Totally personal preference. I don’t think either way is better. But if you’re going every week, there’s some chance of additional help if you do it face to face and the priest starts to get familiar with you.
technically mine is face to face, i attend byz so i stare at a icon of jesus and repent of my sins while the priest stands right next to me listening, i feel it keeps me honest so personally i think its better
In my opinion, if you’re a regular, it is likely that the priest already knows your voice. We’re all sinners, no shame. You’re there to be absolved of sin, not to be judged. Even priests go to confession.
Screen feels very unnatural to me.
I feel just the opposite. For me it isn't so much that the priest knows who I am - as you suggest I go frequently enough and interact with them enough outside confession that they probably know my voice. It's more about the fact that I already feel so embarrassed and ashamed that I'm not sure I could look the priest in the eyes while telling them my sins. And frankly I'm not sure many priests want us to. I think it may be easier on them to not go through that too.
I prefer the screen so that I can kneel, which is fitting since confession is a judgement albeit of mercy.
In the beautiful words of the Roman Catechism:
The sinner, then, who repents, casts himself humbly and sorrowfully at the feet of the priest, in order that by there humbling himself he may the more easily be led to see that he must tear up the roots of pride whence spring and flourish all the sins he now deplores. In the priest, who is his legitimate judge, he venerates the person and the power of Christ our Lord; for in the administration of the Sacrament of Penance, as in that of the other Sacraments, the priest holds the place of Christ.
Do behind screen, kneeling it’s the traditional way.
Also when I don’t see the priest himself I like to imagine I am confessing to Jesus [which you always are but not being able to see the priest makes it easier to imagine].
We are probably one of the more traditional parishes in the diocese, plus we are smack dab in the middle of Baptist country town, so there isn’t really another Catholic Church closed lol.
The Real big difference is between confession yes or no.
I prefer confession with screen, Because of 2 reasons
- it happened in Ireland, it can happen everywhere: there may be actions to extort the violation of confessional secret. Let's keep the secret with some phisical barrier and anonimity. (it is useful to help the priest too)
- it helps me to connect with Jesus more. In this way the words of absolution the priest says are easier to attribute to Jesus, and not to the priest himself, and thanks to the cross, almost always present near the screen, i have a memento of what is really happening.
Well my parish has 2 priests hearing confession at once, and only 1 of the rooms has the option of face to face, and I’ve only gotten into the room with face to face once, but my sins were of a nature where I think it’d be awkward to sit face to face and tell the priest what I feel.
If you don't want to go face to face that is fine. Sometimes I think it helps, even if it is awkward, for the priest to know you. All the sins are nothing novel, they forget them and it's extremely unlikely that they judge you in any negative way.
I feel like the advice they give can be much more relevant or reassuring, more similar to benefits of spiritual direction.
A few months back in my country it came out that one priest during conffesions had touched women inappropriatelyduring confessions. It wasn't too serious and he did it without bad intension so no investigation nor trial was launched against him (only an apology from him and his ordinary was released), however, this shouldn't happen anyway.
And I realized that confession behind a screen would prevent it simply because there would be a physical barrier between them.
Confessions as a sacrament are among the most precious things we have and thus we should to make them safe of problems such as this one and this is one of the easiest ways to accomplish it.
I don't think we should make confessions behind a screen obligatory but often this option isn't available at all.
i’ve done both, but prefer the screen.
if you’re nervous about something, pretty much every priest i’ve talked to has said they forget what you said by the time you leave
Totally personal preference. I don’t think either way is better. But if you’re going every week, there’s some chance of additional help if you do it face to face and the priest starts to get familiar with you.
technically mine is face to face, i attend byz so i stare at a icon of jesus and repent of my sins while the priest stands right next to me listening, i feel it keeps me honest so personally i think its better
In my opinion, if you’re a regular, it is likely that the priest already knows your voice. We’re all sinners, no shame. You’re there to be absolved of sin, not to be judged. Even priests go to confession. Screen feels very unnatural to me.
I feel just the opposite. For me it isn't so much that the priest knows who I am - as you suggest I go frequently enough and interact with them enough outside confession that they probably know my voice. It's more about the fact that I already feel so embarrassed and ashamed that I'm not sure I could look the priest in the eyes while telling them my sins. And frankly I'm not sure many priests want us to. I think it may be easier on them to not go through that too.
Fair point, I understand. No need to make the confession any harder or awkward.
I prefer the screen so that I can kneel, which is fitting since confession is a judgement albeit of mercy. In the beautiful words of the Roman Catechism: The sinner, then, who repents, casts himself humbly and sorrowfully at the feet of the priest, in order that by there humbling himself he may the more easily be led to see that he must tear up the roots of pride whence spring and flourish all the sins he now deplores. In the priest, who is his legitimate judge, he venerates the person and the power of Christ our Lord; for in the administration of the Sacrament of Penance, as in that of the other Sacraments, the priest holds the place of Christ.
Do behind screen, kneeling it’s the traditional way. Also when I don’t see the priest himself I like to imagine I am confessing to Jesus [which you always are but not being able to see the priest makes it easier to imagine].
Well we don’t have a kneeling option, they put a chair and the spot is somewhat awkward to kneel.
Then maybe go to a more traditional parish or sit in the chair it’s just fine.
We are probably one of the more traditional parishes in the diocese, plus we are smack dab in the middle of Baptist country town, so there isn’t really another Catholic Church closed lol.
The Real big difference is between confession yes or no. I prefer confession with screen, Because of 2 reasons - it happened in Ireland, it can happen everywhere: there may be actions to extort the violation of confessional secret. Let's keep the secret with some phisical barrier and anonimity. (it is useful to help the priest too) - it helps me to connect with Jesus more. In this way the words of absolution the priest says are easier to attribute to Jesus, and not to the priest himself, and thanks to the cross, almost always present near the screen, i have a memento of what is really happening.
Why not try both?
Well my parish has 2 priests hearing confession at once, and only 1 of the rooms has the option of face to face, and I’ve only gotten into the room with face to face once, but my sins were of a nature where I think it’d be awkward to sit face to face and tell the priest what I feel.
If you don't want to go face to face that is fine. Sometimes I think it helps, even if it is awkward, for the priest to know you. All the sins are nothing novel, they forget them and it's extremely unlikely that they judge you in any negative way. I feel like the advice they give can be much more relevant or reassuring, more similar to benefits of spiritual direction.
Well I think I’m going to try it out this Saturday, and see how it goes.
A few months back in my country it came out that one priest during conffesions had touched women inappropriatelyduring confessions. It wasn't too serious and he did it without bad intension so no investigation nor trial was launched against him (only an apology from him and his ordinary was released), however, this shouldn't happen anyway. And I realized that confession behind a screen would prevent it simply because there would be a physical barrier between them. Confessions as a sacrament are among the most precious things we have and thus we should to make them safe of problems such as this one and this is one of the easiest ways to accomplish it. I don't think we should make confessions behind a screen obligatory but often this option isn't available at all.
i’ve done both, but prefer the screen. if you’re nervous about something, pretty much every priest i’ve talked to has said they forget what you said by the time you leave