History Main / Confessional

* ''Series/ForeverKnight''. In an episode which follows the 'priest hears a confession to an upcoming murder' plot, Nick is staking out a confessional. Schanke (his partner) goes into the other side, confesses, and figures out that Nick's on the other side. Nick maintains the perfect Irish accent and reiterates his command to say his Hail Marys.

* ''Series/PrisonBreak'' has guilt-ridden Scofield visit a confessional once in the second season, to work out how much responsibility he has for the crimes that the people he helped escape will doubtlessly commit in the future.
* ''Series/{{Seinfeld}}'': Jerry only visits a confessional to complain about the dentist who converted to Judaism purely so he could make Jewish jokes.
-->'''Priest:''' And this offends you as a Jewish person?\\
'''Jerry:''' No! It offends me as a ''comedian!''
* ''Series/{{MASH}}'' did it a lot without the actual physical confessional, since their Catholic chaplain was a major character and the structure would have been difficult to keep Mobile. Notable instances included the crisis of conscience over disclosing the location of stolen medical supplies. In at least one circumstance, Mulcahy did violate the seal of the confessional, at least technically. In the situation of a soldier who confessed to stealing a dead comrade's identity so that he could go home, Fr. Mulcahy gathered up the dead soldier's letters to give to the trooper to nudge his conscience in the right direction. In real life, he could not even have done that, as any indication outside of the confessional of what was confessed without the penitent first bringing it up is forbidden.
* On ''Series/ThirtyRock'', Jack (an ''extremely'' lapsed Catholic who hasn’t set foot in a church in years except for weddings and funerals) steps into a confessional purely to please his extremely religious girlfriend. He ends up spilling his guts about a variety of {{Noodle Incident}}s and {{Continuity Nod}}s. The priest is... overwhelmed.

* On one episode of ''Series/QuantumLeap'', a small time mafia hood finds out that the local priest was a Vietnam war veteran... and he wants to kill him because the priest was to be a witness against the hood in the trial. He attempts to shoot the priest in the confessional, but Sam took the priest's place and escapes with a minor wound.
* An episode of ''Series/PoltergeistTheLegacy'' had a priest break the secret of the confession of murders and future ones, leading to the killer's arrest and execution. It was justified by stating that the killer didn't actually repent (making his absolution impossible), and was merely trying to "buy" his way out of hell. It didn't work.

* An Immortal confessed an ''extremely'' long lifetime of sins on one ''Series/{{Highlander}}'' episode. He doesn't seem particularly repentant, and when he's done, [[RefugeInAudacity he steals from the poor box and confesses for that, too]].
* In the ''Series/{{Lost}}'' episode "The Moth," Charlie confesses his rock star excesses, such as having "relations" with two women and then watching while they had "relations" with each other.
* The British comedy series ''Series/BlessMeFather'' played with this several times (hardly surprising since the subject matter was Catholic priests). In one particularly notable episode, however, the young curate Father Neil Boyd informs the parish priest Father Duddleswell (played by Arthur Lowe of Dad's Army fame) that the confessionals in the church are not entirely soundproof. Father Duddleswell agrees to invest in new confessionals and a new microphone system at the same time. When hearing the confession of an adulteress after Mass, however, he forgets to remove the microphone from around his neck. HilarityEnsues...

* In ''Series/PushingDaisies'', Ned unburdens to a priest in "Bad Habits."
* The final episode of ''Series/{{Passions}}'' has Tabitha confessing ''each and every one'' of her sins so that Father Lonagan can baptize her. Endora speeds it up for everyone.
* ''Series/{{Oz}}''. The confession booth consists of Father Mukada sitting on a bench facing one way, while the confessor sits facing the other way (presumably an enclosed confession booth would have the potential for all kinds of mischief in a prison. [[note]]Even outside of prisons such an arrangement is not uncommon, sometimes being used at churches in extraordinary circumstances such as penance services where a large number of confessors and penitents need to be accommodated, or due to the preference of a particular priest. Such arrangements are always carefully located as far out of earshot as is practical.[[/note]] One comedic situation occurs when Mukada realizes the penitent sitting behind him asking about the Eucharist (eating the body of Christ) is a notorious inmate who killed and ate his parents. A more serious incident is when Chris Keller admits to being a SerialKiller. A shocked Mukada says he can absolve his crimes, but Keller must confess to the authorities to show God he is truly repentant. Keller won't, so Mukada refuses to absolve him.
*** Which is forbidden, by the way. A priest can no more compel the penitent to divulge the contents of the confession to someone else as a condition of absolution than he can break the seal of confession himself. Breaking the seal of confession is an offense that incurs an automatic excommunication for the priest.
** While traveling on a prison bus, the sister of a crime boss casually tells Father Mukada that she's planning to ask her brother to do something nasty to her husband. Mukada tries to explain that when he's not in confessional, anything she might say to him is definitely ''not'' confidential.
* The opening scene of ''Series/{{Brimstone}}'' uses the confessional as exposition that the protagonist has been brought back from the dead to hunt down 113 souls who have escaped from Hell. When the priest demands to know why he's telling this ridiculous story, the protagonist says: "Oh I think you know." (The priest is one of the 113).

* BBC's recent ''Casanova'' series had a hilarious scene where Casanova reels off his many sins. He starts off just confessing to wanting money so his could marry his TrueLove but he keeps [[NoodleIncident referring to many]] "adventures" until the priest has a heart attack. Yes, even that's played for laughs [[spoiler:Casanova saves his life, and the priest repays him by making him his heir. [[TearJerker It goes downhill from there...]]]]
* ''Series/TheEqualizer''. In "The Cup" a Polish terrorist confesses to the planned assassination of a Soviet diplomat, then is gunned down on the steps of the church. The priest tries to avert the assassination without revealing how he came to the knowledge. At one stage [=McCall=] and Kostmeyer (the priest's brother, who knows ''something'' is wrong but not what) ask another priest what someone in that situation could do if they found out about, say, a bomb in a theatre. The priest says: "He could ring the fire alarm, but couldn't tell anyone why. He shouldn't even let anyone see him doing it."
* ''Series/{{Wiseguy}}''. Undercover cop Vinnie Terranova has a brother, Pete, who is a Catholic priest, so naturally the 'confession to an impending murder plot' is used. Pete loses his temper when Vinnie accuses him of leading a sheltered life and partly reveals the confession, then clams up. Vinnie has to avert the murder, and later save his brother from an assassin who tries to shoot him during confession.
* One episode of ''Series/{{Privileged}}'' ends with Sage going to confessional and claiming that [[spoiler:it's her fault her parents died.]]
* In ''Series/GossipGirl'', one of the episodes starts with Blair at confession. Her sin? [[spoiler:Sleeping with Chuck Bass.]] The priest is appropriately bemused.
* ''Series/{{Leverage}}'' uses this in "The Miracle Job" when Nate enters the confessional (wrong way 'round) with his former priest to discuss both the con he's trying to pull and his grief over the death of his son. When the priest steps out, the mark's beleaguered assistant steps in... putting Nate (still in the priest's side of the confessional) in the right position to sway him into exposing the mark's plans.
* ''Series/WhoseLineIsItAnyway'' once does a World's Worst sketch for the world's worst priest or rabbi. Ryan Stiles shows how such a priest would behave in confession.
--> '''Ryan:''' I understand you slept with three women. ''[aside whisper]'' He slept with three women!
** The UK series also had a World's Worst person to take confession. Examples included Colin Mocherie having been listening to headphones the whole time, Greg Proops [[DirtyOldMan asking for more details]], and Ryan casually cooking a burger during the conversation.

* Scully is seen going to confession in ''Series/TheXFiles'', most notably in the episode "All Souls".
* One second-season episode of ''Series/VeronicaMars'' has Logan and Weevil trying to convince Veronica to bug a confessional, as they're convinced that the priest is involved with a drug ring. She refuses, but agrees -- with reservations -- to plant a camera with no mic, so they can see if any drugs are being handed off. [[note]]Interestingly, she showed no compunctions about bugging therapy sessions a season earlier, nor any prior indication of being particularly religious, so it's a little surprising that she'd have qualms here...[[/note]]
* ''Series/{{SCTV}}'' did an Italian movie parody where the protagonist, in a fantasy where he's (unsuccessfully) trying an extramarital affair, goes to confession. It's been fifteen years, and he warns there'll be some major sins, but it boils down to him "lying to my mother a couple of times...that's about it." The priest gestures for him to lean in, then socks him in the nose, telling him to have some ''good'' sins next time.
* ''Series/TheBorgias'', being set at the height of Renaissance Italy, naturally has a few confessional scenes. The first one involves Giulia Farnese seducing the new Pope, Rodrigo Borgia -- by confessing to her abortion of her unwanted child. Repeat after me; ItMakesSenseInContext.
* In ''Series/EverybodyLovesRaymond'', troubled by [[SarcasmMode unaccountable feelings of rage and angry hostility towards his parents]], Ray Barone takes a deep breath and goes to Confession for the first time in twenty years. He is surprised his confession takes the form of a quiet face-to-face in the priest's office[[note]]this is the modern approach adopted by the Church[[/note]] and asks what happened to the booths. After discussing the tricky one about loving and honoring thy father and mother, the priest adds two and two and realizes the parents who are hard to love are Frank and Marie Barone. The priest immediately, absolutely and unconditionally absolves Ray of all sin. [[note]]The same priest later tries group family therapy on the whole Barone family. It is a complete disaster. [[/note]].
* ''Series/Daredevil2015'': The first shot of present-day Matt in season 1 is of him in Confessional with [[GoodShepherd Father Lantom]], trying to justify his vigilantism. Several times throughout the series they speak outside the confessional, and Father Lantom reminds him that the seal of confession still holds.
* ''Series/TheDefenders2017'': The first episode sees Matt, after doing a lunch interview with Karen, visit confessional with Father Lantom. The scene here is done to establish that Matt has temporarily given up Daredevil activities out of guilt over Elektra's death in the season 2 finale of ''Daredevil''.
* In the ''Series/LawAndOrder'' episode "The Collar," a priest is murdered in the confessional booth. It turns out the target was meant to be his colleague Father Evans, who has communicated with the suspect. The police try to persuade Evans to testify, but he argues that [[ConfessInConfidence the Seal of Confession]] applies-- although technically the suspect never asked for forgiveness, so it's a gray area. In the end, he [[spoiler:decides to testify about the suspect's confession and defrocks himself after the trial]], causing a bit of angst for Jack McCoy.
* The ''Series/LawAndOrderUK'' episode appropriately titled "Confession" (based on the [[Series/LawAndOrder original series]] episode "Bad Faith") concludes with DS Matt Devlin sitting outside of one of these, trying to work up the nerve to go in, and admitting to his partner Ronnie that hasn't been to confession in 20 years. The backstory of the episode's plot explains why he's become disillusioned with his faith--his friend (and others) were molested by the local parish priest when they were children. Whether Matt was a victim as well is left ambiguous.
* Dr. Chase on ''Series/{{House}}'', in [=S06E06=], "Brave Heart", confesses to killing the African dictator Dibala, who had come to the U.S. for treatment a few episodes prior (by falsifying blood test results and leading the rest of the team to treat him for something else while the actual illness killed him). Chase still believes that he did the right thing, in that the dictator had shown signs of being genocidal, but the priest he confesses to refuses to grant him absolution unless he turns himself in to the authorities.
* ''Series/{{Taboo}}'': Ibbotson confesses his complicity in James's gunpowder plot to the local priest. Subverted since the priest turns out to be on the payroll of the East India Company. [[spoiler:Ibbotsen's body is subsequently left behind for the corrupt priest to find.]]

* ''Series/JaneTheVirgin'' {{parodie|dTrope}}s this trope in the ShowWithinAShow, ''The Passions of Santos'':
-->'''Penitent (a [[NaughtyNuns nun]]):''' Bless me father, for I have sinned. I have had impure thoughts.
-->'''[[SexyPriest Priest]]:''' So have I.
-->''[they emerge from the booth and make out]''

* ''Series/JaneTheVirgin'' {{parodie|dTrope}}s this trope in the ShowWithinAShow, ''The Passions of Santos'':
-->'''Penitent (a [[NaughtyNuns nun]]):''' Bless me father, for I have sinned. I have had impure thoughts.
-->'''[[SexyPriest Priest]]:''' So have I.
-->''[they emerge from the booth and make out]''

* In the manga ''Fist of the Blue Sky'', which is a prequel to ''Manga/FistOfTheNorthStar'', the priest at the local CorruptChurch is only too happy to dole out forgiveness in his confessional in exchange for fat stacks of cash. Unfortunately for him, the protagonist considers his behavior to negate the protection of clergy.

* Hyperion seeks guidance from a priest in a confessional in ''ComicBook/SupremePower''. The priest's words give him an epiphany... Causing him to storm the US Army base he was kept in before he was assigned a foster family, looking for answers. This was so awesome for the way it ended: ''"You've got this weird tan, father!"'' -- Hyperion's [[EyeBeams "flash vision"]] had flared up briefly during the confession, giving the priest tan lines in the pattern of the booth's screen.
* Subverted in the original ''ComicBook/SinCity'' in which Marv confesses, but it turns out the priest is someone he is looking for and so he interrogates the priest and then kills him. In the movie, played by author Creator/FrankMiller. [[DeathByCameo He's in heaven with his whores now]].

* In ''ComicBook/ThePunisher'' story arc ''[[ComicBook/ThePunisherWelcomeBackFrank Welcome Back, Frank'', a priest snaps and turns into a brutal vigilante killer from hearing ''way'' too many people ''bragging'' about their sins rather than confessing them.

** In one feature showing what the comics would look like if L'Osservatore Romano had a comics page (i.e. Catholic-themed versions of many strips) ComicBook/{{Superman}} darts into a confessional to change, but the priest who's inside [[CovertPervert is more interested in hearing about his "impure thoughts" regarding Lois Lane]].

* Used rather badly in the 1994 film ''[[Film/{{Priest1994}} Priest]]''. A great moral conflict is created when someone reveals to a priest in a confessional booth that he is committing, and has every intention of continuing to commit, a heinous and disgusting crime. From that point on, the priest is deeply conflicted about whether to reveal this information to the police. The only problem is that the seal of the confessional does not apply in this situation. The [[ConfessInConfidence seal of the confessional]] applies to all sacramental confessions, and to sacramental confessions only, regardless of where the priest hears them. Note to future criminals: if you go into a confessional booth and tell the priest that you have perpetrated a crime, intend to perpetrate the crime again, are not sorry or remorseful at all, and are not seeking any advice or counsel, that priest ''has every canonical right to turn you in to the police''.

* In ''Film/{{Dracula 2000}}'', Mina [[spoiler:Van Helsing]] goes to see a priest who is an old childhood friend, to confess the weird dreams she's been having about a strange man [[spoiler:Dracula]] and to ask about her mother's dying confession. [[spoiler:The original Abraham Van Helsing is her father, and since he's been using Dracula's blood to live this long, she's part vampire as well.]]

-->"You can't confess by remote control! Now out! Get out!"

-->'''Priest:''' I took a vow of peace, and now you want me to help you kill all these men?
-->'''Machete:''' Yes, bro. I mean, Father.
-->'''Priest:''' ...I'll see what I can do.

* In the ''{{Film/Daredevil}}'' movie, Murdock goes to church and tries to confess the sins he has committed as a vigilante. The priest denies him absolution on the grounds that he isn't truly repentant, he's just going to put the suit on again and sin some more, and that what Matthew is ''really'' asking for is permission to keep beating the crap out of criminals. The priest does refrain from turning him into the cops for vigilantism, though.

-->Priest: [sprinting from confessional] "I NEED BACK-UP!!"

* An Immortal confessed an ''extremely'' long lifetime of sins on one ''Series/{{Highlander}}'' episode. He doesn't seem particularly repentant, and when he's done, [[RefugeInAudacity he steals from the poor box and confesses for that, too.]]

* The British comedy series ''Series/BlessMeFather'' played with this several times (hardly surprising since the subject matter was Catholic priests). In one particularly notable episode, however, the young curate Father Neil Boyd informs the parish priest Father Duddleswell (played by Arthur Lowe of Dad's Army fame) that the confessionals in the church are not entirely soundproof. Father Duddleswell agrees to invest in new confessionals and a new microphone system at the same time. When hearing confession the confession of an adulteress after Mass, however, he forgets to remove the microphone from around his neck. HilarityEnsues...

--> '''Ryan:''' I understand you slept with three women. ''(aside whisper)'' He slept with three women!

* ''Series/{{Daredevil 2015}}'': The first shot of present-day Matt in season 1 is of him in Confessional with [[GoodShepherd Father Lantom]], trying to justify his vigilantism. Several times throughout the series they speak outside the confessional, and Father Lantom reminds him that the seal of confession still holds.

* ''Film/TheNewMutants'': Rahne goes to one in the chapel, confessing her sins there. However as there's no priest she just assigns herself the penance of saying ten Hail Marys.

* In the ''Series/LawAndOrder'' episode "The Collar," a priest is murdered in the confessional booth. It turns out the target was meant to be his colleague Father Evans, who has communicated with the suspect. The police try to persuade Evans to testify, but he argues that [[ConfessInConfidence the Seal of Confession]] applies-- although technically the suspect never asked for forgiveness, so it's a gray area. In the end, he [[spoiler:decides to testify about the suspect's confession and defrocks himself after the trial]], causing a bit of angst for [[RaisedCatholic Jack McCoy]]

* In ''[[{{Music/Gwar}} Phallus In Wonderland]]'', [[PedophilePriest Father Bohab]] chases an altar boy in and out of one like a cartoon. A group of journalists led by [[AntiHero Sleazy P Martini]] catch him with his pants down in more ways than one.

* In ''WesternAnimation/BigMouth'', Andrew goes to a Catholic church after being told that Jews feel guilt instead of shame, confessing that he [[ADateWithRosiePalms pleasured himself]] in his best friend's poolhouse. After being disappointed by the answer ("just do ten Hail Marys"), he ends up getting into a heated argument with the priest over religious stereotypes.

* In ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'', the Boys become hardcore Christians and frantically run to the confessional to confess after swearing...only to find the [[CoitusInterruptus priest inside (with) a woman.]] Disillusioned, they form their own church.

* In ''VideoGame/Outlast2'', you [[EnemyChatter find out]] where Lynn is held captive by hiding in a confessional.

* In ''VideoGame/Persona5'', once you unlock the church in Kanda, you can invite your fellow Phantom Thieves to confess in the confessional. This has a practical purpose, since it enables them to relearn skills that you've had them forget to make way for new ones.

** And then there's the joke about a man confessing to having recently committed a spectacular act of debauchery.
-->'''Priest:''' What kind of Catholic are you?\\
'''Man:''' I'm not any kind of Catholic.\\
'''Priest:''' Then why are you telling me this?\\
'''Man:''' I'm telling everybody!

* The entire plot of Ann Radcliffe's ''Literature/TheItalian'' hinges upon this trope--unsurprising, for a melodramatic (though well-written) Gothic romance/murder mystery.

* ''WesternAnimation/BeavisAndButthead Do America'', the pair mistake the confessional booths for lavatories, and accidentally take confessions, asking for details of the sins committed. They both get struck by lightning when they leave the church.

* The movie ''Film/HeavenHelpUs'', set at a Catholic high school, has TheBully advising the other boys on how to cut down on their penance by reducing the number of sins they confess to manageable but still believable levels, [[FromACertainPointOfView and then adding one lie to the list.]]

** In an earlier episode, played for laughs, as Francesca goes to confession to confess that she is going to commit the sin of lust by seducing Fraser. The exasperated priest points out that she can't keep confessing for sins she never commits (all of her attempts to seduce Fraser fail for various reasons, not least of all Fraser's tendency to flee due to his inability to handle Francesca's fowardness. On one occasion, he seizes on an excuse to ''[[RuleOfFunny jump off of a balcony]]'' to get away from her.

* ''Series/{{Oz}}''. The confession booth consists of Father Mukada sitting on a bench facing one way, while the confessor sits facing the other way (presumably an enclosed confession booth would have the potential for all kinds of mischief in a prison. [[note]]Even outside of prisons such an arrangement is not uncommon, sometimes being used at churches in extraordinary circumstances such as penance services where a large number of confessors and penitents need to be accommodated, or due to the preference of a particular priest. Such arrangements are always carefully located as far out of earshot as is practical.[[/note]] One comedic situation occurs when Mukada realises the penitent sitting behind him asking about the Eucharist (eating the body of Christ) is a notorious inmate who killed and ate his parents. A more serious incident is when Chris Keller admits to being a SerialKiller. A shocked Mukada says he can absolve his crimes, but Keller must confess to the authorities to show God he is truly repentant. Keller won't, so Mukada refuses to absolve him.

* In ''ComicBook/ThePunisher'' story arc "ComicBook/WelcomeBackFrank", a priest snaps and turns into a brutal vigilante killer from hearing ''way'' too many people ''bragging'' about their sins rather than confessing them.

* ''Film/TheGodfatherPartIII'' has Michael Corleone confessing his sins to a priest (Cardinal Lamberto, who later is elected Pope). The priest considers Michael so evil that this is what he has to say: ''"Your sins are terrible. It is just that you suffer. Your life could be redeemed, but I know you don't believe that. You will not change."'' Note that a precondition for the Sacrament of Confession is sincere sorrow and repentance, and willingness to change. A priest has the right to refuse absolution to someone who does not appear to be repentant. Pertaining to this, while the priest does chastise Michael for his lifetime of evil, Michael is visibly sorrowful for his sins, and the priest gives him absolution.

* The protagonist in Creator/OsamuTezuka's suspense thriller manga ''MW'' is a Catholic Priest who is wracked with guilt because he is unable to tell the police about the crimes that arch-villain Yuki Michio has confessed (read: bragged) to him about, including blackmail, robbery, murder, and a plot to steal an American chemical weapon and use it to destroy the world.
* ''Anime/MaiHime'': While the confession is given to a nun rather than a priest[[note]]for those who are unaware, a nun cannot validly hear confessions or bestow absolution, as she has not received the sacrament of Holy Orders[[/note]], Yukariko decides to hear Nao's[[note]]who has, among other things, posed as a child prostitute to rob perverts[[/note]] confession, and after a short time, runs away, screaming that she can't bear to hear any more.

[[folder:Web Comics]]

* The sequence in ''Manga/MahouSenseiNegima'' where the girls don't do any actual confessing and use it as an advice column. The sequence serves as a major source of humor because while the woman on the other side of the booth is an actual nun, she definitely isn't qualified and isn't supposed to be there in the first place; she was cleaning the confessional when someone got into the other side.

[[folder:Web Comics]]

* ''Film/TheGodfatherPartIII'' has Michael Corleone confessing his sins to a priest. The priest considers Michael so evil that this is what he has to say: ''"Your sins are terrible. It is just that you suffer. Your life could be redeemed, but I know you don't believe that. You will not change."'' Note that a precondition for the Sacrament of Confession is sincere sorrow and repentance, and willingness to change. A priest has the right to refuse absolution to someone who does not appear to be repentant. Pertaining to this, while the priest does chastise Michael for his lifetime of evil, Michael is visibly sorrowful for his sins, and the priest gives him absolution.

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]

[[folder:Fan Fiction]]

* Similarly, when James Bond goes into a confessional in Film/ForYourEyesOnly.
-->'''[[Creator/RogerMoore James Bond]]''': Forgive me Father for I have dinner.
-->'''Q''': (pulling back the curtain) That's putting it mildly 007.

--> '''Priest:''' And this offends you as a Jewish person?
--> '''Jerry:''' No! It offends me as a ''comedian!''
* ''Series/{{MASH}}'' did it a lot without the actual physical confessional, since their Catholic chaplain was a major character and the structure would have been difficult to keep Mobile. Notable instances included the crisis of conscience over disclosing the location of stolen medical supplies.
** In at least one circumstance, Mulcahy did violate the seal of the confessional, at least technically. In the situation of a soldier who confessed to stealing a dead comrade's identity so that he could go home, Fr. Mulcahy gathered up the dead soldier's letters to give to the trooper to nudge his conscience in the right direction. In real life, he could not even have done that, as any indication outside of the confessional of what was confessed without the penitent first bringing it up is forbidden.

--> '''Postal Dude:''' Bless me, Father, for I have ''really'' sinned. Really. I'm not kidding here. Big sinner. Yep.
--> '''Priest:''' Did you drop an offering in the box?
--> '''Postal Dude:''' Yes.
--> '''Priest:''' Then you are forgiven, my son. Next!

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[[folder:Fanfic]]
* In the ''Series/StarTrekVoyager'' SlashFic "[[http://tv.adult-fanfiction.org/story.php?no=1103 Confessions of a Talking Pig]]" the EMH is listening to various confessions as the priest in the Fair Haven holodeck program. When a penitent confesses to having sex with 7 of 9, he doesn't react well.
* In ''Fanfic/ThreePointShot'', Monokuma sets one up as the motive for the third chapter. Anyone can confess a secret to Monokuma, who has secrets regarding everyone in the killing game, and if they do, they'll hear a secret about someone else. If the secret that person confesses matches the one Monokuma has on them, he'll discard it, but if not, he'll add it to his stockpile.

-->Confessor: "''How many Hail Marys?''"
-->Beavis: "''A thousand!! And I want you to hit yourself!!''"

--->'''Mariachi''': "Bless me, Father, for I have just killed quite a few men."
--->'''Buscemi''': "[[PrecisionFStrike No shit!]]"

--> '''Bond:''' "Forgive me father, for I have sinned..."
--> '''"Priest":''' "That's putting it mildly, 007!"

* In Creator/GeorgeLucas's early {{Dystopia}} ''[[Film/THX1138 THX-1138]]'', confessions are made to pictures that apparently have tape recorders behind them. One manages a long speech about why buying things is a holy act; the rest play short recorded lines like "Could you be more specific?"
* Similarly in ''Film/Priest2011'', the main character goes to confession, but the monsignor appearing on the screen gives vaguely relevant replies (vague enough to literally respond to any situation with the same few phrases) to the Priest's inquiries, presumably using a Turing program. The Priest's annoyed reaction indicates this is hardly the first time he's used the booth.
* ''Franchise/{{Zorro}}''

** The 1940 film ''Film/TheMarkOfZorro'' has a similar scene, where Lolita Quintero confesses to Zorro, thinking him to be a priest.

-->'''Trapper''': You can fool [[{{Pun}} some of the papal some of the time]].\\
'''Hawkeye''': And you can count on us not to back you up, Frank. Very serious business this.\\
'''Trapper''': Posing as a priest.\\
'''Hawkeye''': They'll give you the electric pew.

[[folder:Professional Wrestling]]

[[folder:Stand-Up Comedy]]
* Creator/GeorgeCarlin, on his 1972 album ''Class Clown'', mentions that, as a child, he could do spot-on impressions of all the priests at his school, and evinces a wistful regret that he never got a chance to sneak into a confessional and perform them. He presumes, reasonably enough, that any confessions he heard, as long as they were sincere (and the assigned penances performed), would have been legitimate, and the sinners duly forgiven.
** This is actually [[http://forums.catholic.com/showthread.php?s=c0cd5ba65c04a598eded825a0b390e44&t=637229 a very complicated and highly debatable point of Catholic theology]], but Carlin's position is actually (probably) sort-of-correct. Sacramental absolution to a fake priest is certainly ''invalid''... but it is generally (though not universally) agreed that if a person believes in good faith that he has participated in a valid sacrament, God will supply the necessary graces nonetheless. Practically speaking, what this means is that anyone who confessed to Carlin's hypothetical fake "Father Burn" would have his sins forgiven by God... ''until'' such time as the penitent discovered that the "priest" to whom he confessed was a fake, at which point he would be obligated to repeat the confession to a real priest. It should also be noted that, had Carlin actually attempted this, he would have been [[http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG1104/__P54.HTM instantly and automatically excommunicated]]... not that he would have cared much.
** In one of his books, Carlin writes a dialogue about a parishioner confessing that he's killed three priests so far and while he felt bad at first, he's starting to like it. He receives the response: "I'm not really a priest, son; I'm just cleaning the confessional."
[[/folder]]

[[folder:WebComics]]

[[folder:All Media]]

* In ''{{Literature/Malevil}}'', Fulbert brings confession back to the WorldWarIII [[AfterTheEnd survivors]]. It's almost certain he was [[BadHabits not an ordained priest from before the war]], but he has [[SinisterMinister taken control of the nearby village]]. As such, Emmanuel refuses to confess to him, and Fulbert is ''not'' pleased.
* The song "Confessional" by Raine Maida plays with this trope with the singer listing off a series of transgressions with a chorus that begins "these are my confessions" with [[OminousLatinChanting Ominous Chanting]] in the background. The song doesn't actually state if the singer is ''actually'' in a confessional, however, despite the religious motifs.
* The chapel in Stauf Manor of ''VideoGame/TheSeventhGuest'' has a confessional that only serves as a secret passage to Stauf's [[MadScientistLaboratory secret laboratory]]. The sequel, ''The 11th Hour'' uses it for a different passage.
* ''VideoGame/GabrielKnight'' has an odd example. The priest is genuine enough, and you can have Gabriel give a confession (though it doesn't do anything other than provide some atmosphere). [[spoiler:One of the ''confessionals itself'', on the other hand, is fake -- it's an elevator to a secret underground voodoo hounfour]].
* There is a moment in ''VideoGame/SilentHill3'' where Heather finds herself in a confession booth on the priest's side and has to listen to a confession from a woman who pleads to "God" for forgiveness. In a NewGamePlus, choosing to forgive the woman gives you a ''huge'' boost towards getting the DownerEnding ([[spoiler:since you're acknowledging that you are God, and GodIsEvil in this game]]).
* ''Podcast/TheMagnusArchives'': In the two-parter "Confession/Desecrated Host", Father Burroughs hears the confession of a troubled student before attempting an exorcism on her (naturally [[ConfessInConfidence he will not reveal what she said]]). Later he himself confesses to a fellow priest, who proceeds to list every sin Burroughs has ever committed in his life, none of which the priest should have any way of knowing. It turns out that [[spoiler:this was almost certainly [[{{Doppelganger}} not the real priest]]]].
* In ''VideoGame/Persona5'', once you unlock the church in Kanda, you can invite your fellow Phantom Thieves to confess in the confessional. This has a practical purpose, since it enables them to relearn skills that you've had them forget to make way for new ones.
* ''Film/TheNewMutants'': Rahne goes to one in the chapel, confessing her sins there. However as there's no priest she just assigns herself the penance of saying ten Hail Marys.

* On ''Series/ThirtyRock'', Jack steps into a confessional purely to please his extremely religious girlfriend. He ends up spilling his guts about a variety of {{Noodle Incident}}s and {{Continuity Nod}}s. The priest is... overwhelmed.