What would be wrong with parishes offering reconciliation sacrament by phone?

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Tamsulosin

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This would be in addition to the “very” short period offered in church.
After all,by phone is not that different than behind a screen.It is an interchange of voices
It’s personal,(unlike what would be by computer).The person confessing talks to the priest
and receives advise and penitence.A live voice transmits feelings and emotions.
The advantage would be to have a 24 hrs service.It would be wonderful, and a person
that has sinned would not have to risk waiting 2 or 3 days to go to confesssion.
How and where does one mail ideas or comments to the Pope/Vatican?Does anybody have any experience writing to the Vatican?Do they read the letters? Tam
 
Aside from the fact that the only secure phone ckts are in the White House…

The hours your parish offers for confession meet the needs that have been determined by your priests. If there were lines each time confession was offered, people calling often to schedule additional confessions, the priests would know that more people wished to avail themselves of the Sacrament and would offer more hours.

That is the way to make a change, get more people in the box!
 
The same thing that would be wrong with the priest sending consecrated Hosts to you by mail.

a) it’s not a very secure or properly dignified way in which to treat the gifts of God’s grace that are the Sacraments - you on a phone could be anywhere, doing anything while you’re talking. Likewise the priest. Do you really want that?

b) sacraments to be effective (valid) have to be (with very very few exceptions, confession not being one of them) administered in person.

Watching Mass on TV is NOT the same thing as attending in person, and having a priest talking to you on your deathbed over the phone is not the same thing as having him there present to give you the last rites.

Apart from which, if a priest has no time to see people in the church what makes you think he has time to spend on the phone with them either? You’re just as likely to phone and get a secretary or answering machine as you are to turn up to church and find that he’s not there.

If you DO urgently need confession, phone and ask for an appointment - most priests would be happy to accommodate.
 
kage_ar said:
Aside from the fact that the only secure phone ckts are in the White House…

The hours your parish offers for confession meet the needs that have been determined by your priests. If there were lines each time confession was offered, people calling often to schedule additional confessions, the priests would know that more people wished to avail themselves of the Sacrament and would offer more hours.

That is the way to make a change, get more people in the box!
Click to expand...
Some people, especially the elderly do not have the mobility, a car., They depend on others to take them after dinner time ,which is generally the hours offered midweek for
the sacrament.
For them is more complicated, They have to be asking for favors or letting others know about their personal need to go to confession.Some are unable to be standing in lines.
No system is perfect ,but I think that a confession hotline would personally be a good thing, facilitating more communions also.Even people that cannot bring themselves to the box for fear to be seen,may get the courage that way.
Now is not valid,but things may change.The service would be useful, in my humble opinion.
 
Tamsulosin said:
Some people, especially the elderly do not have the mobility, a car., They depend on others to take them after dinner time ,which is generally the hours offered midweek for
the sacrament.
For them is more complicated, They have to be asking for favors or letting others know about their personal need to go to confession.Some are unable to be standing in lines.
No system is perfect ,but I think that a confession hotline would personally be a good thing, facilitating more communions also.Even people that cannot bring themselves to the box for fear to be seen,may get the courage that way.
Now is not valid,but things may change.The service would be useful, in my humble opinion.
Click to expand...
So they have to do for doctors’ appointments and the shopping and every other blessed thing they have to do. If they are immobile the doctors can visit them at their home, shops can home deliver - and so can the priest pay a home visit, be it for confession or communion. Someone who can make it to church for Mass can certainly make it for confession. Someone who can do neither can get a home visit, as I’ve said.

And I’ve been to confession in many different churches - never EVER seen people standing, there have always been seats for them. And someone who can’t stand can ask others to kindly let them in first, as they would have to do in the queue at the bank or in any other situation where they were being asked to stand.
 
Tamsulosin said:
Some people, especially the elderly do not have the mobility, a car., They depend on others to take them after dinner time ,which is generally the hours offered midweek for
the sacrament.
For them is more complicated, They have to be asking for favors or letting others know about their personal need to go to confession.Some are unable to be standing in lines.
No system is perfect ,but I think that a confession hotline would personally be a good thing, facilitating more communions also.Even people that cannot bring themselves to the box for fear to be seen,may get the courage that way.
Now is not valid,but things may change.The service would be useful, in my humble opinion.
Click to expand...
We’ve had sick and elderly people in the church for 2000+ years. It’s not going to change. Allowances can be made to help them out. Whether the priest visits them or they get priority spots on the line.
 
The Pope has encouraged us to start using modern technologies,and the Vatican has it’s
website.While the principles and dogma will always remain the same,the means of communicating are changing through the pope’s invitation.
Maybe in the near future we could use the phone .Having to make an appointment and have a priest come to your home involves a lot of effort, time and gasoline, and unless there are some serious facts to confess,it is almost unfair to avail yourself of a weekly
confession that way.Wouldn’t you say?
Then there is the matter of kneeling inside the confessional.While you and I may not have any trouble,many elderly have a hard time with it.
I know a person that has not gone to confession for about 30 years in spite of my suggesting it,and that person just might,and I repeat might, go ahead and break the pause, if confession by phone were allowed.
It’s just an idea which I intend to write the Vatican about.🙂 The Pope may like to hear of suggestions that could help people achieve sanctity,by providing ways that facilitate,encourage,and make confession more accesible, at least for a group of people that has lack of mobility or infirmities.
 
Tamsulosin said:
The Pope has encouraged us to start using modern technologies,and the Vatican has it’s
website.While the principles and dogma will always remain the same,the means of communicating are changing through the pope’s invitation.
Maybe in the near future we could use the phone .Having to make an appointment and have a priest come to your home involves a lot of effort, time and gasoline, and unless there are some serious facts to confess,it is almost unfair to avail yourself of a weekly
confession that way.Wouldn’t you say?
Then there is the matter of kneeling inside the confessional.While you and I may not have any trouble,many elderly have a hard time with it.
I know a person that has not gone to confession for about 30 years in spite of my suggesting it,and that person just might,and I repeat might, go ahead and break the pause, if confession by phone were allowed.
It’s just an idea which I intend to write the Vatican about.🙂 The Pope may like to hear of suggestions that could help people achieve sanctity,by providing ways that facilitate,encourage,and make confession more accesible, at least for a group of people that has lack of mobility or infirmities.
Click to expand...
Tam, sweetheart, the telephone has been around for well over a century. I’m sure not only our present Pope but all of his predecessors during that century, have had urged upon them the benefits of allowing confession by telephone, and have seriously considered the issue.

The fact that they’ve all nixed it should tell you something. As should the fact that they’ve nixed the idea of television Masses fulfilling our Sunday obligation. In spite of the fact that that would have just as many practical advantages (after all, there are people out there who are unable to get to Mass too!).

Clearly, the lesson to be learned from all this is that it is important if not essential for the effect of the sacraments that they be administered personally.
 
LilyM said:
The same thing that would be wrong with the priest sending consecrated Hosts to you by mail.
Click to expand...
That is a horribly inaccurate analogy.

The fact of the matter is people like me would go to confession a great deal more. No, not because of the ease in going but because it would be far less stressful for some.

Perhaps that stress is part of the sacrament – I can’t really argue that one way or another. But the excuses like the one you gave above, privacy, etc. ring empty of merit.
 
The Sacrament of Confession will NEVER be available via telephone, the internet or any other way other than person to person. This has already been established by the Church and will not change.

There is no point in discussing it, since it will never happen.
 
I can’t find an official document that satisfies at the moment. This topic has been discussed repeatedly on this board and by the church for years.

Sacraments must be accomplished in person. The priest and the penitent must be in close physical proximity. The seal of the confessional must be safeguarded. Can’t do that over the telephone or the internet. The person confession must be sure they are confession to a priest. The appropriate place for most sacraments is in the church building. There are multiple reasons why this is so.

Here’s one short Q&A that answers the question in brief-

americancatholic.org/Messenger/Dec1999/Wiseman.asp#top

**
**Q: **
Click to expand...
I am a Roman Catholic and attend Mass every Sunday. I am very uneasy, though, with going to confession. Since I haven’t gone in years, I am wondering: Is there such a thing as going to confession to a priest online or by e-mail?

**A: **The person going to confession and the priest hearing that confession must be in the same physical place. It is not possible to celebrate this sacrament by phone, letter or e-mail. Why not? Although in one sense the Sacrament of Reconciliation is a private act (we do not mention our sins before a group), in another sense it is a public act (we have all sinned and we all need forgiveness). The reconciliation intended by this sacrament is twofold—with God and with the community of believers, as well as the larger human community.
**
 
:rolleyes:
OhMalley said:
That is a horribly inaccurate analogy.

The fact of the matter is people like me would go to confession a great deal more. No, not because of the ease in going but because it would be far less stressful for some.

Perhaps that stress is part of the sacrament – I can’t really argue that one way or another. But the excuses like the one you gave above, privacy, etc. ring empty of merit.
Click to expand...
 
Tamsulosin said:
This would be in addition to the “very” short period offered in church.
After all,by phone is not that different than behind a screen.It is an interchange of voices
It’s personal,(unlike what would be by computer).The person confessing talks to the priest
and receives advise and penitence.A live voice transmits feelings and emotions.
The advantage would be to have a 24 hrs service.It would be wonderful, and a person
that has sinned would not have to risk waiting 2 or 3 days to go to confesssion.
How and where does one mail ideas or comments to the Pope/Vatican?Does anybody have any experience writing to the Vatican?Do they read the letters? Tam
Click to expand...
Well I for one think it’s a great idea! 👍

In fact, I say, lets expand on it. Marriage for instance. With todays busy schedules taking time out for something as time consuming, quite frankly archaic and impractical as an actual Marriage ceremony could cause a big problem. Solution, telephone marriage. Heck, lets do it one better, text msg. marriages:thumbsup:👍 Just think of all the advantages. No neeed to stop what you are doing, whatever it is and with the text abbreviations you could have the ceremony done in little more than a minute:dancing:

Truly a win win situation
 
LOL…I am glad I know…otherwise I would have thought you were serious. You make a good point 👍
palmas85 said:
Well I for one think it’s a great idea! 👍

In fact, I say, lets expand on it. Marriage for instance. With todays busy schedules taking time out for something as time consuming, quite frankly archaic and impractical as an actual Marriage ceremony could cause a big problem. Solution, telephone marriage. Heck, lets do it one better, text msg. marriages:thumbsup:👍 Just think of all the advantages. No neeed to stop what you are doing, whatever it is and with the text abbreviations you could have the ceremony done in little more than a minute:dancing:

Truly a win win situation
Click to expand...
 
I never suggested confession by email. On the contrary I said that via telephone it is still personal.You do not see the priest behind a screen,you do not see the priest by phone.It is the vocal, personal interchange what matters.
Do not use the words “never” will happen,unless you think you are like God and see the future.That would be vain on your part.Only time will tell.

It is easy for young ,mobile people to drive to the parish in the evening.
But put yourselves in other people’s shoes ,if you can be compassionate.
Those that have to take a taxi,when it is getting dark, to take advantage of the church’s confession time,then call other taxi when finished.
The alternative is to be asking younger adults, who have children to tend to, that are tired after work to have to drive you, wait for you, etc.
If you feel you maybe dying,and you could call a priest to receive the sacrament of reconciliation,right and there,without waiting to see if a priest is available to come right away(with the shortness of priests and all).
Yes,the best is to confess at church,but the second best is by phone.And in some cases would be the only way for some people. 🙂
 
And I need to add:what about the people that live in the countryside, maybe a village 30, 50 miles away from the nearest church.That would be another case when confession by phone could be permissible.
It would not be like for us, a hop in the car and" be back in an hour I’m going to confession dear".
Can’t some of you see beyond your easy realities?Not every catholic is ambulatory, lives in a cosmopolitan area with a car at their disposal,and a church nearby.
The church is supposed to exist to help souls achieve sanctity,not put roadblocks.
:)Tam
 
By all means, write to the Vatican, and be sure to let us know what reply you receive.

Betsy
 
Tamsulosin said:
And I need to add:what about the people that live in the countryside, maybe a village 30, 50 miles away from the nearest church.That would be another case when confession by phone could be permissible.
It would not be like for us, a hop in the car and" be back in an hour I’m going to confession dear".
Can’t some of you see beyond your easy realities?Not every catholic is ambulatory, lives in a cosmopolitan area with a car at their disposal,and a church nearby.
The church is supposed to exist to help souls achieve sanctity,not put roadblocks.
:)Tam
Click to expand...
Tam,

Stop trying to find loopholes! 😦

All the sacraments have to be given in person. No ifs, ands or buts. This will not change.

Living far away from a church is still not an excuse. If one makes going to confession and going to mass a priority, then they will find the time to do these things.
 
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