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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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.