Blessings and Confession

[bigfootbob]

Can a priest give a blessing over the phone or email? Why or why not. It’s a rather strange question, but it’s been in the back of my mind for a while. Also, I read in This Rock a while back that confessions can not be done over the phone or email because it wouldn’t be confidential. But, before private confessions were done, didn’t you have to proclaim your sin in front of everyone and wear sackcloth etc.? I think doing a confession over the phone/email would be a lot more confidential than in most of the confessionals that I’ve been in. Sometimes you literally need to make a little noise so you don’t hear someone else’s confession!

 

[Joannm]

Confession was never done publically although penance for sin was. Confession of sin was always done privately to the Bishop

 

[tee_eff_em]

I do not think the reason is so much for the sake of the confessional seal (though that would certainly be a concern), as because all of the sacraments, to my understanding are *personal *encounters.

tee

 

[PAboy57]

maybe one of the apologists could answer???

personally i think it would be better than not confessing at all. just my 2 cents. good question.

 

[Joe_Brown]

Absolution cannot be given over the phone or e-mail.

Just a tip seach for this same topic on the forums because I am pretty sure it has come up before.

God Bless

 

[bigfootbob]

maybe one of the apologists could answer???

personally i think it would be better than not confessing at all. just my 2 cents. good question.

Well, the reason I asked is because I saw the question in This Rock, and one of the apologists was answering that it was because the confession was not private.

 

[bigfootbob]

Absolution cannot be given over the phone or e-mail.

Just a tip seach for this same topic on the forums because I am pretty sure it has come up before.

God Bless

I looked, and there are some pretty good reasons for why you can’t do confession over the phone/internet. So how about blessings?

 

[Seatuck]

I looked, and there are some pretty good reasons for why you can’t do confession over the phone/internet. So how about blessings?

Sacraments must be done in personal contact. Blessings may be done over the airwaves . For instance if you hear the Holy Father live give his blessing you can receive it. In general the blessing goes to the person the giver intends to bless. I’m pretty sure it must be in real time though.