Confession on the Phone?

[A_Lion_Of_Islam]

First of all, when this sacrament is done it’s In the person of Christ. Secondly, because the Sacrament of Reconciliation is conformed to the direct teachings of God, as found in the Holy Bible.

So does a person have to absolutely go to the Church to communicate with God and confess? What if someone lived in a place where there is no Church, does that mean that that person will not be forgiven all his life?

 

[jmcrae]

So does a person have to absolutely go to the Church to communicate with God and confess? What if someone lived in a place where there is no Church, does that mean that that person will not be forgiven all his life?

God would make supernatural provision for that person, but even in that case, how does he come to be a Christian at all, if he has no place to go to Church?

Even the Desert Fathers were visited once a year by priests, to have their Confessions heard, and to hear Mass.

 

[crazzeto]

So does a person have to absolutely go to the Church to communicate with God and confess? What if someone lived in a place where there is no Church, does that mean that that person will not be forgiven all his life?

No, not in absolute terms that is a part of what we would call the “ordinary means of salvation”, or i.e. this is the normal way absolution is supposed to work. There are certain extraordinary means, this is due to God’s mercy.

One example where absolution would not be necessary might be the following situation:

Let us take for example the case of the ancient Christian Martyrs who refused to give up the truth faith in order to save their own lives, lets say for instance by pinching inceses to the Emperor. Lets say for argument sake, that one of these Martyrs happened to have a Mortal Sin on their souls, I don’t know that it is the case that this ever was the case but for arguments sake lets accept this.

Well by not denying the faith, even unto death the individual has both demonstrated their penitence, and performed a perfect act of contrition. In this case this hypothetical ancient martyr would have been forgiven, and gone to heaven.

However, outside of these extraordinary circumstances one would need to go to a priest. I for one don’t like the idea of relying upon extraordinary means for salvation, so I’m doing my best to try and live my life within the confines of the ordinary means of salvation

 

[choy]

You are not going to Mass unless you’re at the physical church… with the physical priest… with the bread and wine that are transubstantiated into His Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity… in your presence.

Watching the Mass on TV is not going to Mass. It’s watching the Mass.

While we’re on the subject, when a priest is giving a blessing to people who are watching him give it on TV, it’s only during the actual live moments that he’s giving the blessing is the blessing actually given. But that’s only if the priest is intending for his blessing to go to the viewing audience. If you’re watching a show that’s on rerun, and the priest on the program is blessing people, he is not blessing YOU because it’s not live.

Same thing with the Pope whenever he’s giving a blessing to people who are watching on TV or listening on radio. I’ve heard him on EWTN … live … giving his Papal blessing to the throng in St. Peter’s Square… and blessing items that people had brought to be blessed by him… and he says straight out that he intends that his Papal blessing is for whatever items people are holding in their own location, wherever they are, as they are watching him on TV right then. That’s how I’ve gotten all my statues of Our Lady blessed by B16. I was standing right there in my living room, holding those statues. And yes, I made sure that I was watching him during the live broadcast.

If it’s live, you’re getting the blessing. If it’s a rerun, you’re not.

i think the mass on TV are only for those who has a valid reason that they cannot be physically present in the Church, usually due to an illness or injury

i’m not an expert here but i think confession on a phone can be allowed in an extreme case. like if you’re stuck on an island and in danger of death and the nearest church is on another island, like a cat5 hurricane is approaching. God knows your circumstance so He knows when to be considerate. of course if you’re doing it just because of laziness, then God can’t make an exception for you

 

[A_Lion_Of_Islam]

God would make supernatural provision for that person, but even in that case, how does he come to be a Christian at all, if he has no place to go to Church?

Even the Desert Fathers were visited once a year by priests, to have their Confessions heard, and to hear Mass.

I am just asking you… I know muslims in many places where they dont have a masjid to go to… but they are still muslim because religion is between Allah and the individual…I was trying to comprehend how a christian would be in a place there is no chuch… Looks like you MUST have a church to be a christian… hmmm so religion isnt between just God and the individual in your religion?

 

[A_Lion_Of_Islam]

No, not in absolute terms that is a part of what we would call the “ordinary means of salvation”, or i.e. this is the normal way absolution is supposed to work. There are certain extraordinary means, this is due to God’s mercy.

One example where absolution would not be necessary might be the following situation:

Let us take for example the case of the ancient Christian Martyrs who refused to give up the truth faith in order to save their own lives, lets say for instance by pinching inceses to the Emperor. Lets say for argument sake, that one of these Martyrs happened to have a Mortal Sin on their souls, I don’t know that it is the case that this ever was the case but for arguments sake lets accept this.

Well by not denying the faith, even unto death the individual has both demonstrated their penitence, and performed a perfect act of contrition. In this case this hypothetical ancient martyr would have been forgiven, and gone to heaven.

However, outside of these extraordinary circumstances one would need to go to a priest. I for one don’t like the idea of relying upon extraordinary means for salvation, so I’m doing my best to try and live my life within the confines of the ordinary means of salvation

But whats the difference between the priest and you? You are a human being and so is he… He is fallible, and so are you… he needs to eat and drink for survival and so does he…etc…

Forgiveness is a divine quality… so why do U have to go to a human being to ask for forgiveness?

In certain cases, you may be better in the eyes of God than the priest (no offense intended)… because of your sincerety may be… if thats the case, as individuals, why do U seek the forgiveness of an individual who in teh eyes of God is less sincere than you yourself?

 

[jmcrae]

I am just asking you… I know muslims in many places where they dont have a masjid to go to… but they are still muslim because religion is between Allah and the individual…I was trying to comprehend how a christian would be in a place there is no chuch… Looks like you MUST have a church to be a christian… hmmm so religion isnt between just God and the individual in your religion?

Not at all, no. It is a Covenant between God and God’s family of people. As individuals, we become members of the Covenant by joining with God’s family of people, which is expressed locally in the parish Church. We come together to worship God. It isn’t actually physically possible to worship by yourself, since worship involves the gathering together of the community to offer up something to God.

 

[jmcrae]

But whats the difference between the priest and you?

The priest is set apart for this particular work - he has been appointed by God through the Church to take this role.

You are a human being and so is he… He is fallible, and so are you… he needs to eat and drink for survival and so does he…etc…

And none of us could eat without there being farmers and ranchers whose job it is to till the land, grow the crops, harvest the plants, and graze the animals that we use for food, and there could be no drink if we didn’t have well diggers to dig for water, and people who help to purify the water for us, if needed, along with those who grow the fruits that we make into various kinds of drinks.

We are all equal in God’s sight, but each of us has an important role to play in the community of God’s people. Farmers and ranchers would have a hard time without land surveyors, and transportation, and others who help them do their work and get their products to market. Then, you also need people who make clothes, and who build houses, and who build roads, so that the farmers and the priests can be clothed, sheltered, and get to and from the places they need to be.

Forgiveness is a divine quality… so why do U have to go to a human being to ask for forgiveness?

Because the offense is not only against God; it is also against the human race. The priest stands in for the human race (since you can’t confess to the whole human race, nor would you want to) as well as being there to give you the assurance of God’s forgiveness.

In certain cases, you may be better in the eyes of God than the priest (no offense intended)… because of your sincerety may be… if thats the case, as individuals, why do U seek the forgiveness of an individual who in the eyes of God is less sincere than you yourself?

For the same reason that I don’t do all of my own farming, sewing, house-building, road-building, etc. (even though I might be good at it) - because we live together as a community, and we are all here to help each other, each with his or her own role to play. Even if I am the most perfectly talented person in the whole world, and better at all these things than everyone else, it’s still okay for them to be doing it instead of me, because I don’t need to be doing everything all by myself, and because God called them to do it - not me.

 

[NPC]

Forgiveness is a divine quality… so why do U have to go to a human being to ask for forgiveness?

In certain cases, you may be better in the eyes of God than the priest (no offense intended)… because of your sincerety may be… if thats the case, as individuals, why do U seek the forgiveness of an individual who in teh eyes of God is less sincere than you yourself?

Because as followers of Christ, we follow the model that He left us - when he told the Apostles that those whose sins they forgive they are forgiven and those which they retain are retained (John 20:23). They couldn’t know which sins to retain if they were not first told the sins by the penitent. We believe that Christ was giving the Apostles a very special task when He said this because immediately beforehand He breathed on them and said “Receive the Holy Spirit”. This is one of only two instances where Scripture says that God breathed on man - the other time being in the book of Genesis.

Regarding seeking forgiveness of an individual who may be less sincere, as you say, than the penitent - as others have already pointed out, one is seeking forgiveness of God, but this is done through the priest as Christ willed. The priest, like all of us, is a sinner - but we are merely the clay: Christ moulds the clay as He wishes. We are all called to do the work of Christ in some form - to be His hands, His feet and His voice on earth; the priest’s specific calling is to celebrate the sacraments by virtue of his ordination to the priesthood.

There are also other benefits of confession to a priest which other Christian denominations do not get - for example, being assured that sins are actually forgiven, rather than relying on a subjective feeling; it actually makes one face up to one’s sins since they have to present them before another person, rather than merely thinking about them in the privacy of their own room; it is a humbling experience; the priest can give the penitent useful advice for avoiding sins in the future…

 

[A_Lion_Of_Islam]

Not at all, no. It is a Covenant between God and God’s family of people. As individuals, we become members of the Covenant by joining with God’s family of people, which is expressed locally in the parish Church. We come together to worship God. It isn’t actually physically possible to worship by yourself, since worship involves the gathering together of the community to offer up something to God.

God has a famil???

So christianity/ catholicism is a polytheistic religion?..

 

[A_Lion_Of_Islam]

The priest is set apart for this particular work - he has been appointed by God through the Church to take this role.

So you take the Church as the representatives of God? Its run by human beings just like you and me… How can you put your faith on human beings who have no divinity?
And none of us could eat without there being farmers and ranchers whose job it is to till the land, grow the crops, harvest the plants, and graze the animals that we use for food, and there could be no drink if we didn’t have well diggers to dig for water, and people who help to purify the water for us, if needed, along with those who grow the fruits that we make into various kinds of drinks.

that is irrelevant explanation… Please provide evidence from scriptures/ logical sources… not your own opinion

We are all equal in God’s sight, but each of us has an important role to play in the community of God’s people. Farmers and ranchers would have a hard time without land surveyors, and transportation, and others who help them do their work and get their products to market. Then, you also need people who make clothes, and who build houses, and who build roads, so that the farmers and the priests can be clothed, sheltered, and get to and from the places they need to be.

We are not equal in God’s sight… How can you say we are equal… because it is not logical… We are created equally but in God’s eyes, the person who is more pious towards him is better in God’s eyes than one who is not…The other explanation is irrelevant again

“Verily Allah accepts only from those who are Muttaqeen, or pious and righteous” Holy Qur’an - (Al-Ma’idah: 27).

Because the offense is not only against God; it is also against the human race. The priest stands in for the human race (since you can’t confess to the whole human race, nor would you want to) as well as being there to give you the assurance of God’s forgiveness.

How does a priest know that he himself is forgiven for his sins? Like I said, this is impossible to believe because he is a human being just like U and me

God does not forgive idol worship (if maintained until death), and He forgives lesser offenses for whomever He wills. Anyone who idolizes any idol beside God has strayed far astray. (Qur’an 4:116)

For the same reason that I don’t do all of my own farming, sewing, house-building, road-building, etc. (even though I might be good at it) - because we live together as a community, and we are all here to help each other, each with his or her own role to play. Even if I am the most perfectly talented person in the whole world, and better at all these things than everyone else, it’s still okay for them to be doing it instead of me, because I don’t need to be doing everything all by myself, and because God called them to do it - not me

Wheres the source? .

answers in green

 

[jmcrae]

God has a famil???

So christianity/ catholicism is a polytheistic religion?..

No. WE (human beings) become members of God’s family, when we join the Church. God is the parent, and we are the children.

 

[jmcrae]

he priest is set apart for this particular work - he has been appointed by God through the Church to take this role.

So you take the Church as the representatives of God?

Yes. St. Paul in I Corinthians 12 explains to us that the Church is the Body of Christ. We are His hands and feet in the world.

Its run by human beings just like you and me… How can you put your faith on human beings who have no divinity?

I don’t. My faith is in God. My faith is that, if the human beings mess things up, as no doubt they will, that God will still bring good out of it, and everything will be okay.

We are not equal in God’s sight… How can you say we are equal… because it is not logical… We are created equally but in God’s eyes, the person who is more pious towards him is better in God’s eyes than one who is not…The other explanation is irrelevant again

“Verily Allah accepts only from those who are Muttaqeen, or pious and righteous” Holy Qur’an - (Al-Ma’idah: 27).

In the sense of who is going to go to Heaven, obviously, those not in a state of grace will not go to Heaven. However, that has very little to do with their role on earth in the Church. “The road to Hell is paved with the skulls of Bishops,” but we still commit sin if we disobey them. Whether or not they are going to Heaven is not the issue - their role as leaders of the Church is.

How does a priest know that he himself is forgiven for his sins?

The priest also goes to Confession, just like everyone else. That’s how he knows he’s forgiven. But even if he were in the state of mortal sin at the time that he is hearing my Confession, he can still give me the Absolution, because that is his role. His personal holiness doesn’t enter into it.

Where’s the source?

1 Corinthians 12

1Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant.

2Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led.

3Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.

4Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.

5And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.

6And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.

7But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.

8For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;

9To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;

10To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:

11But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.

12For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.

13For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

14For the body is not one member, but many.

15If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?

16And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?

17If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?

18But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.

19And if they were all one member, where were the body?

20But now are they many members, yet but one body.

21And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.

22Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary:

23And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness.

24For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked.

25That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.

26And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.

27Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.

28And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.

29Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles?

30Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?

31But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.

 

[A_Lion_Of_Islam]

Yes. St. Paul in I Corinthians 12 explains to us that the Church is the Body of Christ. We are His hands and feet in the world.

I don’t. My faith is in God. My faith is that, if the human beings mess things up, as no doubt they will, that God will still bring good out of it, and everything will be okay.

In the sense of who is going to go to Heaven, obviously, those not in a state of grace will not go to Heaven. However, that has very little to do with their role on earth in the Church. “The road to Hell is paved with the skulls of Bishops,” but we still commit sin if we disobey them. Whether or not they are going to Heaven is not the issue - their role as leaders of the Church is.

The priest also goes to Confession, just like everyone else. That’s how he knows he’s forgiven. But even if he were in the state of mortal sin at the time that he is hearing my Confession, he can still give me the Absolution, because that is his role. His personal holiness doesn’t enter into it.

1 Corinthians 12

1Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant.

2Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led.

3Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.

4Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.

5And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.

6And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.

7But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.

8For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;

9To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;

10To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:

11But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.

12For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.

13For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

14For the body is not one member, but many.

15If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?

16And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?

17If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?

18But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.

19And if they were all one member, where were the body?

20But now are they many members, yet but one body.

21And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.

22Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary:

23And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness.

24For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked.

25That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.

26And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.

27Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.

28And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.

29Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles?

30Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?

31But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.

I have the following verses from the Qur’an which Allah warns us about the priests

“They take their priests and their anchorites to be their lords in derogation of Allah, and (they take as their Lord) The Messiah, the son of Mary; yet they were commanded to worship but One God: there is no god but He. Praise and glory to Him: (far is He) from having the partners they associate (with Him)” (Holy Qur’an 9:31)

“O ye who believe! There are indeed many among the priests and anchorites, who in falsehood devour the substance of men and hinder (them) from the Way of Allah. And there are those who bury gold and silver and spend it not in the Way of Allah: announce unto them a most grievous penalty” (Al Qur’an 9:34)

Not too sure where U heard that their skulls are the road to heaven… hmmmm…

 

[A_Lion_Of_Islam]

JMCRAE

The priest also goes to Confession, just like everyone else. That’s how he knows he’s forgiven. But even if he were in the state of mortal sin at the time that he is hearing my Confession, he can still give me the Absolution, because that is his role. His personal holiness doesn’t enter into it.

In the series of confessions, from a normal human being to a priest to a bigger priest and so on… Where does this line end?

second question: who does the biggest priest to whom all confessions go to, who does he confess his sins to?

 

[StillWondering]

You are not going to Mass unless you’re at the physical church… with the physical priest… with the bread and wine that are transubstantiated into His Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity… in your presence.

Technically, it does not have to be a physical church in terms of buildings but a church in terms of people. The etymology of church is a “gathering” of people. So in extrodinary circumstances, a tent or some type of overhead covering would probably due. Or some mentioned the space inside an airplane on covert missions.

I am just asking you… I know muslims in many places where they dont have a masjid to go to… but they are still muslim because religion is between Allah and the individual…I was trying to comprehend how a christian would be in a place there is no chuch… Looks like you MUST have a church to be a christian… hmmm so religion isnt between just God and the individual in your religion?

Read what you quoted again. Even the desert fathers had a priest to *come *to them. They still stayed separate form society but must see a priest and confess to a priest. Christianity is about our right relationship with God and with God’s creation. All peoples are called to be a part of his family. You cannot be a true Christian if you are only by yourself to the exclusion of others (despite what some non-Catholic preachers out there says). You can go live by yourself alone, but must still be connected to a community.

 

[StillWondering]

But whats the difference between the priest and you? You are a human being and so is he… He is fallible, and so are you… he needs to eat and drink for survival and so does he…etc…

Forgiveness is a divine quality… so why do U have to go to a human being to ask for forgiveness?

In certain cases, you may be better in the eyes of God than the priest (no offense intended)… because of your sincerety may be… if thats the case, as individuals, why do U seek the forgiveness of an individual who in teh eyes of God is less sincere than you yourself?

The priest is only a priest after ordination. During ordination he is given a ministry. This ministry is not his but is of the Lord’s. It is not by the priest’s power that we have Mass or Confession.The priest can literally be a scumbag but if he is performing his ministry properly I will still go to confession to him if I cannot find another priest. The difference is that the priest is only standing in for Christ (since once again the Church is a people not a building or place – the modern use the word just jumbles it together but the original source of the word is the people). It is only the Lord that forgives sins. However, a priest also judicially absolves your separation with the Church (i.e. community) when he does the absolution.

In the series of confessions, from a normal human being to a priest to a bigger priest and so on… Where does this line end?

second question: who does the biggest priest to whom all confessions go to, who does he confess his sins to?

You are way too imaginative =). Let’s go back to the basics. Everyone, except for extraordinary circumstances, that understand and live by Catholic teachings go to a priest to confess, including priests. He does not go to a higher authority or a lower authority. He goes to a priest, any priest. So a bishop, who is the “overseer” for a diocese needs to go to confession, he can go to any priest. Even the priest that is his assistant. He does not need to find a higher authority. This is because it is not the power of the priest that is the source of the Sacraments. It is the Lord. And all priests with proper faculties and intentions can do so. So the Pope, our highest ecclesiastical authority can go confess to a priest that just became ordained this week and it is fine. He can go confess to the most holy priest in the world at the time and he would receive the same graces. Maybe not the same fatherly advice, but the same graces.

To answer the question before it comes up, I would imagine since the Pope is surrounded by priests and bishops, he would confess to someone near him that he feels comfortable with.

 

[A_Lion_Of_Islam]

The priest is only a priest after ordination. During ordination he is given a ministry. This ministry is not his but is of the Lord’s. It is not by the priest’s power that we have Mass or Confession.The priest can literally be a scumbag but if he is performing his ministry properly I will still go to confession to him if I cannot find another priest. The difference is that the priest is only standing in for Christ (since once again the Church is a people not a building or place – the modern use the word just jumbles it together but the original source of the word is the people). It is only the Lord that forgives sins. However, a priest also judicially absolves your separation with the Church (i.e. community) when he does the absolution.

You are way too imaginative =). Let’s go back to the basics. Everyone, except for extraordinary circumstances, that understand and live by Catholic teachings go to a priest to confess, including priests. He does not go to a higher authority or a lower authority. He goes to a priest, any priest. So a bishop, who is the “overseer” for a diocese needs to go to confession, he can go to any priest. Even the priest that is his assistant. He does not need to find a higher authority. This is because it is not the power of the priest that is the source of the Sacraments. It is the Lord. And all priests with proper faculties and intentions can do so. So the Pope, our highest ecclesiastical authority can go confess to a priest that just became ordained this week and it is fine. He can go confess to the most holy priest in the world at the time and he would receive the same graces. Maybe not the same fatherly advice, but the same graces.

To answer the question before it comes up, I would imagine since the Pope is surrounded by priests and bishops, he would confess to someone near him that he feels comfortable with.

So had I been catholic, if I kill somoene and go to the priest and confess my sin, I am fogiven… Thats what you are sayiing… no?

 

[KC91]

No in my opinion as it sounds like a relativistic innovation which will lead to lack of sacramental practice (similar to how Norwegians ‘attend’ their Protestant Church services by watching them on TV) unless it is in a desperate situation such as that you are dying in your home and the priest will not be here physically in time and the only way to say it is by phone. This is not totally uncanonical as the very orthodox Pope Pius X sent blessings by telegraph to the sick

 

[A_Lion_Of_Islam]

Every Christian in this forum readily presents their opinion in regards to matters of religion… Its amazing how people determine whats right and whats not just like that without their suporting the claims through any divine revelation in this matter…

what an artificial religion it has become to the observer such as myself…

In my religion, there is no place for personal opinion… If something has to be done, then it MUST have evidence to support it…