Priest trades privacy for peace of mind Long Valley church brings confession into the open

The Newark Starledger ^ | 8.25.02

[Coleus]

A handpainted slogan above the entrance to St. Luke Church in Long Valley quotes not the Gospel but the Broadway musical "Oliver!"

The lobby features large rocking chairs and a closed-circuit television for nursing mothers who don't want to interrupt Mass, signs for the church's big fund-raiser and for the parish shrink, a local psychologist.

[Coleus]

Sounds like a good policy, somewhat akin to the Boy Scouts, Youth Protection policy, never be alone with a youth or put yourself in a position where an accusation can be made.

It's too bad the Church had to resort to these measures but they brought it on to themselves. Now a lot of good priests will be affected.

[Coleus]

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[Mike Fieschko]

I remember a photo which ran in the New York Times in 1980 when Solidarity was fighting for legal recognition. It was from overhead, far away, looking down on a large open, empty, area in the Lenin Shipyard. The only people were a priest, sitting, and a penitent kneeling next to him.

I've never forgotten that image.

[Cicero]

For those who may not be aware of the history of confession, the private confessional booth was not introduced into church architecture until the sixteenth century in Italy, under the influence of Cardinal Charles Borromeo, and in France and most other countries European countries not until after the middle of the seventeenth century. In the middle ages, priests were seated in the front of the church and the congregation took turns to kneel in front of them to confess.

As long as the matter of the confession is kept private and the words are not overheard, there's no problem with this.

[BlackVeil]

Nice historical background. I believe that in the Eastern Orthodox churches, confession has never been in confessionals. Instead, one kneels beside the priest, and he puts his stole on the penitents head - is that still so?

[Arthur McGowan]

There is also no reason that, if people want to use the grille, they have to kneel. There is no reason they couldn't use a chair, especially the elderly who have difficulty kneeling. I know elderly people who do not want to go face-to-face, but are forced to because they cannot kneel.

[heartwood]

I guess people who have sins that it really hurts to confess, that cause them great grief and shame, are going to have to visit and old-fashioned church with confessionals, rather than risk a public breakdown.

My own pastor was very wise and comforting when I sought counselling after I miscarried two babies. The female pastoral associate bereavement counsellor was all professionally acquired sincerity and credentials - and of no help to me at least - and suggested a book full of paganism "but it's by a nun!" If I'd had to stick with her because my pastor was afraid to see me, I wouldn't be a Catholic now.

Honestly, I think this guy is a jerk. Priests are risking their lives in dangerous places around the world, and he won't trust his flock in New Jersey.

[Coleus]

A nun writing about paganism? Wow, I've heard there were a lot of crazy activist nuns out there but this takes the cake.

There are many people out there who are jumping on the bandwagon and are making accusations so they can collect out-of-court settlements, $$$, they want the money. Also, there are unstable people who aren't in a proper frame of mind and make up stories. So, this priest is being cautious; it's the people and the lawsuits which prompted him to make that decision.

I guess many priests will now counsel people in rooms with windows.

I hope you are doing better.

[Coleus]

Yep, a priest can hear confessions anywhere and in any position. In times of war they were out there on the battlefields.

[Vince Ferrer]

Although this may be getting much more popular because of the scandals, it isn't new. It has been the common practice for many of the churches I have attended for decades.

Now a lot of good priests will be affected.

The good priests will be eager to implement anything like this that will restore their reputation. Note that this is being implemented voluntarily, from the bottom up, not being forced from the top down. The good priests who haven't been heard from much in this are now being heard from in many subtle ways. Every reform these priests make creates an uncomfortable choice for the predators. Either go along and implement the changes, and cut off access to your victims, or don't change, and no longer be able to hide.

[crazykatz]

Yes, that is correct. There are no "booths" in the O.C. An O.C. Priest told me that there never were any in that Church.

[yendu bwam]

In moving beyond the policies adopted by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops in June, St. Luke joins a handful of parishes and dioceses across the country in taking extraordinary measures to make sure that a priest is not alone with a parishioner behind closed doors.

The truth is that our children (especially our teenage sons) cannot be assured to be safe in the company of a Catholic priest. This fact is a stunning indictment of the Church, its policy toward children, and its inability to follow its own Christian creed. This kind of policy (as you point out, bearing some similarity to the Boy Scout anti-homosexual-molestation policy) is a step on the right path. In addition, though, priests should be banned from being alone with kids in rectories on retreats, on trips, etc. etc. The best policy would be to de-queerize the Church, squash the glamorization of homosexuality and homosexual conduct in the Church, put in priests who are real men.

[yendu bwam]

Priests are risking their lives in dangerous places around the world, and he won't trust his flock in New Jersey.

Let's see. My son attends a NJ Catholic school where the past pastor raped and sodomized 6 teenage boys (hundreds of times) over a period of years. My bishop has overlooked several cases of teenage boy rape by Catholic priests - including by one of his best friends. My older son will be attending a Catholic school which has had two homosexual priests in the past who preyed on teenage boys. The former head of Seton Hall Boys School (in NJ) and his priest friend were just arrested (while the Pope was in Toronto) for having solicited sex from a 14-year boy prostitute. My gay organist friend even tells me that my sons are not safe in the company of priests in NJ. I think I disagree TOTALLY with you. Safety of children should come FIRST - not LAST in our Sodomite Catholic Church. My sons are many times safer in the Boy Scouts than in the Catholic Church. The Church should learn from the Boy Scouts and implement policies, such as the above, which help prevent sexual molestation in the first place.

[yendu bwam]

The good priests will be eager to implement anything like this that will restore their reputation. Note that this is being implemented voluntarily, from the bottom up, not being forced from the top down. The good priests who haven't been heard from much in this are now being heard from in many subtle ways. Every reform these priests make creates an uncomfortable choice for the predators. Either go along and implement the changes, and cut off access to your victims, or don't change, and no longer be able to hide.

You're right. Good priests will welcome these changes, so that parents can allow them to have appropriate contact with their children. In the absence of (very) secure preventive measures, I will never allow my sons to be alone with a Catholic priest.

[Canticle_of_Deborah]

I guess I'll be the voice of dissent on this thread. I will never go to an "open" confessional. I think I've gone face to face maybe once in my life and that was when I was very young. I'm just a very private person by nature and I don't need other people staring at me through windows or straining to "hear the gossip" and that will happen, I guarantee you. It's human nature. I suspect many other people feel the same way. Unless they bring back the confessional boxes this will keep a lot of people from the Sacrament. I really believe it.

[SuziQ]

There is also no reason that, if people want to use the grille, they have to kneel.

In our Confessional Room there is a chair behind the screen if the Penitent wants to sit, as well as a chair facing the Priest's chair if you prefer face to face confession.

Lately, when our Parish has had Penance Services before Christmas and Easter, the Parish brings in several Priests from neighboring towns, and the Priests station themselves at the 'corners' of the Sanctuary and Altar. Folks go to the Priest and sit in a chair facing him. The conversation is low, so no one else hears. It has worked out well for our Parish. There is never an overly huge crowd, but all those who want to receive the Sacrament are able to do so. There are Scripture readings and songs as well, so it is a Prayer Service with the availability of receiving the Sacramement.

[Coleus]

I did not state that I was in favor of this, I just posted the article which I saw in my local paper for informational purposes. I, too, like the private way with a screen and a kneeler. I've gone face to face a few times, if you go to your parish priest, I'm sure he knows who you are by recognizing your voice and I'm sure they really don't care what you did.

Those old confessionals were in the open as well. It was a little area with curtains and a priest in the middle, the top was open,etc.. I think it's only in the newer churches where they confessionals are rooms with a real door that closes. In my church they use the cry room which is not too soundproof either.

But priests now have to watch out for themselves to prevent false accusations. Doctors do it with their female patients, they usually have a female member of their staff come in when the woman is undressed or when certain procedures or screenings are performed. They have been doing this for years, as well as the Boy Scouts with their youth protection guidelines.

[PropheticZero]

I'm not Catholic, but it was my understanding that confession wasn't the situation that posed the greatest risk of molestation of an innocent child. One person told me, which makes since atleast to me, that it was because compared to like a baptist church, children are active in the church services more. So theres more opportunities for children to be alone with the priest, compared to a baptist church like I grew up where we went to sunday school as a group, went to church with my family. To tell the truth I can't remember one time where I was completely alone with an adult other than my parents. How does this compare with most catholics experiences? Is there more opportunities to be alone or is this not the source of the problem.

I would think a routine check of those booths like they show in the movie would let you know there weren't any shinnangins going on, atleast int he booths themselves. The ones where all theere is is the grill to speak through seem pretty harmless to me, theological issues aside.