Our Catholic bishop went to work as a substitute priest on Indian reservations after he retired. He held communal confession ceremonies because his time at each location was limited to an hour or two. He'd ask people to write their sins down on a piece of paper, acknowledging what they'd done that was wrong. Then he took the unread papers and threw them into a bonfire, and gave a blessing and absolution to all the people, telling them to go in peace because their sins were forgiven. I thought that was a good way to do it, but it isn't approved by the Central Office. This bishop was eighty years old and didn't care what Central Office thought. But most priests are careful to make confession an opportunity for healing.

I know one priest who hears kids' confessions in plain sight in the church, but in a corner where nobody can hear - and people can see that he is smiling and supportive and not being harsh at all.

The practice of confession should be a healthy thing - acknowledging where we've failed and then letting go of it. But yeah, there are some church people who abuse the practice. They should burn in hell.

-Joe-