Can priests give Reconciliation over the phone?

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Flopfoot

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I’m just planning in advance in case the Australian govt makes it illegal for our priests to hear confessions, maybe we could have a system that lets priests from other countries hear Australians’ confessions. Would it be allowed to have video call / voice call / even text chat, and receive absolution?
 
In addition to the fact that this wouldn’t be a valid Confession, it would actually be worse than going in person, given that the government and others can more easily monitor phone and internet activity. Privacy would not be assured.

-Fr ACEGC
 
But the govt couldn’t do anything to foreign priests even if they were spying
 
Doesn’t matter if they’d do anything. Privacy would’ve been compromised.

And what’s going on in Australia is not that confession is being made illegal, it’s that priests will be compelled to violate the seal of confession or face penalties for declining to do so. And even if they were outlawing confession, don’t you think they’d also outlaw it being done by phone or online? Again, not that that’s actually valid, but if they were going to really outlaw confession, they’d also likely close a loophole like that.
 
I can’t se any problem with confession through digital channels. “Whose sins you forgive…” Nothing about ‘in person’. There would e a huge increase in people seeking forgiveness if it were allowed over the web. Why not?
 
Because the sacraments must be accomplished in person. Confession via virtual means simply isn’t valid. And bear in mind that at the time Jesus said that, not doing something in person wasn’t really an option, unless you were going to confess by letter or something.
 
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But if they tapped the Australian end of the phone line and the AUS citizen talked about a crime? They wont even need to ask the Priest what you said.
 
I see a lot wrong with it. How would one know who is on the other end of the line? I could go on but you get the idea. How would the gove. even know that one has been to confession or what was confessed? If anyone should worry about confession I guess Fr. could hear confessions under the shade of an old Oak tree. The church would go underground if need be just as it has in many totalitarian governments. I would worry more about religion-any religion-being made illegal or a crime. Change what you can, where you can.
 
No. You must be in the presence of the priest physically, not simply "Skyping’, or over the phone.
 
“PaulfromIowa said:
Sacraments cannot be administered over the telephone
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This has been the prevailing opinion I’ve always heard.

In a kind of related question, can someone comment on the distinct nature of blessings, which can apparently act over television or radio (phone too I assume)? I.e., why does this work for blessings but not sacraments?
 
Thanks for your feedback. I just realised in the worst case our priests could just offer the 3rd rite of reconciliation since that wouldn’t break the new laws, so we will be ok
 
Because blessings are not sacraments.

They are totally different things. There is no required form or matter of a blessing.
 
Flopfoot said:
I’m just planning in advance in case the Australian govt makes it illegal for our priests to hear confessions, maybe we could have a system that lets priests from other countries hear Australians’ confessions. Would it be allowed to have video call / voice call / even text chat, and receive absolution?
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No, confession over the phone.

But it really would be illogical for Australia to completely outlaw Confession. That would really be attacking religion. The Orthodox & Anglicans would not be happy about this one.

They really would be declaring war on all religions then, not just the Catholic Church
 
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FiveLinden said:
I can’t se any problem with confession through digital channels. “Whose sins you forgive…” Nothing about ‘in person’. There would e a huge increase in people seeking forgiveness if it were allowed over the web. Why not?
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From my own personal experience… going into the Confessional, inside a Church is very humbling and powerful.

There is simply something different about having to go to God’s house to ask for his forgiveness.

Also, think for a moment. If you kid does something bad to another child. Do you simply make him/her call them on the phone to apologize & ask for forgiveness; or do you drive your kid to their house? Most parents would do the later.

I think deep down, there is something more powerful about walking into someone’s house to ask for forgiveness.

God Bless
 
From my understanding, it requires our being present because when we sinned, we did it in person.
 
JackMoreton28 said:
that Priests though should tell the Confessional Recipients,
if any Crime has been committed, the person should do that part,
and co-operate with the Law ASAP, has part of their Penance and remitted sins (forgiveness)
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This is breaking the seal of Confession.

It simply cannot be done. Ever.
 
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