Church Approves 'Confession' App for iPhone

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This BBC News web article appears to inaccurately characterize the Diocese of Fort Wayne’s *imprimatur *as speaking for the Holy See in the use of this iPhone app to aid parishioners in the Sacrament of Confession.

The article later appears to contradict its own headline by noting that Church leaders in Britain have yet to review the app before giving it their blessing.

The article contrasts the new app in relation to the pontiff’s recent statements on the use of digital technology for spreading and learning the Word of God.

bbc.co.uk/news/technology-12391129
 
Hmm, the BBC misreported facts in a story about Catholic topics.

That is about as shocking as the sky being blue. :coffeeread: Par for the course.
 
Church Approves ‘Confession’ App for iPhone
foxnews.com/scitech/2011/02/08/church-approves-confession-app-iphone/?test=latestnews

An iPhone app aimed at helping Catholics through confession and encouraging lapsed followers back to the faith has been sanctioned by the Catholic Church in the United States.

“Confession: A Roman Catholic app” is thought to be the first to be approved by a church authority. It walks Catholics through the sacrament and contains what the company behind the program describes as a “personalized examination of conscience for each user.”

“Our desire is to invite Catholics to engage in their faith through digital technology,” said Patrick Leinen of the three-man company Little iApps, based in South Bend, Indiana.

“Taking to heart Pope Benedict XVI’s message from last years’ World Communications Address, our goal with this project is to offer a digital applicationthat is truly 'new media at the service of the word.”

Pope Benedict XVI’s World Communications Address on January 24 emphasized the importance of a Christian presence in the digital world.

The firm said the content of the app was developed with the help of Reverend Thomas Weinandy of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, and Reverend Dan Scheidt, pastor of Queen of Peace Catholic Church in Mishawaka, Indiana.

The app is not designed to replace going to confession but to help Catholics through the act, which generally involves admitting sins to a priest in a confessional booth. Catholics still must go to a priest for absolution.

Little iApps said Bishop Kevin Rhoades, of the Diocese of Fort Wayne in Indiana, officially authorized the app for Catholics to use.

“It has been approved by Bishop Kevin Rhoades,” said Weinandy.

Leinen said the app has already aided one man in returning to the sacrament after 20 years.

“We hope many more will take advantage of this new confession resource,” he added.

The app retails for $1.99.
 
Why heck let’s don’t stop there, how about not going to Mass just stay home and watch it and snail me the Eucharist.
 
What is wrong with this phone application? A quick read of the article describes it as “personalized examination of conscience for each user.”

It even notes specifically that “the app is not designed to replace going to confession… Catholics still must go to a priest for absolution.”

Most, if not all Churches and prayer booklets contain general examinations of conscience to help one prepare for confession. This simply appears to be a digitalized and personalized version.
 
I do not understand why you don’t like it. It simply helps people to work on their preparation for confession. Do you think that being an electronic application makes it less useful than reading a list pulled down from internet or than a pamphlet read in line just before confession?
 
stanmaxkolbe said:
Church Approves ‘Confession’ App for iPhone
foxnews.com/scitech/2011/02/08/church-approves-confession-app-iphone/?test=latestnews

An iPhone app aimed at helping Catholics through confession and encouraging lapsed followers back to the faith has been sanctioned by the Catholic Church in the United States.

“Confession: A Roman Catholic app” is thought to be the first to be approved by a church authority. It walks Catholics through the sacrament and contains what the company behind the program describes as a “personalized examination of conscience for each user.”

“Our desire is to invite Catholics to engage in their faith through digital technology,” said Patrick Leinen of the three-man company Little iApps, based in South Bend, Indiana.

“Taking to heart Pope Benedict XVI’s message from last years’ World Communications Address, our goal with this project is to offer a digital applicationthat is truly 'new media at the service of the word.”

Pope Benedict XVI’s World Communications Address on January 24 emphasized the importance of a Christian presence in the digital world.

The firm said the content of the app was developed with the help of Reverend Thomas Weinandy of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, and Reverend Dan Scheidt, pastor of Queen of Peace Catholic Church in Mishawaka, Indiana.

The app is not designed to replace going to confession but to help Catholics through the act, which generally involves admitting sins to a priest in a confessional booth. Catholics still must go to a priest for absolution.

Little iApps said Bishop Kevin Rhoades, of the Diocese of Fort Wayne in Indiana, officially authorized the app for Catholics to use.

“It has been approved by Bishop Kevin Rhoades,” said Weinandy.

Leinen said the app has already aided one man in returning to the sacrament after 20 years.

“We hope many more will take advantage of this new confession resource,” he added.

The app retails for $1.99.
Click to expand...
I wonder, standmaxkolbe, if you read the article because your statement below makes absolutely no sense in light of the bolded section above.
 
The headline did make me do a double take and then hasten over to read the article. I wondered if the article was from The Onion or if there was some particularly bad reporting.

The Catholic Church has previously ruled out online confession, so confession via iphone app seemed to be out of the question. And, as the article explains (perhaps not as clearly as it could) the app isn’t a means of confession. The app is a means to prepare for confession.
 
Dale_M said:
The headline did make me do a double take and then hasten over to read the article. I wondered if the article was from The Onion or if there was some particularly bad reporting.

The Catholic Church has previously ruled out online confession, so confession via iphone app seemed to be out of the question. And, as the article explains (perhaps not as clearly as it could) the app isn’t a means of confession. The app is a means to prepare for confession.
Click to expand...
It’s from Fox News but yeah the headline threw me off too. That’s the reason I posted in post# 2 but people don’t get my warped sense of humor.
 
stanmaxkolbe said:
It’s from Fox News but yeah the headline threw me off too. That’s the reason I posted in post# 2 but people don’t get my warped sense of humor.
Click to expand...
It is a little warped… which must be why I get you half the time… 😃

I think this is great… Funny thing, I was going to grab a pamphelet at church about confession, and MAKING A GOOD ONE… and I keep forgetting,

Now I can download for $1.99, which is basically some extra Cash for the church!!! LOVE IT.

I also downloaded a bible, with a great search feature. It also lists : a ton of prayers, and such. When someone here mentions something I’m not familiar with (way too often), I can scoop up my ipad and I’m reading about it in a few seconds… i LOVE THAT!

Would love other aps that people use from a Christian context!!!
 
stanmaxkolbe said:
Church Approves ‘Confession’ App for iPhone
foxnews.com/scitech/2011/02/08/church-approves-confession-app-iphone/?test=latestnews

An iPhone app aimed at helping Catholics through confession and encouraging lapsed followers back to the faith has been sanctioned by the Catholic Church in the United States.

“Confession: A Roman Catholic app” is thought to be the first to be approved by a church authority. It walks Catholics through the sacrament and contains what the company behind the program describes as a “personalized examination of conscience for each user.”

“Our desire is to invite Catholics to engage in their faith through digital technology,” said Patrick Leinen of the three-man company Little iApps, based in South Bend, Indiana.

“Taking to heart Pope Benedict XVI’s message from last years’ World Communications Address, our goal with this project is to offer a digital applicationthat is truly 'new media at the service of the word.”

Pope Benedict XVI’s World Communications Address on January 24 emphasized the importance of a Christian presence in the digital world.

The firm said the content of the app was developed with the help of Reverend Thomas Weinandy of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, and Reverend Dan Scheidt, pastor of Queen of Peace Catholic Church in Mishawaka, Indiana.

The app is not designed to replace going to confession but to help Catholics through the act, which generally involves admitting sins to a priest in a confessional booth. Catholics still must go to a priest for absolution.

Little iApps said Bishop Kevin Rhoades, of the Diocese of Fort Wayne in Indiana, officially authorized the app for Catholics to use.

“It has been approved by Bishop Kevin Rhoades,” said Weinandy.

Leinen said the app has already aided one man in returning to the sacrament after 20 years.

“We hope many more will take advantage of this new confession resource,” he added.

The app retails for $1.99.
Click to expand...
here is father Zs review of the app very good review IMO

wdtprs.com/blog/2011/02/review-the-new-iphone-app-for-confession-useful-but-flawed/

the main point he makes is that it doesn’t take place of confession it should only be an aid to your confession
 
catholictiger said:
here is father Zs review of the app very good review IMO
Click to expand...
He apparently bought the app and ran through it twice. The review has a walkthrough and numerous screen shots.

His conclusion: “All in all, it is useful. But there are flaws.”
 
For $1.99 I’ll try it out. Sometimes I can get distracted before confession and I have found those little examination of Conscience cards really help, but sometimes I don’t have one.

The only down side is it could be scandalous in that people may think I’m checking messages or e-mails when in fact i’m using my phone to assist me before the sacrament.

I once was praying in Church with headphones on from my I-Pod listening to Gregorian chant and an old timer friend was annoyed because he thought I was listening to secular music. Totally understandable. I never did it again.
 
Yes, it looks like a jokey application, but if people want to spend their money…🤷
 
faithfully said:
It is a little warped… which must be why I get you half the time… 😃

I think this is great… Funny thing, I was going to grab a pamphelet at church about confession, and MAKING A GOOD ONE… and I keep forgetting,

Now I can download for $1.99, which is basically some extra Cash for the church!!! LOVE IT.

I also downloaded a bible, with a great search feature. It also lists : a ton of prayers, and such. When someone here mentions something I’m not familiar with (way too often), I can scoop up my ipad and I’m reading about it in a few seconds… i LOVE THAT!

Would love other aps that people use from a Christian context!!!
Click to expand...
For your computer the Faith Database is outstanding.
faithdatabase.com/
 
I’m not really sure what to say about this one.
An iPhone app aimed at helping Catholics through confession and encouraging lapsed followers back to the faith has been sanctioned by the Catholic Church in the United States.
“Confession: A Roman Catholic app” is thought to be the first to be approved by a church authority. It walks Catholics through the sacrament and contains what the company behind the program describes as a “personalized examination of conscience for each user.”
Click to expand...
One key part:
The app is not designed to replace going to confession but to help Catholics through the act, which generally involves admitting sins to a priest in a confessional booth. Catholics still must go to a priest for absolution.
Click to expand...
newsfeed.time.com/2011/02/08/smartphone-sins-catholic-church-approves-confession-by-iphone/
 
stanmaxkolbe said:
It’s from Fox News but yeah the headline threw me off too. That’s the reason I posted in post# 2 but people don’t get my warped sense of humor.
Click to expand...
Code: 
:bigyikes:
Can’t say I always “get it” but I (for one) do appreciate your humor… 😃
 
There are some good apps that I’ve bought for my iPad and iPhone, that are good and Catholic. The updates are always making them better.
There is no NAB available last time I checked, but there is a very expensive, either $30 or $40 app that is the Divine Office.
Did we ever envision such a thing even twenty years ago? Where can we go from here.

As for examination of conscience, I am looking for a good version, whether iPhone or pamphlet. We were taught to look for “patterns” in our sinful behavior, and that gives you something to focus on, to work on, to be aware.

As for my current, soon to be ex, Church, the new pastor could do drive-thru confessions. In fact, he’d like the whole “pastoring thing” to just be sitting in his easy chair, phoning it in.
But there I go again, complaining about someone…a pattern.

I do believe these types of things should be “approved” by the church.
 
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