Who are you & how do you confess?

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I’m a priest, and I confess either way. Sometimes I go to confession within the context of spiritual direction, which is face to face, and if I’m out of town, I’ll sometimes go behind the screen. Some people are surpresed to find that we priests go too! Nothing cleanses like a good confession.

God bless,
Fr Matt
 
Doesn’t matter to me, face-to-face or behind a screen. Either way I feel comfortable. I am mainly interested to have my sins absolved. I need to practice humilty every time I can. If circumstance requires I have to make my confession face-to-face, I won’t shy away from it.
 
I voted female/face-to-face, but actually prefer the screen. I said face-to-face, because that is what I am usually offered. However, if I don’t know the priest, and the screen is available, I will use that. I see no point to using the screen when the priest obviously knows me well.
 
Male / behind screen

Not only do I confess as stated, I don’t even go to confession in my own parish. I only confess to priests that I do not know.

I think I was traumatized by a priest during my once and only face to face confession. Everything went embarassing well until the absolution. He interrupted the absolution until I was making constant eye contact with him. Face to face was tough enough for me the first time around, but an eyeball to eyeball staredown wass uncomfortable and above-and-beyond the call of duty, as far as I am concerned.

When I stand in judgment before God, I will have absolutely no explanation or excuse for my sins. Like Fr. Benedict Groeschel says, the first words out of both of our respective mouths, with streams of tears in our face, will be, “I’m sorry” – if we have the strength to say anything.
 
Actually the parish I now attend screens are such that they don’t give privacy. The last time a saw the priest reading a religious goods catalog that is until I got to the really interesting sins. Maybe the screens are there just to keep the priest from bopping dunderheads like me 🙂
 
I am a woman and I confess both ways, though I preferred the screen for a long time. I think I actually prefer the screen because I am more accustomed to it, but lately I have been confessing face to face when a certain priest is hearing the Confessions. He is really a good Confessor and I get a lot out of the penances he gives me to do, so when he is hearing I go face to face.

In the past I used to go to other parishes for Confession so I could remain anonymous; at those times it was important to me for a variety of reasons. I have grown a lot in the last year or so, however, and don’t feel as much of a need for anonymity as I did previously. These days I confess much more often and I see Confession much differently than I did even a year or two ago. For me, this is a true blessing! :yup:
 
Just confessed at EWTN in Irondale AL. I will be confessing there from now on. It was in a confessional. ROCK!!! 😃
 
I don’t have a choice. Our priest requires “adults” to come around and have it face to face. I don’t like it, so it is probably why I dread and delay going to confession. I don’t like sitting in a chair, I’d prefer to kneel. I don’t want to look at my priest. But that is all the choice I have so when I can get myself to go, it is face to face.
 
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ThomasAquinas25:
Just confessed at EWTN in Irondale AL. I will be confessing there from now on. It was in a confessional. ROCK!!! 😃
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**I’ve been there, and have seen the confessionals, though I didn’t confess there. Wish I had. I’m sure it was very good. **

I did confess to Father Apsotoli at the Cathoilc Market Network Trade Show a couple of weeks ago, and he was very good…He’s an amazing man.
 
I am surprised at how even it is. Well, slightly more for behind the screen anyways. How many of you have a choice of behind the screen or face to face?
 
Male. I used to go face to face, but the last few times I went behind the screen. I feel like I can speak more freely.
 
BILL BRADLEY:
Being a male and defining that in taking responsibility for one’s actions or lack thereof, I make my Confession in a face to face format. I do not find it more comforting in doing so. There are times that I would rather crawl under a rock but in facing the truth with the Priest representing Church and Christ, I come to a greater realization of my sinfulness and its conseqeunces to Church, relationship to God and self and the need for grace in developing my covenant relationship. Thanks for asking.
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Amen to that!! I’m a female and I feel the same way.
 
Hi
My name is Lonevoice, I’m Male and I am a screen-aholic.

I’ve had to go face to face a few times, and just really don’t like it. It seems that I look everywhere but at the Priest, even to the point of turning away/hiding my face. (I’d like to hope that it is remorse, but I think sometimes it’s just pride and embarrassment.)

The important thing I guess, is that it really doesn’t matter which way, as long as I come out of there CLEAN.

JMHO

PS:
Posted by kellyw

“I don’t have a choice. Our priest requires “adults” to come around and have it face to face. I don’t like it, so it is probably why I dread and delay going to confession. I don’t like sitting in a chair, I’d prefer to kneel. I don’t want to look at my priest. But that is all the choice I have so when I can get myself to go, it is face to face.”

Can they do that? It seems that they would notice that people don’t like that and might stop coming in.

Again, JMHO
 
Female
The screen is nice! But I do wish you had the option of a screen and sitting. My knees shake so bad on the kneeler I feel like I am goin g to fall off. UGH! Now that would be a novel idea behind the screen sitting!👍
 
Female, behind the screen only–but then at my parish that’s the only confessional type–if you really want to, you can call and make an appointment (and those might be face-to-face on request, I don’t know–the sheer panic at the thought of having to call for an appointment is enough to haul me back from actually committing such a sin).

Of course, there’s a lot of time open for confession at my parish (daily from 6:45-8:00 am and 11:45am to last penitent, plus Saturdays starting at 4pm and 7pm). I know a lot of parishes have way less, so I figure we’re pretty blessed to have so much time. (There’s also special confession times in the evenings on the Thursday and Friday before the First Friday and First Saturday.)
 
Hello All!

Male, and face to face. That said…I kind of get the best of both worlds. I usually confess at a church other than my home parish (same priest every time though). This way I am anonymous and feel more comfortable making a good confession, but the priest recognizes me so he is also able to advise me on an ongoing basis (he knows where I have been and where I’m hopefully going).

God Bless!
 
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Melissa:
Female, behind the screen only–but then at my parish that’s the only confessional type–if you really want to, you can call and make an appointment (and those might be face-to-face on request, I don’t know–the sheer panic at the thought of having to call for an appointment is enough to haul me back from actually committing such a sin).

Of course, there’s a lot of time open for confession at my parish (daily from 6:45-8:00 am and 11:45am to last penitent, plus Saturdays starting at 4pm and 7pm). I know a lot of parishes have way less, so I figure we’re pretty blessed to have so much time. (There’s also special confession times in the evenings on the Thursday and Friday before the First Friday and First Saturday.)
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It’s wonderful that you have Penance that often… at my old Novus Ordo church they had it for about 1 hr on Saturday (at most), which was the only time for over 4000 families (registered)! At my Traditional Latin Mass parish there is Confession at least 15 minutes before each Mass (usually when the first person gets to the church, Father will go to the confessional). Also, Friday night there is Holy Hour (Confessions during). Before Sunday Masses it is usually about 45 minutes before each Mass. On Saturday there is Confession from after the first Mass (and Office immediately following the Mass) until beginning of second Mass (from about 8:15-9). There is on that day, also, as usual the 15 minutes (or more) before the 7 AM Mass.
 
Female and I go behind the screen. I, too, feel like I am confessing directly to Jesus (even though He already knows everything about me). I prefer this way, but if needed, I will go face to face.
 
female and I prefer the screen. for me face to face is pointless, because I can never make eye contact with the priest anyways. Whenever I talk about something upsetting to me, i don’t make eye contact, not even if I’m talking to my husband. Just a habit. There have been times when face to face is the only option and I’ll do it, but the screen is so much nicer.
 
I confess face-to-face, kneeling, and I’m a girl. I prefer face-to-face because it is so much harder for me. Although my priest and I both know that he knows who I am, it is just more humiliating if I can see him. It reminds me that I ought to not sin and that I should be better behaved. All I want to do is just hide or disappear, but in face-to-face, I feel totally exposed and child-like, which I definately need.
 
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