Where Have All The Confession Boxes Gone?

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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.

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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.

That can not be done here on Kauai, there are no confessional booths in any of the Churches. Confessions are for 30 min. on Saturday just prior to the Vigil Mass & if you are extremely lucky to find the priest in the Church office behind the screen, its good to go. Other wise you have to make an appointment which I did one time, but NEVER again.

 

[PJM]

Hearing from people from all over the country on this subject is leaving me more upset than ever. The Church is very contradictory. They say that Confession is a very important sacrament, one is not allowed to receive Communion without having confessed serious sin yet Confession is not encouraged, barely mentioned and the priests are turning away from offering it it seems.

I am really sick and tired of the contradictions in the Church and the mediocrity of priests. It seems that the Church is quite corrupt as proven by all of the sexual abuse that went on for years and not dealt with by Rome.

I don’t know, maybe it’s time to become a Lutheran or an Episcopalian.QUOTE]

Dear God, please save us from OURSELVES

It’s one thing to have a problem, and then define it, but to go :hypno: over it hardly seems chairatble and prudent?

How about trying to fix the problem instead of despairing and dropping out?

Simply contact your priest, phone, meeting, letter is up to you. Explain your concerns, and give him (they are human too) an opportunity to address your concerns.

If that does not work, then contact your Bishop by letter, be kind, be specific, be brief and ask for help. Confession is a right, so fight for it, but do it with truth, facts and love!

Am I wrong in thinking what has you upset is OTHER peoples problems? What is the deal in your parish.

I have NEVER EVER in any parish, had the slighest problem making an appointment with the priest to hear my Cconfession outside of the normal times. Try it:dancing: :extrahappy:

To throw out the baby with the dirty water seems a bit extreme:crying:

Love and prayers my Catholic Friend,

You woun’t find Jesus really in HOLY COMMUNION outside the Catholic Church, and you’d be willing to give God up for… what!

 

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PJM,
Please read the whole thread. The OP has already clarified that message.

Also note: She & I are in the same parish. Please read my last post just above yours, concerning confession appointment!

JUST ONCE, what we would like to hear is a homily on confession & sin. And a non abusive Mass!

it is a VERY happy-clappy-hand holding-kissy kissy hand waving-protestant singing parish!

 

[theistgal]

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

They shouldn’t have them - it’s not part of the Eastern tradition.

If I recall correctly, they originated in Ireland. Anyone know for sure?

 

[EasterJoy]

They shouldn’t have them - it’s not part of the Eastern tradition.

If I recall correctly, they originated in Ireland. Anyone know for sure?

Yes, the Irish brought this mode of confession to Europe when they returned as missionary priests…along with their copies of all of Europe’s “lost” manuscripts!

That doesn’t mean that Eastern Catholics don’t do it. Even they allow an innovation every 1,000 years or so.

 

[CWBetts]

To continue ( I hate long posts so I like to break them up), Another parish in our region does not use the face to face method and still uses the old style confessional with the curtain and everything. They have Mass every day at 11:00 AM and offer confession before Mass. There is a line every day and usually the priest has to come back after Mass to serve the penitents that he couldn’t grt to before Mass.The regular weekend confessions are well attended too.
So much for face to face.

If there is a problem with the Sacrament of Reconciliation, it is that priests have used the communal form, which is only to be used in extraordinary circumstances, as the normal form od the sacrement. My own priest does not practice the communal reconciliiation except under absolute necessity. As for face to face, I prefer this method. I just dont like talking to a screen. Since I have started going face to face, I look forward to the sacrement, and I look foreward to, rather than dread, going. I guess my point is that just because you prefer the screen, doesn’t mean that is preferred by all. Just my :twocents:

 

[fabricdragon]

i am so lucky.
my main home church is a redenptorist parish, and they hear confession twice daily, every day except Sunday.
my second home is a college church and they have the old booths also… but you can also ask a priest right before Mass and ask if he has time to hear a confession.

we even had a Lenten special last year, every church, every where in the diocese, had confession time in the evening on Wednesday.

i am so sorry to hear it is not the same everywhere.

 

[theistgal]

Yes, the Irish brought this mode of confession to Europe when they returned as missionary priests…along with their copies of all of Europe’s “lost” manuscripts!

That doesn’t mean that Eastern Catholics don’t do it. Even they allow an innovation every 1,000 years or so.

Some of them do, but remember that they’ve been given the mandate to “delatinize” - and if an Irish box isn’t a latinization, I don’t know what is!

 

[Seamus_L]

Some confessionals in places like Ukraine are a hundred or two hundred years old, some are about as old as the churches they’re in. Too remove them would not be de-latinization, it would be vandalization.

 

[otjm]

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"

OK, while you are taking pot shots - those who are true to the Magisterium but don’t identify themsleves as Traditional Catholics are also different night and day from nominal Catholics.

 

[otjm]

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.

You are way overstating the possiblity of being overheard in a public setting when it is conducted with any lick of common sense. All it takes is 1) the penitent facing the priest with their back to those waiting, and 2) a lower voice by the priest. In addition, I occasionally go to Reconcilliation in a parish which uses the old style box confessional, and there are plenty of time that if you are standing within 10 feet of the box, you can hear what is going on.

 

[Shin]

You are way overstating the possiblity of being overheard in a public setting when it is conducted with any lick of common sense. All it takes is 1) the penitent facing the priest with their back to those waiting, and 2) a lower voice by the priest. In addition, I occasionally go to Reconcilliation in a parish which uses the old style box confessional, and there are plenty of time that if you are standing within 10 feet of the box, you can hear what is going on.

No, that is not all it takes. Anyone with reasonable hearing can overhear, and also it is hard for the people involved to know how to speak quietly enough even if it is possible.

Public confession of this type basically is not private or truly respectful of privacy.

It is true sometimes one can be overheard through a Confessional, which is why people should respectfully not line up very close to it, and also people should responsibly see that the Confessionals are soundproofed.

People who are casual about this matter because they do not care about the privacy of the Confessional, might as well go out into the public square and shout out all their sins, and encourage everyone else to do so. But no, this is not a requirement for everyone, far from it. The opposite is the case.

 

[Merkel]

Those old confessionals were for the birds, although I do like going behind a screen.

Where I go you enter a smallish room. You can either stay behind the screen or sit out in the open. Works well.

 

[SeanTom]

In reading the previous postings, I see where some people like have their confessions behind screens, some like face to face, some will find another church if they can’t go behind a screen, some do not like sitting in a pew to have his confession heard (even though it is semi-private - one can speak in a lower voice), etc. and etc.

I myself used the “screen” confession for many years while still in school (40’s - 50’s). I then joined the military - sometimes had to take a boat from one ship to another to have my confession heard, and never complained. But also, in the military, as many of you know, you can’t always find a Catholic chaplain who has a confessional box to hear confessions. Also, many Catholic chaplains hear confessions on the battle fields, in brigs, etc. The worst part is being in an area where a Catholic chaplain is not available.

The confession boxes are a definite convenience, but don’t give up confession because you can’t find one. Remember, we go to a priest to hear our confession and have him give us absolution, not to be concerned with our vanity/pride about whether some one sees us or not. I am most thankful that we still have the privilege of receiving confession from a priest, under any circumstances. I grant you, I would rather be in a box, or private room and confess, face to face, with my confessor. But yet, having my confession heard by a priest is much more important to me than my concern over the location of receiving this sacrament.

I truely feel sorry for those who will not receive this Sacrament because of the location, no dividing screen, noise in the area, or even semi-privacy You can always speak in a low voice and ask the priest to do the same. He will work it out. to your satisfaction. But whatever, do not stay away from confession under any of the circumstances as mentioned above.

Lastly, I am fortunate in that my church has three priests and confessions are popular in our church community. This Sacrament is for us and for our salvation - use it or lose it.

 

[mattkubes]

I truely feel sorry for those who will not receive this Sacrament because of the location, no dividing screen, noise in the area, or even semi-privacy You can always speak in a low voice and ask the priest to do the same. He will work it out. to your satisfaction. But whatever, do not stay away from confession under any of the circumstances as mentioned above.

And this is exactly why priests should follow Canon Law and offer both forms of confession…it may be silly for those in mortal sin to stay away just because confession is open, but I don’t think it’s unreasonable to assume that our priests know that some people think this way. They may not be denying them the grace present in the sacrament, but they certainly aren’t encouraging participation by all those who need it.

 

[JimG]

Our parish has the traditional anonymous confessional boxes. Confessions are heard every day before the afternoon daily Mass, and there is usually a line, as well as on Saturdays. When the lines get too long, another priest will often come out and sit at the altar rail to hear confessions, in which case he does not look directly at the penitent.

Our former sacristan used to always go to the next parish down the road for confession, as she simply did not like to go to a priest who knew her and was also her employer, for confession. Nothing wrong with that.

 

[fabricdragon]

Our former sacristan used to always go to the next parish down the road for confession, as she simply did not like to go to a priest who knew her and was also her employer, for confession. Nothing wrong with that.

now THAT is certainly understandable, as it takes away the “anonymous” componant… and even though i believe the priest is given the grace to “forget” what he hears in confession. its still. umm… personally difficult.

mind you i think its also one reason its so hard in other churches to be a PK… having your mundane father be your priest/minister is very awkward.

 

[Guyonthestreet]

You are way overstating the possiblity of being overheard in a public setting when it is conducted with any lick of common sense. All it takes is 1) the penitent facing the priest with their back to those waiting, and 2) a lower voice by the priest. In addition, I occasionally go to Reconcilliation in a parish which uses the old style box confessional, and there are plenty of time that if you are standing within 10 feet of the box, you can hear what is going on.

I completely disagree with you.

 

[JimG]

now THAT is certainly understandable, as it takes away the “anonymous” componant… and even though i believe the priest is given the grace to “forget” what he hears in confession. its still. umm… personally difficult.

mind you i think its also one reason its so hard in other churches to be a PK… having your mundane father be your priest/minister is very awkward.

Sometimes I also go to the parish a few blocks away, as the priests at my parish are getting to know me too well. I like anonymity.

 

[sneakers]

I went to St. Boniface Church in Pittsburgh, Pa this past Sunday. (a rare treat!) The confessionals are there and put to good use. There was a line all the way to the door. All waiting to go to confession. It’s that way every time I go to mass there! I much prefer going to confession in the confessional than face-to-face!