What is "anonymous" confession?
The short answer
Confessing anonymously means kneeling behind a privacy screen rather than speaking face to face with the priest. It was the standard way to confess before the rubrics were revised, and every Catholic church must still offer the choice of a screen or face to face.
Behind the screen
You confess anonymously when you kneel behind a privacy screen instead of facing the priest.
Then and now
For decades before the sacramental rubrics were revised, this was the normal way of going to confession. Even after the revision, all Catholic churches must give people the option of confessing face to face or from behind a screen.
Continue exploring
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- As a Protestant, may I confess my sins to a priest to stay focused on the Lord?Q&A
- Can confession be made online?Q&A
- Can mortal sins be forgiven without confession?Q&A