[frogjerk]

My Church has a reconciliation room with a screen. You can choose to confess either thru the screen or face to face with the priest. It is a nice room(s) and the option is excellent. The only negative thing that I can think of about the booth is some unscrupulous people thru the ages have used it as an occasion of calumny against innocent priests (like Padre Pio). But I would not get rid of the booth for that fact. I go to confession in an older church in NY from time to time and it has the booth. Either one is fine with me and I also prefer the screen!

[wombtotomb]

I prefer the screen, but for another reason. The sacrament is taking place between me and God. The priest is acting in place of Christ (In Persona Christi). I find it distracting seeing someone in front of me when I confess. I feel much more as though it is between God and me when a voice is before me, not a human being. I can close my eyes, bow my head, and allow myself to feel my contrition in a way I find it difficult to when in a conversation.