EDITED: Confession and Cell phone

[AnneTeresa]

I actually had a priest have his cell phone ring (it was vibration so it was that loud buzzing sound) during my face-to-face confession – twice! He took time both times and looked down at it, I think they were text messages. If I remember correctly he said he had to handle it and he texted them back. To be honest, I was so astounded I can’t remember exactly and I went tongue tied. Boy did I feel stupid, like I was really bothering him by being in confession. So you’re not the only one.

 

[JerryZ]

I actually had a priest have his cell phone ring (it was vibration so it was that loud buzzing sound) during my face-to-face confession – twice! He took time both times and looked down at it, I think they were text messages. If I remember correctly he said he had to handle it and he texted them back. To be honest, I was so astounded I can’t remember exactly and I went tongue tied. Boy did I feel stupid, like I was really bothering him by being in confession. So you’re not the only one.

I would have just said looking straight up and pointing a finger to add poignancy:

“I surely hope it was not the Boss!” :hey_bud:

Then calmly watch his reaction

 

[englishredrose]

I actually had a priest have his cell phone ring (it was vibration so it was that loud buzzing sound) during my face-to-face confession – twice! He took time both times and looked down at it, I think they were text messages. If I remember correctly he said he had to handle it and he texted them back. To be honest, I was so astounded I can’t remember exactly and I went tongue tied. Boy did I feel stupid, like I was really bothering him by being in confession. So you’re not the only one.

He would have known why he had to text back there and then rather than wait 5 minutes till the end of your confession. Someone may have really been needing his help and he may have been texting saying he will ring them in 5 minutes if they can hang on that long. In some crises 5 minutes is indeed too long. If he been the person they had turn to then he obliged to respond

Your confession whilst important, may not have been as important as his text and only he can determin that though none of us like it when other breaks of to reply to texts even in ordinary conversation.

Britain is one of the worst countries for texting we were told on the news this morning. Worst as in we ‘do it’ the most…

 

[Diana_Catherine]

Yes there is a reason to be upset about this. While inside a church, people need to have proper respect for where they are at. And when a cell phone goes off inside a church, it just appears to be disrepectful. And its also a major distraction for many. Cell phones have no place inside a church. Before cell phones came out, life was so much easier and people didnt have a phone glued to their body 24/7. Its just gotten way out of control

I agree with you but you do need to also be forgiving of yourself, since it is something you try hard not to do and it wasn’t done purposefully. I had an incident in a confessional once but it was because I was just returning to the church, messed up my confession and got embarrassed and couldn’t concentrate, so I guess things like that happen.

On the other side, I see what you mean about cell phones. It has become a 24/7 type of thing. And I agree, they have no place in church. They can be a great distraction to you and others around you. As a society we do seem to be so attached to these gadgets. I fill in at a doctors office a couple of days a month and it is very difficult to get someone’s temperature, blood pressure or ask questions when they are texting, typing or talking to someone else on their cell phone, computer and now tablets.

But… I think that has just become our society. We just have to work as individuals not to allow ourselves to conform and since you usually don’t take it in to church with you, I think you are doing a pretty good job.

 

[Regina_Love]

I actually had a priest have his cell phone ring (it was vibration so it was that loud buzzing sound) during my face-to-face confession – twice! He took time both times and looked down at it, I think they were text messages. If I remember correctly he said he had to handle it and he texted them back. To be honest, I was so astounded I can’t remember exactly and I went tongue tied. Boy did I feel stupid, like I was really bothering him by being in confession. So you’re not the only one.

He may have been summoned to give Last Rites, and had to let them know he would come. Or he may have been on suicide watch with some one. It’s hard to know, but if he said he needed to take care of it, I would trust his prudential judgement. It makes you no less precious in God’s eyes.

 

[englishredrose]

Church is where we can switch off from the demands of the world outside.

It is different for a priest because church life is their demand.

But we can and should ignore our phones though I am as guilty as the rest because some months ago I even emailed the priest before the service and was in church. I knew he wouldn’t get it till goodness knows what time on a Sunday but that wasn’t my reason as such. But it wasn’t interfering with anyone else as being in the choir meant we were all upto stuff at that moment so no one was distracted by my need to email. The following Sunday I was serving and all the priest did was simply ask how I am, as no one was about at that moment.It wasn’t a general how are you but specific in a bid to show he understood what was happening the previous week.

But really and truelly if we can’t survive an hour and a half approximately without our phones then at least be as discreet so they don’t interfere with others. I hate it when people start apologizing as they loudly leave the ‘room’ to me that just stinks of that they think it a fashion status image status. There is no need for it. I have seen how people respond to bad news via texts and also think that is appaulingly distasteful. In days gone by when bad news was delivered to the Firm’s Secretary, it was their job to contact Human Resources or line manager to break the news to the individual. Not some ‘cold’ text and the individual goes awol because no one is there to care for them in that half hour or so.

But in a church when we are there to worship God. Which god? the phone or Christlike God. There is no real excuse. Yeh we can give all the platitudes about stuff but which is your God? If its Christlike God then even if your phone goes off, just simply turn it off without fumbling for it and get on with it. The rest of us don’t want to know at that time. We shouldn’t be interrupted by ‘your’ lack of priorities. Of course we can all have someone ring us at that hour. But we can all be 100% with God too and not let technology distract us.

wake up. what is important here. You or God? The answer should be You worshipping God and you do not need your mobile to do that whether applications are on it or back light or anything. That stuff is just excuses and use the old fashioned paper versions.

 

[SMHW]

No, its not scrupulosity. Its called showing proper respect when inside a church.

It was an accident. Like tripping. You forgot. It was an moment. Please forgive yourself for it.

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I’ve seen some of your posts in other threads about cell phones. You have seem to think they are are something of a scourge on society. Technology is like that. It can both exacerbate and compensate for our failings, whether those failings are accidental, intentional, or due to ignorance.

I am asking forgiveness on behalf of those of us who offend you through our misuse of technology.