Confession via the internet?

[Adonia]

I travel a lot and do not have easy access to a priest, would it possible to do a confession via the internet

 

[francesco920]

I travel a lot and do not have easy access to a priest, would it possible to do a confession via the internet

I’m sorry but I don’t think it is possible. That would just be too easy.

 

[water]

It is not allowed and no priest are allowed to do so.

If you travel, you can check out the local area for Catholic church and mass schedule on this great website:

masstimes.org/dotnet/

 

[Adonia]

It is not allowed and no priest are allowed to do so.

If you travel, you can check out the local area for Catholic church and mass schedule on this great website:

masstimes.org/dotnet/

Unfortunately, it is hard to find parking for a 75 ft tractor trailor. You seen so sure, where exactly did you get this info? Has this type issue ever been adressed by the Church? You see, this idea hit me the other day while I was at a truck stop, and I thought Wow! What if?

 

[LilyM]

I’m sorry but I don’t think it is possible. That would just be too easy.

It’s not a matter of whether it’s easy or not. The sacraments are always, and always have to be, conducted with the priest or bishop who is administering the sacrament and the recepient in the same physical location.

Jesus didn’t conduct the Last Supper by telephone conference call from Galilee, neither did he send a text message to the Apostles after the Resurrection telling them that they now had the power to forgive sins.

If your other commitments prevent you attending confession at scheduled times, then the appropriate thing to do is call the church and make an appointment with the priest for a time which suits yourself and him. Most priests are happy to do so, seeing as how their job is to administer the sacraments and confession is probably the most critical of all (apart possibly from last rites).

 

[Adonia]

It’s not a matter of whether it’s easy or not. The sacraments are always, and always have to be, conducted with the priest or bishop who is administering the sacrament and the recepient in the same physical location.

Jesus didn’t conduct the Last Supper by telephone conference call from Galilee, neither did he send a text message to the Apostles after the Resurrection telling them that they now had the power to forgive sins.

If your other commitments prevent you attending confession at scheduled times, then the appropriate thing to do is call the church and make an appointment with the priest for a time which suits yourself and him. Most priests are happy to do so, seeing as how their job is to administer the sacraments and confession is probably the most critical of all (apart possibly from last rites).

All that you say makes the utmost sense. I have at times just dropped in to a Church wherever I was at, and the Priest always would make time to hear my confession. Two more questions. Is a person’s Mass obligation met if one is a shut in and wathing Mass on EWTN? Is the Blessing the Priest gives effective over the TV?

 

[LilyM]

All that you say makes the utmost sense. I have at times just dropped in to a Church wherever I was at, and the Priest always would make time to hear my confession. Two more questions. Is a person’s Mass obligation met if one is a shut in and wathing Mass on EWTN? Is the Blessing the Priest gives effective over the TV?

If you’re a shut in or unable to attend Mass for any other reason then there is no longer an obligation. You’re certainly not required to watch Mass on TV in that event, though many people like to do so as a way of honouring the Lord’s Day. They may also do other things - read the Mass readings on their own, pray privately or whatever they wish.

As for the priest’s blessing - that one I don’t know the answer to.

 

[LindaS]

I have heard, sorry I don’t remember where, that the priest’s blessing on TV is effective, so I always make sure I make a Sign of the Cross just as if I were there in person.

Peace,
Linda

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

All that you say makes the utmost sense. I have at times just dropped in to a Church wherever I was at, and the Priest always would make time to hear my confession. Two more questions. Is a person’s Mass obligation met if one is a shut in and wathing Mass on EWTN? Is the Blessing the Priest gives effective over the TV?

Confession must be done in person.

A person who cannot get to Mass because of sickness or disability, or the need to care for someone else who is ill or disabled, is excused from the Sunday and Holy day obligation. This includes anyone, who through no fault of their own, is unable to get to Mass.

I believe only the Papal Blessing is effective via the live Media of radio or television.

 

[LilyM]

Confession must be done in person.

A person who cannot get to Mass because of sickness or disability, or the need to care for someone else who is ill or disabled, is excused from the Sunday and Holy day obligation. This includes anyone, who through no fault of their own, is unable to get to Mass.

I believe only the Papal Blessing is effective via the live Media of radio or television.

Cool! I’ve caught a couple of Papal audiences on EWTN, so sounds like I’ve officially been blessed by Papa Benny

 

[Cristiano]

Cool! I’ve caught a couple of Papal audiences on EWTN, so sounds like I’ve officially been blessed by Papa Benny

I was in the cafeteria at my work place when Pope Benedict gave the benediction Urbis et Orbis after he was elected. It was live on CNN and people looked at me strangely because I stopped eating and made the sign of the cross. I was so happy at that moment and I will never forget it.

 

[puzzleannie]

Unfortunately, it is hard to find parking for a 75 ft tractor trailor. You seen so sure, where exactly did you get this info? Has this type issue ever been adressed by the Church? You see, this idea hit me the other day while I was at a truck stop, and I thought Wow! What if?

it is a matter of canon law, the question has been answered many times on this forum, confession must be done with the priest in person.

Now that you bring it up I remember reading recently, possibly in an RV magazine, about a priest who specializes in offering pastoral care at truckstops, and another order who has a ministry at airports.

 

[Adonia]

it is a matter of canon law, the question has been answered many times on this forum, confession must be done with the priest in person.

Now that you bring it up I remember reading recently, possibly in an RV magazine, about a priest who specializes in offering pastoral care at truckstops, and another order who has a ministry at airports.

Never heard of a priest at a truckstop. I have only seen non-Catholic Christian ministries at the truck stops. I sometimes stop in and share my faith with them and I have prayed with them, but as you know, our belief’s are not the same.

 

[CRW]

Unfortunately, it is hard to find parking for a 75 ft tractor trailor. You seen so sure, where exactly did you get this info? Has this type issue ever been adressed by the Church? You see, this idea hit me the other day while I was at a truck stop, and I thought Wow! What if?

It is a no to the internet and telephone or any other non-personal, one on one.

 

[mystified]

Adonia,
I have seen priests, usually using a small trailer or camper, celebrating Mass at truck stops in the Southwest. It might be interesting to check with dioceses crossed by major interstate highways and find out more about this. Seems like a good apostolate that could reach beyond just those Catholics on the road.

 

[VociMike]

Unfortunately, it is hard to find parking for a 75 ft tractor trailor. You seen so sure, where exactly did you get this info? Has this type issue ever been adressed by the Church? You see, this idea hit me the other day while I was at a truck stop, and I thought Wow! What if?

I understand that this question first came up after the telephone was invented and people wanted to know if they could go to confession by telephone. At that point the Church ruled that confessions must be face-to-face.

 

[LuxAurumque]

In regards to the “TV Blessing,” EWTN has this to say:

Blessings via media
Question from Pat Mahabir on 10/19/2006:

When watching the programmes on TV,I notice that the host priest often gives a blessing at the end of the show. How effective is this blessing to the television viewers? Do we benefit from it or is the benefit av ailable only to the studio audience? This also makes me wonder about Papal blessings via the media for those of us who have not yet had the privilege of visiting Rome and being in the presence of the Pope.

Also, what about those programs that are reruns? How effective is the blessing then?

Thank you for your attention.

God Bless.

Pat.
Answer by Colin B. Donovan, STL on 11/30/2006:

When radio was introduced Pope Pius XI stated that blessings were received by listeners at a distance through the new electronic media. The same would be true of television, and other media giving a live electronic tranmission (e.g. internet).

It must be live, however, as no real person is actually giving a blessing when it is viewed by tape replay. It is historical, not actual, in such a case.

Cite: ewtn.com/vexperts/showmessage.asp?number=483743&Pg=Forum8&Pgnu=1&recnu=15

 

[Digitonomy]

[Colin Donovan]:It must be live, however, as no real person is actually giving a blessing when it is viewed by tape replay. It is historical, not actual, in such a case.

This strikes me as mere speculation. Even when you are at the event, there is a delay between the celebrant giving a blessing, and the audience member hearing and seeing it. If you are watching an event by satellite, there will usually be a few seconds delay as the signal is processed. I can imagine a situation where a papal mass is delayed by breaking news, but the station elects to broadcast the 3-hour event in its entirety, but delayed by 30 minutes.

I just don’t see what length of time constutes a threshhold, beyond which a blessing is invalid. Perhaps Pius IX or someone more recently has drawn a bright line, but I doubt it.

 

[Adonia]

I understand that this question first came up after the telephone was invented and people wanted to know if they could go to confession by telephone. At that point the Church ruled that confessions must be face-to-face.

Interesting. I did not know this. Thanks for that info.

 

[Adonia]

Adonia,
I have seen priests, usually using a small trailer or camper, celebrating Mass at truck stops in the Southwest. It might be interesting to check with dioceses crossed by major interstate highways and find out more about this. Seems like a good apostolate that could reach beyond just those Catholics on the road.

Yes, this sounds good to me. We need more visibile Catholic evangelization!