Where Have All The Confession Boxes Gone?

[Cat]

There’s a night and day difference between Traditional Catholics and nominal Catholics. Any priest who serves a parish that offers the Latin mass, knows he’s going to spend some serious time in the confessional box.

                     Like so many other essentials that were dumped after V2, the sacrament of penance was also considered outdated. I've seen beautiful old confessionals used for storage, and at another church, I had a priest tell me with a smile on his face, that "no one goes to confession anymore, so we took them out"

And in our parishes that offer OF of the Mass (and we sing “Gather Us In” all the time!), the priests spend serious time in the confessional box, and most Saturdays, the lines are fairly long for the Sacrament of Reconciliation. We are often encouraged in homilies and in the written church bulletin to avail ourselves of the Sacrament of Reconcilation often.

It has nothing to do with the Latin Mass. It has to do with the zeal of the bishop and of the priests in the diocese
for the Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Mother Church.

 

[LilyM]

And in our parishes that offer OF of the Mass (and we sing “Gather Us In” all the time!), the priests spend serious time in the confessional box, and most Saturdays, the lines are fairly long for the Sacrament of Reconciliation. We are often encouraged in homilies and in the written church bulletin to avail ourselves of the Sacrament of Reconcilation often.

It has nothing to do with the Latin Mass. It has to do with the zeal of the bishop and of the priests in the diocese
for the Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Mother Church.

We too have several OF parishes around here that have a real charism for confession, offering anywhere from one to four confession times each day (except Sunday - even then there’s one parish that offers confession pretty much all day Sunday for those who feel the need).

 

[PJM]

=HolySpirit08;4781693]I’m so upset. I drove all the way into the city to go to Confession at another parish since my own offers Confessions every other week only to have the priest not show. I left after waiting almost a half hour (6 min short of the end of the Confession half hour time limit). I called the church office, (Immaculate Conception on Kauai) to confirm that confession is offered between 4 and 4:30 p.m. on Saturday. The priest, God bless him, answered the phone and asked if I’d been to the rectory and if I’d rang the doorbell. Expecting that confessions would be heard in the church in a confession box , I said no. I was so upset and disappointed.

What the heck has happened to this sacrament, anyway? Our own parish does not encourage or even remind people to go to confession prior to receiving Communion when they are guilty of mortal sin.

I am very discouraged.

And well you should be.

Here are a couple of suggestions and a question.

Does your priest serve more than one parish? If so factor that into my comments.

1. Have a NICE (Charitable ) face to face talk with your priest. He may have been on a sick call?
2. Make an appointment outside of the scheduled time. I do it regullarly. It then is face to face, but hey, it’s agood impediment to sinning
3. As this is one of our BASIC Catholic rights, if you cannot Charitably resolve the issue, write to your Bishop. Be brief, accurate and KIND. Keep a copy for yourself.

As an FYI…

I read a Pew Report in 2007 that claimed only about 10% of professed Catholics advantage the Sacrament of Known Forgiveness, reconcilation, even once a year! PATHETIC!

Dear God, have Mercy on us!

 

[peregrinus_WA]

My parish still has 6 boxes. Each box has 3 doors, one open, one private, and one for the priest (in the middle).

On Saturdays, up to 5 of the boxes are used at any one time up to about 10 minutes before Mass. There is confession later that evening, but I do not know how many are used then.

On Sundays, there is confession before the 9:30 and Noon Masses. Normally, there can be from 1 to 4 boxes being used before the 9:30 Mass. Confessions before the 9:30 Mass usually do not end until just before Communion. It is also an EF Mass which I normally attend.

When I say up to 5 boxes are used, it depends if the Religious Order that helps out at the parish is there that particular weekend. The past weekend, I know they were not there since I was on silent retreat with them.

Also, there is ALWAYS a line (usually with me in one particular line since I usually go to the same priest )

 

[EasterJoy]

There’s a night and day difference between Traditional Catholics and nominal Catholics.

You don’t think there are people who have drifted in and out of the Church according to what suited their convenience for most of their lives, and yet who would still choose to have everything back the way it was in 1955?

“Hatch, Match, and Dispatch” was not invented with Vatican II. There were nominal Catholics back when Traditional is all there was, and there still exist some in that group.

(Or do you just not claim those Catholics as “Traditionalists”? )

One reason there are fewer nominal Catholics in the Traditional group–and I will concede it is NOT the only reason–is that there are so many fewer Catholics who were raised in a Traditional setting. With the TLM suppressed, how could they have been? The path of their least resistance leads back to the NO.

 

[Joannm]

I know of a very liberal parish in our diocese that offers confesion every day and they have lines. Our parish offers it only on Saturday and we too have lines, but the priests are also available by appointment, which I can tell you that people do take advantage of on a regular basis.

I don’t think the confessional boxes have anything to do with it. I prefer to go to confession in an office. I have this thing about confessional boxes based on a traumatic experience as a child. I also prefer face to face, perhaps also because of this experience. I want to see who I am speaking to. I have found a parish with very bright and airy confessional rooms with a window on the door, so if my regular confessor is not available I go there.

The priests in our parish talk about going to confession all the time. They preach about sin. But, and we hear this from parents, no one likes to hear the word sin. Our biggest complaints from parents come when the priest meets with the kids and tells them missing mass is a sin, or this or that is a sin. Parents call and say “how dare you tell my child that this or that is a sin.” With attitudes like that, no wonder the sacrament is in disuse.

 

[Guyonthestreet]

If you lived in the first near-1000 years of Christianity, you wouldn’t have had the option of an enclosed confessional

This is really irrelevant as I dont live in those times. I live now.

As for the comaprison with Orthodox practices - fine for them, but Im not looking to join the Orthodox church - at least not yet anyhow.

It is my view that it is very very wrong for a priest to hear confessions in any environment what so ever where there is a risk of the penitant being overheard.

A priest is not allowed to divulge anything that is confessed to him. The logic of this as I understand is that the penitant is confessing to God, and the priest is merely a medium of the gracee of forgiveness and reconciliation.

Why on earth then would a priest, who cannot under any circumstances reveal what was confessed to anyone what so ever, hear confessions in an environement where there is a very real and strong possibility of the penitant being overheard by everyone.

It makes no sense what so ever and does nothing but put people off confessing their sins.

 

[Joannm]

In situations where the priest is hearing confession out in the open, so to speak, there is usually enough distance between them and those who are waiting. Also, they are not shouting. In fact, being out in the open might make people think twice about being so loud. I have been on line for confession in a confessional and have heard people yelling their sins to the priest, and we weren’t standing close to it either. So that argument doesn’t really hold water. We also have a visiting priest who is partially deaf and speaks really loud, you could hear him clear across the church even in the confessional.

 

[Guyonthestreet]

In situations where the priest is hearing confession out in the open, so to speak, there is usually enough distance between them and those who are waiting. Also, they are not shouting. In fact, being out in the open might make people think twice about being so loud. I have been on line for confession in a confessional and have heard people yelling their sins to the priest, and we weren’t standing close to it either. So that argument doesn’t really hold water. We also have a visiting priest who is partially deaf and speaks really loud, you could hear him clear across the church even in the confessional.

Both of the scenarios you painted here are unacceptable to me, personally. Under no circumstances, ever, should someone other than the priest be able to hear your confession. If a priest is so lound he can be heard beyond the ocnfessional, he needs to be told to pipe down, or hear confessions in private in the priests house or whatever.

 

[HolySpirit08]

First, let me say that I didn’t mean to ruffle any feathers with my off-handed comment about thinking I’d join another religion. I just said that to make a point and out of frustration.

One poster asked me who I mean by “they” say that reconciliation is an important sacrament - The Church - and I agree with the Church btw that one must confess to a priest one’s serious sins before receiving Communion. My disappointment and frustration with my own parish, St. Catherine (still naming names since I was challenged to do so), is that since I have relocated and joined this parish, none of the priests, Fr. Alberto, Fr. Al, Fr. Edgar, Fr. Bob, Fr. Ramelo, Fr. Bing (who a least sits in the confession room 15 min prior to mass - he’s new) have ever once in their homily or any other time mentioned the 10 Commandments and tried to (re)educate the congregation about serious sin, what sins are considered serious and how we are bound as Catholics to confess these in confession before we are
ALLOWED to receive communion. It is their responsibility to God and to their congregation.

We live in an age where people do not want to hear about responsibility, accountability. Maybe that’s why our priests don’t mention the subject of sin and confession. They don’t want to drive people away. Even folks on this site and in this thread do not want to hear that THE CHURCH does not live up to its responsibilities. People are quick to be offended. And, by the way, I totally agree that there are lukewarm Catholics who come and go for whatever reason but that is not my point.

I do pray for our priests regularly but one would expect that it is not the responsibility of the congregation to guide and direct the Bishop and priests under him. It’s the other way around.

God help us all.

 

[Cluny]

When I find a priest who hears Confessions without a Confessional, I run, I do not walk, to the next church with one.

Of course people in desperate situations sometimes have to go to these priests.

But it’s a clear sign against choosing that priest for one’s regular Confessor.

---

Speaking as an Eastern Christian, only once have I gone to confession in a booth, and it was NOT an emotionally satisfactory experience, as much as face to face in the open.

I suppose it boils down to what you’re used to.

 

[Gwyn]

Thank goodness we still have these.

Our parish has 2 confession rooms. And confessions are on Saturday from 4 to 5.30 or by apptmt.

Can also go to the Cathedral and those are daily before every mass as well Sat and Sun. There too there are confessionals

 

[San_Pio]

First, let me say that I didn’t mean to ruffle any feathers with my off-handed comment about thinking I’d join another religion. I just said that to make a point and out of frustration.

One poster asked me who I mean by “they” say that reconciliation is an important sacrament - The Church - and I agree with the Church btw that one must confess to a priest one’s serious sins before receiving Communion. My disappointment and frustration with my own parish, St. Catherine (still naming names since I was challenged to do so), is that since I have relocated and joined this parish, none of the priests, Fr. Alberto, Fr. Al, Fr. Edgar, Fr. Bob, Fr. Ramelo, Fr. Bing (who a least sits in the confession room 15 min prior to mass - he’s new) have ever once in their homily or any other time mentioned the 10 Commandments and tried to (re)educate the congregation about serious sin, what sins are considered serious and how we are bound as Catholics to confess these in confession before we are
ALLOWED to receive communion. It is their responsibility to God and to their congregation.

We live in an age where people do not want to hear about responsibility, accountability. Maybe that’s why our priests don’t mention the subject of sin and confession. They don’t want to drive people away. Even folks on this site and in this thread do not want to hear that THE CHURCH does not live up to its responsibilities. People are quick to be offended. And, by the way, I totally agree that there are lukewarm Catholics who come and go for whatever reason but that is not my point.

I do pray for our priests regularly but one would expect that it is not the responsibility of the congregation to guide and direct the Bishop and priests under him. It’s the other way around.

God help us all.

There is a parish nearby that has a priest that talks about our responsibility as Catholics. He talks about sin, our sufferings resulting from original sin, confession, he speaks against abortion and birth control. He doesn’t allow Protestant music that contradicts Catholic doctrine to be played during the Mass. He doesn’t allow the parishioners to control how he will do a funeral Mass. Sadly, a funeral home filed a lawsuit against him and the archdiocese because they were losing business because he wanted to conduct a funeral Mass the way that it is supposed to be done. Sadly, the lawsuit was settled. He is now being moved because these liberal “so-called” Catholics got their way. This is a tragedy. I have attended some of his Masses and they were the most beautiful and reverent Masses that I have ever participated in. He will be missed by a few. But most of the parishoners are glad that he is leaving.

The point I’m trying to make is that people now have an attitude of “How dare you talk to me like I’m a sinner?” or “My seven year old child couldn’t possibly sin. He doesn’t need to go to confession.” Maybe the churches are taking out the confessionals because they are wasted space in that parish. If people don’t think that they sin, then they’re not going to confession. Or if they do sin, they will personally confess to God. I’ve seen this local priest carry a cross for a few years now and the locals are crucifying him.

 

[Guyonthestreet]

There is a parish nearby that has a priest that talks about our responsibility as Catholics. He talks about sin, our sufferings resulting from original sin, confession, he speaks against abortion and birth control. He doesn’t allow Protestant music that contradicts Catholic doctrine to be played during the Mass. He doesn’t allow the parishioners to control how he will do a funeral Mass. Sadly, a funeral home filed a lawsuit against him and the archdiocese because they were losing business because he wanted to conduct a funeral Mass the way that it is supposed to be done. Sadly, the lawsuit was settled. He is now being moved because these liberal “so-called” Catholics got their way. This is a tragedy. I have attended some of his Masses and they were the most beautiful and reverent Masses that I have ever participated in. He will be missed by a few. But most of the parishoners are glad that he is leaving.

The point I’m trying to make is that people now have an attitude of “How dare you talk to me like I’m a sinner?” or “My seven year old child couldn’t possibly sin. He doesn’t need to go to confession.” Maybe the churches are taking out the confessionals because they are wasted space in that parish. If people don’t think that they sin, then they’re not going to confession. Or if they do sin, they will personally confess to God. I’ve seen this local priest carry a cross for a few years now and the locals are crucifying him.

He sounds like a fastastic priest and shepherd. It’s sad to hear stories like this. He sounds like the kinda guy I could relate to.

 

[samcarter14]

I’m confused as to the purpose of the confessional box per se. As another poster stated, in the Eastern Churches, we do not use a confessional box. We stand before the Venerated Cross and confess our sins to God, with our priest acting as a witness and giver of the Sacrament of Penance.

What purpose does the box and screen have? Is it simply so the priest doesn’t know who is confessing? How can he offer true spiritual guidance if he doesn’t know the parishioner seeking it?

Where in the catechism does it state that confessional boxes and screens are required for the Sacrament of Penance to be valid?

 

[theistgal]

I’ve been going to Confession in the Byzantine Catholic Church for several years now, and we don’t have confessionals. The priest will sit behind the altar and I go up and sit next to him and that’s where we do the confession.

It took some getting used to, and at first I would avoid going and instead, drive several miles to a very nice little Roman Catholic church with confessionals. However, as I got used to the Eastern way of doing things, I decided to just go “all the way” and get used to doing confession that way too.

And our Church is definitely not “liberal” or “modernist”!

(FWIW, I do support your right to have access to the Confessionals if you want them - but please, they’re not essential to the Sacrament.)

 

[Seamus_L]

I don’t know exact figures, but there are many Eastern Catholic churches that have either confessional boxes or rooms with a screen between the priest and the penitent.

 

[samcarter14]

I don’t know exact figures, but there are many Eastern Catholic churches that have either confessional boxes or rooms with a screen between the priest and the penitent.

Are you sure they are not parishes that share a church with a Roman Catholic community? Many Eastern Catholic churches have been “downsized” and so share a church that is Roman-rite; or they may have bought a church that was Roman-rite.

We share a church that belongs to the local Hungarian Roman Catholic parish. There is a confessional box, but we do not use it.

 

[Seamus_L]

No, I’m sure. All of the churches I’m referring to were built as Eastern.

 

[samcarter14]

No, I’m sure. All of the churches I’m referring to were built as Eastern.

Sounds like a possible Latinization that was not uncommon a while back; of late, Eastern-rite churches have been told to return to the Eastern traditions.