Confession and recordings?

[DarkLight]

(Note: this has no bearing on any rl situation. It came up as a friend and I were discussing a particular story.)

What would a priest do if the only option to offer someone confession were in a location where they would be recorded? Suppose the evidence is that the person wanting confession is not going to be released, so it is unlikely they will ever be in a situation where they will not be recorded prior to their death.

 

[Bookcat]

Such would I think make it an impossibility…so that such could excuse for that moment in time the need for a materially integral confession (the penitent may have to make some generic --but the penitent would still confess any mortal sins later (even though they where absolved) when such impossibility ended.

But of course the Priest normally should be able to arrange that such privacy is accorded to the person.

 

[runningdude]

The most important portion of the sacrament of penance is the objective presence of contrition. Contrition is ordinarily expressed by a faithful recitation of one’s sins, followed by a statement of remorse.

If circumstances prevented the seal of confession from being honored, I would image the priest could offer a “general absolution”, where the penitent need not individually confess his sins. He might also offer a conditional absolution (given on the condition of true contrition), similar to that offered to an unconscious dying person.