By Ana Rodriguez Soto - The Archdiocese of Miami
The original COVID-19 confessional at San Isidro Church in Pompano Beach. At the regularly scheduled times on the weekend, ushers stood at a distance ready with disinfectant and sanitized towels so that as each penitent came forward and left, the confessional was sanitized. The confessor remained safely on the inside part of the church while the penitents sat in the open air.
The current COVID-19 confessional at San Isidro Church in Pompano Beach, with Father Wilfredo Contreras in the picture. The confessional has now moved inside the chapel but an usher still disinfects the penitent's side after each confession.
At St. Ambrose in Deerfield Beach, penitents drive up to the covering over the entrance to the chapel, where a priest hears their confession.
Confessions are currently being held outdoors at St. Boniface Church in Pembroke Pines, with the priest and penitent socially distant, wearing masks and sometimes even behind a plexiglass barrier.
Confessions are currently being held outdoors at St. Boniface Church in Pembroke Pines, with the priest and penitent socially distant, wearing masks and sometimes even behind a plexiglass barrier.
This is a modification made for those seeking a face-to-face confession at St. Edward Parish in Pembroke Pines. According to facilities manager Duane Meece, an issue originally encountered was that some penitents would speak a little too softly to be heard, and when asked to repeat, some would briefly lower their mask out of habit. "This portable, collapsible divider provides ongoing protection for both clergy and the penitent in such situations. Utilizing a more open environment versus a smaller room also aides in reducing any risk of COVID-19 exposure."
Socially distanced seats, outdoors, for those awaiting confession are one of the new features at St. Maximilian Kolbe Church in Pembroke Pines.
Confessions at St. Maximilian Kolbe Church in Pembroke Pines now take place in the narthex by the main entrance to the church. This system of red and green lights tells penitents when someone is with the priest, so people don't knock and interrupt the confession. The door is always locked and penitents wait outside until the priest opens it for them.
Confessions at St. Maximilian Kolbe Church in Pembroke Pines now take place in the narthex by the main entrance to the church. Those who want to confess face-to-face sit at a distance from the priest; the others can confess behind a screen that also protects both priest and penitent.
Not exactly a confessional, but this portable barrier is being used at Corpus Christi Church in Miami for Communion, to keep both the priest - in this case the pastor, Father Jose Luis Menendez - and the communicant protected.
Sitting behind a screen, Father Christopher Marino, rector at St. Mary Cathedral, hears confessions outside of the front door of the cathedral March 25, 2020. He used a cell phone to be able to communicate without shouting due to the distance between himself and the penitent. A few days later, a directive from the Holy See, however, banned the use of cell phones due to concerns about security gaps or electronic eavesdropping that would conflict with the “absolute inviolability of the confessional seal.” (MARLENE QUARONI | FC)
Father Richard Vigoa hears confessions in St. Augustine Church's parking lot March 26, 2020. A day later, a directive from the Holy See banned the use of cell phones due to concerns about security gaps or electronic eavesdropping that would conflict with the “absolute inviolability of the confessional seal.” (MARLENE QUARONI | FC)
Father Antonio Tupiza hears a confession in the kiosk area of St. Rose of Lima Church, Miami Shores, March 28, 2020. A year later, priests in the archdiocese continue to hear confessions while following social distancing measures to protect themselves and parishioners against COVID-19. (MARLENE QUARONI | FC)
Photography: COURTESY
MIAMI | When the world shut down a year ago this month, everyone had to adapt to a “new normal.” The Church was no different.
Churches closed but the work of the Church continued. Priests began celebrating Mass in front of cameras, quickly pivoting to livestreams on social media platforms such as Facebook and YouTube.
Confessions were trickier, given the need to hear them in person. Even then, creativity reigned. Drive-through confessions became popular, although the Vatican quickly shut down the use of cellphones to help priests hear penitents’ words while sitting at a distance and outdoors.
Photographer: COURTESY
This is a modification made for those seeking a face-to-face confession at St. Edward Parish in Pembroke Pines. According to facilities manager Duane Meece, an issue originally encountered was that some penitents would speak a little too softly to be heard, and when asked to repeat, some would briefly lower their mask out of habit. "This portable, collapsible divider provides ongoing protection for both clergy and the penitent in such situations. Utilizing a more open environment versus a smaller room also aides in reducing any risk of COVID-19 exposure."
Nevertheless, pastors found a way. So the Florida Catholic thought it would be fun to gather a sampling of “COVID confessionals” to highlight that sacramental “new normal.”
Some churches have stuck to the outdoors. St. Ambrose Parish in Deerfield Beach continues drive-through confessions, with priests standing near the penitent’s car. At St. Boniface in Pembroke Pines, priest and penitent sit outdoors, masked and distanced and sometimes even separated by a plexiglass barrier.
Others have created indoor confessionals adapted for pandemic times. At San Isidro in Pompano Beach, ushers stand at the ready to wipe down and disinfect the penitent’s side of a wooden partition after each confession. It’s an adaptation of the parish’s early pandemic confessional, with the priest sitting inside the threshold of the church and the penitent outside.
“You brought memories of the early days of the pandemic,” said San Isidro’s pastor, Father Wilfredo Contreras, in response to the Florida Catholic’s request for photographs. “At the regularly scheduled times on the weekend, we had ushers standing at a distance ready with disinfectant and sanitized towels so that as each penitent came forward and left, the confessional on the penitent side was sanitized immediately. The confessor remained safely on the inside part of the church, hearing confessions from within.”
“It worked for quite some time,” Father Contreras said.
With the easing of restrictions, he moved the confessional into the chapel “because it has wide space.” People now line up outside the chapel doors, social distancing and wearing masks until their turn for confession arrives. But same as before, the ushers immediately come in and disinfect after each penitent.
At St. Maximilian Kolbe in Pembroke Pines, confessions take place in the narthex by the main entrance to the church. Those who want to confess face-to-face sit at a distance from the priest; the others can confess behind a screen that also protects both priest and penitent. Penitents wait outside the entrance to the church for the priest to unlock the door and let them in. A green or red light on the glass doors lets them know not to knock and interrupt a confession.
At Our Lady of the Lakes in Miami Lakes, the solution is low-tech: A see-through shower curtain hung from a frame on wheels. "It's cheap and practical," said the parish administrator, Father Flavio Montes, noting that the confessional has the added benefit of being totally portable.
Want to check out your own parish’s “COVID confessional”? Take part in the sacrament of reconciliation this Lenten season. Because the pandemic is not over, Reconciliation Weekend won’t be taking place this year, but many pastors have extended their hours for confession. Days and times are posted on every church’s website and on the archdiocesan one as well. Find the nearest parish at miamiarch.org.
And if you want to send us a picture, we’ll be glad to add it to the slideshow that appear along with this story.
Photographer: COURTESY
Confessions are currently being held outdoors at St. Boniface Church in Pembroke Pines, with the priest and penitent socially distant, wearing masks and sometimes even behind a plexiglass barrier.
