Confession via IT or Telephone?

[Sixtus]

What about those of us who are under a terrible time constraints and time pressures in business that we genuinely do not have time to receive absolution as we are invariably required to work when we would rather be going to confession. Is there any such thing as ‘Confession via telephone’ or ‘On Line’!

 

[InLight247]

The Sacrament of Confession is only valid for one on one with the priest in person. There is no other valid form.

I understand the busy working situation; however, you can take control to arrange an appointment if you really want to. What if you were sick and need to see a doctor? Would any doctor give you a diagnosis over the phone? If you were very sick, would you not visit a doctor just because your work load is too heavy?

Often times whether we ‘can’ or ‘cannot’ do something depends on whether it really matters or not.

Healing the wound of soul is at least as important as curing a physical disease.

If you need confession, please make the time to go. God bless!

 

[Eileen_T]

No

You make you own priorities. That may sound harsh but it is true.

Nothing, and no-one is worth going to Hell for all eternity (in the case of mortal sin).

I heard (someone say) that we should all make a Holy Hour every day. And that those who are too busy to spend one hour with Jesus, should spend two.

The more time you make available to God, the more time He will give you for less important stuff

It’s called Sacrifice because that is what it takes!

 

[CuriousInIL]

What if you were sick and need to see a doctor? Would any doctor give you a diagnosis over the phone? If you were very sick, would you not visit a doctor just because your work load is too heavy?

Yes and yes. I don’t think this is a good analogy at all.

 

[Sixtus]

What if you were sick and need to see a doctor? Would any doctor give you a diagnosis over the phone?

Where do you live? Do you not consult a Doctor by telephone?

Have you never been diagnosed and prescribed via the telephone?

In an occupation where one serves the weak and vulnerable, it is arguably a dereliction of duty to say ‘oh well, my needs come first’.

We have access to the sacrament for half an hour a week. We are lucky. That occurs right in the middle of my work shedule when I am responsible for working with vulnerable ‘at risk’ adults.

I merely ask if it is possible. Obviously not. I have bben trying to get to the sacrament for several weeks now. Our PP is very busy working in a very damanding and very large parish. I could ask for a private appointment but he is not too keen on that.

I merely ask if it is possible, I am not looking for philosphical replies, just pragmatic ones

 

[kell0618]

What about those of us who are under a terrible time constraints and time pressures in business that we genuinely do not have time to receive absolution as we are invariably required to work when we would rather be going to confession. Is there any such thing as ‘Confession via telephone’ or ‘On Line’!

Nice try.

 

[Sixtus]

What if you were sick and need to see a doctor? Would any doctor give you a diagnosis over the phone?

Where do you live? Do you not consult a Doctor by telephone?

Have you never been diagnosed and prescribed via the telephone?

In an occupation where one serves the weak and vulnerable, it is arguably a dereliction of duty to say ‘oh well, my needs come first’.

We have access to the sacrament for half an hour a week. That occurs right in the middle of my work shedule when I am responsible for working with vulnerable ‘at risk’ adults.

I merely ask if it is possible. Obviously not. I have bben trying to get to the sacrament for several weeks now. Our PP is very busy working in a very damanding and very large parish. I have asked for a private appointment but our PP is not too keen on that. He has assured me I am ok, but I feel the need to be absolved, healed and made clean. The Sacrament is also in my experience a great way to get strengthened by the Spirit to resist future occasions of sin.

I merely ask if it is possible, I am not looking for philosphical replies, just pragmatic ones

 

[Sixtus]

What if you were sick and need to see a doctor? Would any doctor give you a diagnosis over the phone?

Where do you live? Do you not consult a Doctor by telephone?

Have you never been diagnosed and prescribed via the telephone?

In an occupation where one serves the weak and vulnerable, it is arguably a dereliction of duty to say ‘oh well, my needs come first’.

We have access to the sacrament for half an hour a week. That occurs right in the middle of my work shedule when I am responsible for working with vulnerable ‘at risk’ adults.

I merely ask if it is possible. Obviously not. I have been trying to get to the sacrament for several weeks now. Our PP is very busy working in a very damanding and very large parish. I have asked for a private appointment but our PP is not too keen on that. He has assured me I am ok, but I feel the need to be absolved, healed and made clean. The Sacrament is also in my experience a great way to get strengthened by the Spirit to resist future occasions of sin.

I merely ask if it is possible, I am not looking for philosphical replies, just pragmatic ones

 

[Sixtus]

What if you were sick and need to see a doctor? Would any doctor give you a diagnosis over the phone?

Where do you live? Do you not consult a Doctor by telephone?

Have you never been diagnosed via the telephone?

In an occupation where one serves the weak and vulnerable, it is arguably a dereliction of duty to say ‘oh well, my needs come first’.

We have access to the sacrament for half an hour a week. That occurs right in the middle of my work shedule when I am responsible for working with vulnerable ‘at risk’ adults.

I merely ask if it is possible. Obviously not. I have been trying to get to the sacrament for several weeks now. Our PP is very busy working in a very damanding and very large parish. I have asked for a private appointment but our PP is not too keen on that. He has assured me I am ok, but I feel the need to be absolved, healed and made clean. The Sacrament is also in my experience a great way to get strengthened by the Spirit to resist future occasions of sin.

I merely ask if it is possible, I am not looking for philosphical sarcastic or derisory replies, just pragmatic ones

 

[Tantum_ergo]

No, it isn’t possible. Please remember that even in days of old when whole countries were solidly Catholic, and the priests lived in the towns, people still did not have wide opportunities for confession. It is hard, but it must be done. Surely you have some days off where you could schedule a session with a priest? Many of us do just that.

There is a very big ‘security’ risk with the internet, and the telephone, and those are big reasons why confession via such is not prudent. Confession is not about ‘convenience’ but about the sacrament of forgiveness. Like any other sacrament it needs valid matter. Like any other sacrament, it is not entered into lightly. Like any other sacrament it requires some sort of sacrifice–in baptism we give ourselves to God instead of to ‘ourselves’; in the Eucharist we ‘fast’ before receiving; in Holy Orders we dedicate ourselves to God, in confirmation we place our lives to God, in marriage we ‘give’ ourselves to our spouses, in the sacrament of the sick we offer our illnesses, etc.

So for confession we ‘sacrifice’ our time, our pride, and confess, to a real person, face-to-face (or mouth-to-grille), in an ‘action’ which involves real ‘interaction’.

God bless.

 

[Sixtus]

What if you were sick and need to see a doctor? Would any doctor give you a diagnosis over the phone?

Where do you live? Do you not consult a Doctor by telephone?

Have you never been diagnosed via the telephone?

In an occupation where one serves the weak and vulnerable, it is arguably a dereliction of duty to say ‘oh well, my needs come first’.

We have access to the sacrament for half an hour a week. That occurs right in the middle of my work shedule when I am responsible for working with vulnerable ‘at risk’ adults.

I merely ask if it is possible.

I have been trying to get to the sacrament for several weeks now. Our PP is very busy working in a very damanding and very large parish. I have asked for a private appointment but our PP is not too keen on that. He has assured me I am ok, but I feel the need to be absolved, healed and made clean. The Sacrament is also in my experience a great way to get strengthened by the Spirit to resist future occasions of sin.

I merely ask if it is possible, I am not looking for philosphical sarcastic or derisory replies, just pragmatic ones

 

[Tantum_ergo]

With due respect, and best wishes (and prayers too) --you’re been answered. Pragmatically speaking, no. Pragmatism is no reason to offer ‘internet’ or ‘phone’ confession, anymore than it would be a reason to offer ‘internet’ or ‘phone’ baptism, confirmation, matrimony, etc. etc.

 

[Sixtus]

So for confession we ‘sacrifice’ our time, our** pride**,

WHAT???

OK I hear what you say, I sacrifice those who need my time and if they die…what the hell, I got to confession

Forget I asked!!!

 

[Tantum_ergo]

No, you didn’t understand at all. Back up, okay?

I said, in confession, in going to confession, we sacrifice our time. Not somebody else’s time. I don’t know how you got that?

And going to confession, to a priest, is humbling. Our pride, in thinking ‘we’ are the ones who control our lives, is humbled. We look to another, we humble ourselves to God.

I do think you completely misread me. I wasn’t saying that YOU had to sacrifice your ‘helping’ somebody else. Holy moley.

With respect, I said absolutely nothing about your sacrificing ‘somebody else’ so ‘you got to go to confession.’ You misunderstood.

 

[Sixtus]

I cannot get to confession in the 30-minute slot. I have asked for a private appointment. I have been told ‘you are ok to receive the Blessed Sacrament’!

Like hell I am!!!

I am not fit to go in the Church grounds much less so receive our BLESSED LORD!!!

I dare not even look at Him. I NEED access to the Sacrament. PP assurances are about as valid in my view as absolution from my next door neighbour.

I DO apologise if it sounds aggressive. It is not meant to. I am not proud. I have no problems humbling myself before God, that is a reality whether we consent to it or not! Just need access and it is proving a nigh on impossibility

 

[LilyM]

I have been trying to get to the sacrament for several weeks now. Our PP is very busy working in a very damanding and very large parish. I have asked for a private appointment but our PP is not too keen on that. He has assured me I am ok, but I feel the need to be absolved, healed and made clean. The Sacrament is also in my experience a great way to get strengthened by the Spirit to resist future occasions of sin.

I merely ask if it is possible, I am not looking for philosphical sarcastic or derisory replies, just pragmatic ones

You’ve been answered - no it isn’t possible.

And a priest who claims to be too busy to hear confessions when they’re requested is as ridiculous as a worker in a McDonald’s who claims to be too busy to cook and serve food. The priest is in a service profession every bit as much as the McDonald’s workers are. Providing the sacrament of confession should be his top or equal top priority.

If he only schedules confession for half an hour on a Saturday then he is being neglectful in not offering appointments to whoever requests them.

Last Sunday - Palm Sunday, an extremely busy day - I saw our priest, about ten minutes before Mass, with his purple stole on, off in a corner of the Church with someone, to all appearances giving a last minute confession. Other times I’ve seen the lights on in the confessional, similarly ten minutes before Mass. That bespeaks a priest who has his priorities correct.

If you need an appointment don’t be shy in pressing a little for one.

 

[InLight247]

Where do you live? Do you not consult a Doctor by telephone?

Have you never been diagnosed via the telephone?

In an occupation where one serves the weak and vulnerable, it is arguably a dereliction of duty to say ‘oh well, my needs come first’.

We have access to the sacrament for half an hour a week. That occurs right in the middle of my work shedule when I am responsible for working with vulnerable ‘at risk’ adults.

I merely ask if it is possible.

I have been trying to get to the sacrament for several weeks now. Our PP is very busy working in a very damanding and very large parish. I have asked for a private appointment but our PP is not too keen on that. He has assured me I am ok, but I feel the need to be absolved, healed and made clean. The Sacrament is also in my experience a great way to get strengthened by the Spirit to resist future occasions of sin.

I merely ask if it is possible, I am not looking for philosphical sarcastic or derisory replies, just pragmatic ones

Dear friend, I have no intention to be sarcastic at all. If you reread my post, you will see there is no sarcastic tone. If you still think it is, then, my apology. Please do not be defensive or offensive.

I use the analogy of seeing a doctor simply because confession of sin is to do with wound of our soul and it requires healing. Even for venial sins, they still need healing, just like a minor cut still needs to be taken care of.

I live in US and I have never been able to get a diagnosis over the phone if I were real sick. I am not talking about coughing or slight fever, that sort of discomfort. If I have a real need to see a doctor, as soon as I describe my symptom, the nurse will tell me to go in to be checked. I was just using an analogy to make a point. Again, I am not saying you are real sick in the soul. I don’t know who you are. Like I said, even for venial sins, we should go to confession to receive God’s grace.

Peace.

 

[4loveofJesus]

May God’s peace, love and mercy be with you all!

What I usually do when I miss the Saturday confession schedule (I try to go weekly) is that I just approach the priest after the Sunday or weekday mass and ask him if he has time to hear my confession instead of calling or making an appointment. They usually say yes and ask to be given a couple of minutes to get ready. So, I end up going to confession in the hallway, room etc. not necessarily inside the confessional which I don’t mind at all for as long as I get to go to confession to get a “good scrubbing” of my soul with Our Good Lord Jesus’ most Precious Blood.

If the priest has no time to hear your confession at that moment because of his very busy schedule then you can always go to the nearby parish and approach the priest there. I have done that too. Hope that helps. God bless!

Blessed be Jesus and Mary!

 

[water]

I have been trying to get to the sacrament for several weeks now. Our PP is very busy working in a very damanding and very large parish. I have asked for a private appointment but our PP is not too keen on that. He has assured me I am ok, but I feel the need to be absolved, healed and made clean. The Sacrament is also in my experience a great way to get strengthened by the Spirit to resist future occasions of sin.

Have you tried other parishes? Make an appointment there; and then ask to take few hours off at your workplace.

 

[kleary]

What about those of us who are under a terrible time constraints and time pressures in business that we genuinely do not have time to receive absolution as we are invariably required to work when we would rather be going to confession. Is there any such thing as ‘Confession via telephone’ or ‘On Line’!

What is more important- your soul or the money? That is all I have to say about that. What a horrid excuse- if you were sick you would most certainly call in from work now wouldn’t you. I found a Church that is close to where I work. They have confessions every day except Sunday for 30 minutes. The time falls right before I go into work…the priest though has you pray the rosary as your penance which has me reciting the rosary on the way to work after confession all the time…

You can find confession if you look for it- and God will provide for you if you have to go out of your way to get to it, that’s for sure.

Ken