tell, be the expression on the priest’s face, if my accent is too thick for him that day, and try to enunciate better. (There are a few priests who speak English in this area, but I prefer more conservative priests, and the English speakers I know tend to be a bit more liberal.

John
 
I have always used the screen, I guess I am just used to it. My
husband and I went to confession at another parish instead
of our own the last time we went. The priest was sitting in
the confession room behind a screen. He was holding a section
of the newspaper in his hands, the crossword puzzle page.
This surprised me and I know that I didn’t make as good of
a confession as I usually would. I am so grateful that the pastor
of our church is wonderful to go to for confession.
 
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EENS:
It’s stupid not to use a screen. It is easier for the priest not to be scandalized if he doesn’t know whose sins he is forgiving. Also, it is ridiculous NOT to kneel while having your sins absolved. I just cannot imagine something like that…
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While I prefer the screen or ‘box’ too since that is how I was raised, I don’t understand why you would make such intolerant claims.
 
When I confess my sins, the priest gives me absolution in persona Christi. I find it easier to keep this fact in focus if I kneel without being able to see the priest. In situations where I’ve made my confession outside a confessional, I still prefer to kneel and keep my eyes downcast.
 
General Reminder:

Let’s please get the discussion back to the topic of the merits and demerits of using a confessional screen. In offering opinions, please be careful to self-edit for tone and content. Thank you.
 
What is the history of screen confessionals? How long (and where) have they been common?

For instance, I found it interesting when visiting San Francisco earlier this year, and touring Mission Dolores, that the confessionals where essentially shallow niches in the wall with cupboard doors closing them. Their sole purpose was for reasons of women’s chastity and modesty, I am told. To hear confessions, the priest would open the doors to right angles with the wall and sit within the niche. Men would confess kneeling face-to-face with the priest, while women would kneel at one side or the other, screened by the door.

(Like many old world confessionals, these offered no visual privacy for the penitents – Next question: When did confessionals (in the US, if not elsewhere) start enclosing the penitent?)
 
tee_eff_em said:
“Those who wish” – Including the priest.

I was recently told – But I do not know the veracity of this “fact” – That the priest has the right to force screened confessions. That is: The penitent has the option of choosing screen or no screen, only if the priest first allows the option of no screen. (The priest cannot force a no-screen confession, if the penitent chooses the screen)

Can anyone verify this?

(BTW: Me? I go both ways, depending on a variety of circumstances)
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I know of a Priest who has done just that. He is very orthodox and conservative. Under our last Bishop, he was moved to different Parishes several times because the parishoners complained about his orthodoxy. I think he went back to screened confessionals because he feared, after the Priest sex abuse scandals hit, that someone might try to “get” him using the Reconciliation Room!
 
Hi all;

I perfer using the screen. Partly because I’m used to it from childhood up and also because I’m nervous. If I had the priest looking at me it would make me feel worse. Also by not seeing the priest I can consentrate better. We perfer our younger children to use the screen. That’s because I’ve never seen the face to face confessions done outside of a room with a closed door. If it was just in back of the church in a pew I would feel better. My adult children will use either .
 
WELL A CONFESSIONAL WITHOUT A SCREEN IS REALLY GOOD. Why is it good? Because it is private. i’m not going to write much but that is the reason.
 
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