What is the Laity's obligation to the Seal of the Confessional

[pianistclare]

Isn’t it odd that years ago, people and children were afraid of the private “box”.
Now, years later, after we mostly do away with the box, and people are scared to death to confess, lest they be seen?

Only good catechesis about the Sacrament of Reconciliation and what it is, what it does for you, and why you need it will change anyone’s attitude.
And once that happens, people won’t give a flip where it occurs.

 

[JimG]

Isn’t it odd that years ago, people and children were afraid of the private “box”.
Now, years later, after we mostly do away with the box, and people are scared to death to confess, lest they be seen?

Only good catechesis about the Sacrament of Reconciliation and what it is, what it does for you, and why you need it will change anyone’s attitude.
And once that happens, people won’t give a flip where it occurs.

I can’t recall anyone being afraid of the confessional back in the old days, and in my current parish I’ve not noticed any fear of the new confessionals, which are a great improvement, being well lit, private, anonymous, and roomy. But I can well understand a kid not wanting his first confession–or any confession–being turned into a public show event.

 

[Hoosier_Daddy]

I am looking for documents regarding the obligation to the seal of the confessional. for instance I do not feel comfortable going up to a friend and and saying “Hey I saw you at confession last Saturday”.

Hey, I saw this guy in confession…

 

[pianistclare]

I can’t recall anyone being afraid of the confessional back in the old days, and in my current parish I’ve not noticed any fear of the new confessionals, which are a great improvement, being well lit, private, anonymous, and roomy. But I can well understand a kid not wanting his first confession–or any confession–being turned into a public show event.

ALL of my Catholic school friends were afraid of the box.
And now, MANY of my adult friends are afraid to talk face to face. I was talking about those adults years ago, and their attitude now.

Interestingly, the kids at First Reconciliation this year didn’t give a flip if anyone was around. They went., and left smiling.

 

[JimG]

ALL of my Catholic school friends were afraid of the box.
And now, MANY of my adult friends are afraid to talk face to face. I was talking about those adults years ago, and their attitude now.

Interestingly, the kids at First Reconciliation this year didn’t give a flip if anyone was around. They went., and left smiling.

That must have been one scary confessional box! Why were they afraid of it?

In our penance services only two real confessionals are available, with other priests sitting at the altar rail, or at the back of the church. The confessional lines always fill up immediately. Maybe they just like the anonymity, but really, confessing at the altar rail in the open is just about as anonymous, since the priest does not look at the penitent.

 

[powerofk]

That must have been one scary confessional box! Why were they afraid of it?

In our penance services only two real confessionals are available, with other priests sitting at the altar rail, or at the back of the church. The confessional lines always fill up immediately. Maybe they just like the anonymity, but really, confessing at the altar rail in the open is just about as anonymous, since the priest does not look at the penitent.

Seriously, being face-to-face with the priest is the only way I’ve ever done Confession. And for me, it’s more comforting, primarily at the end, because most of the time the priest hugs me as I leave - I feel like it’s Jesus hugging me. But I’ve known a lot of people who would rather be anonymous, and I think that, honestly, it’s best to have both options available for people. Even though we’re all Catholic, we have different ways of connecting with God and different spiritual needs.

 

[EIF5A]

OK, this might sound like a silly question (especially for seasoned Catholics), but even if the priest can’t see you, won’t he recognize your voice?

Do you have to make a general confession to the priest of the parish where you would get baptized/confirmed at Easter Vigil, or can you go across town and confess at that parish and come back for Easter Vigil?

 

[pianistclare]

That must have been one scary confessional box! Why were they afraid of it?

In our penance services only two real confessionals are available, with other priests sitting at the altar rail, or at the back of the church. The confessional lines always fill up immediately. Maybe they just like the anonymity, but really, confessing at the altar rail in the open is just about as anonymous, since the priest does not look at the penitent.

You never encountered children who were afraid of the dark? Really? It was pitch black in there. I can’t tell you how many times there was pee trailing out of the door…
This is not an opinion bashing the boxes. This is the reality of small children being afraid to go in. Today’s kids aren’t afraid of anything, They see plenty of scary stuff on tv.
We call it entertainment.

 

[Hopey]

OK, this might sound like a silly question (especially for seasoned Catholics), but even if the priest can’t see you, won’t he recognize your voice?

Do you have to make a general confession to the priest of the parish where you would get baptized/confirmed at Easter Vigil, or can you go across town and confess at that parish and come back for Easter Vigil?

You can go to any parish for confession. There is a seal when confession takes place so even if they recognize you, they are forbidden to say anything.

If you would rather go to another parish, you may.

 

[pianistclare]

OK, this might sound like a silly question (especially for seasoned Catholics), but even if the priest can’t see you, won’t he recognize your voice?

Do you have to make a general confession to the priest of the parish where you would get baptized/confirmed at Easter Vigil, or can you go across town and confess at that parish and come back for Easter Vigil?

Yes, they do recognize your voice if you’re a regular.
Generally, for RCIA, the Pastor reserves a time for the RCIA folks to confess. It’s his way of ensuring 1) that it’s done, and 2) that they are correctly catechized on the process.
After that, go wherever you wish. But I don’t think it’s mandated prior to RCIA. I can see the rationale for making your first confession in your own parish.
Peace.

 

[JimG]

You never encountered children who were afraid of the dark? Really? It was pitch black in there. I can’t tell you how many times there was pee trailing out of the door…
This is not an opinion bashing the boxes. This is the reality of small children being afraid to go in. Today’s kids aren’t afraid of anything, They see plenty of scary stuff on tv.
We call it entertainment.

Ahh, ok I can understand that. I do recall the old confessionals of my youth being dark. (That’s why my mom’s stories of her youth somewhat confused me. She said that she and her schoolgirl friends always were in the confession lines with their lists of sins. Maybe their confessionals weren’t dark enough to preclude reading in her day. Sometimes she forgot her list and borrowed someone else’s.) I love our new confessionals which are well lit and spacious!

 

[JimG]

OK, this might sound like a silly question (especially for seasoned Catholics), but even if the priest can’t see you, won’t he recognize your voice?

Do you have to make a general confession to the priest of the parish where you would get baptized/confirmed at Easter Vigil, or can you go across town and confess at that parish and come back for Easter Vigil?

Well, he might recognize one’s voice. But there are some 3,000 families in my parish, and the priests are hearing confessions every day of the week except Sunday. I doubt that they take the time or effort to recognize voices.

 

[pianistclare]

Ahh, ok I can understand that. I do recall the old confessionals of my youth being dark. (That’s why my mom’s stories of her youth somewhat confused me. She said that she and her schoolgirl friends always were in the confession lines with their lists of sins. Maybe their confessionals weren’t dark enough to preclude reading in her day. Sometimes she forgot her list and borrowed someone else’s.) I love our new confessionals which are well lit and spacious!

YES! And isn’t it also curious that people avoid talking to the priest face to face, yet we live in a culture that encourages people to have therapy, a sounding board, a way to “connect” with others, yet some are still reluctant to connect with Our Lord in this wonderful Sacrament, because the priest might “know” something about us.
My students always come back to class upset that their parents refuse to go to confession. They always try to plead with their parents, telling them how wonderful it is, and the only response they get it “I’m not telling my sins to a priest, no way.”

“borrowed somebody else’s”. LOL that’s funny.

 

[EIF5A]

YES! And isn’t it also curious that people avoid talking to the priest face to face, yet we live in a culture that encourages people to have therapy, a sounding board, a way to “connect” with others, yet some are still reluctant to connect with Our Lord in this wonderful Sacrament, because the priest might “know” something about us.
My students always come back to class upset that their parents refuse to go to confession. They always try to plead with their parents, telling them how wonderful it is, and the only response they get it “I’m not telling my sins to a priest, no way.”

“borrowed somebody else’s”. LOL that’s funny.

My fear is that if I had to confess my sins to a priest, he, being a human, would have his thoughts and mind scandalized by my sins.

What if when he is praying, my sins are brought up in his mind? What if I cause an impediment to his works?

 

[pianistclare]

My fear is that if I had to confess my sins to a priest, he, being a human, would have his thoughts and mind scandalized by my sins.

What if when he is praying, my sins are brought up in his mind? What if I cause an impediment to his works?

Priests are trained to leave this behind in the confessional.
They do not carry around our burdens. If they did, there would be none left to minister to us. It would quite literally paralyze them.
Do not fret about this. It’s a normal reaction, but in actuality, it’s not an issue.
Be at peace, and go face to face if there’s ever a time when to you need to.
or have to.

 

[babochka]

My fear is that if I had to confess my sins to a priest, he, being a human, would have his thoughts and mind scandalized by my sins.

What if when he is praying, my sins are brought up in his mind? What if I cause an impediment to his works?

I know my confessor very well and he knows me. We are a parish of fewer than 100 people and Byzantine confessions are always face-to-face. Usually I don’t have a problem with confession under these circumstances, but I had a particular sin on my conscience that pride was keeping me from confessing to my pastor. I determined that I was going to go to a local parish, where I could confess behind a screen and nobody would know me. I tried to get out on Saturday afternoon for two weeks in a row, but I couldn’t make it. Since I see my own pastor frequently, I finally just got over myself and asked him for confession. I told him that I had put this off, and why. I was a bit amazed at what he told me. In all his years of being a priest, he only remembers two sins that can associate with the people who confessed them, and he did not know those people. He said that he often remembers sins, but not the specific people who confess them. Maybe our sins are much more common and mundane than we think they are? I don’t know, but I think that it is an amazing grace that is given to them, to not remember.

I have heard more than one priest say that they find listening to confessions an excellent examination of conscience.

 

[felsguy]

That must have been one scary confessional box! Why were they afraid of it?

You never encountered children who were afraid of the dark? Really? It was pitch black in there. I can’t tell you how many times there was pee trailing out of the door…

PLUS there was a fear that the grouchy old pastor would yell at you. Probably most pastors were stern and grouchy in the eyes of a little kid. And then there were some that actually were.

 

[felsguy]

Do you have to make a general confession to the priest of the parish where you would get baptized/confirmed at Easter Vigil, or can you go across town and confess at that parish and come back for Easter Vigil?

Not to get technical here (which always means one is about to ) but a person being baptized at the Easter Vigil would not go to confession beforehand because a) Baptism is required before receiving the other sacraments and b) Baptism washes away all previous sins.

Once baptized, a person can go to confesssion at any parish as was mentioned before.