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Feature News | Saturday, March 20, 2021

COVID confessionals

Pastors get creative to adapt to the ‘new normal’ caused by the pandemic

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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.

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."

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.

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.

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.

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