Tuesday, March 28, 2017
WHAT ABOUT FACE TIME FOR THE SACRAMENT OF PENANCE?
Canon Law and certainly sacramental theology has said (once the phone was invented) that a person cannot go to confession and receive absolution over the phone. They have to be physically present.
Now that we have The Jetsons' technology for face time on phones and computers, what about receiving absolution that way?
If not ordinarily, why not, but if not, what about in extraordinary situations where no priest is ever available for Confessions, like remote Alaska outposts?
Discuss on line or in person!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
11 comments:
The Jetsons or Jetsons', not Jetson's
Is it the Jetsons' or the Jesuitsons, I don't know! I remember I commented on a priests blog that I confessed to doing something that he had discussed. His response was a round about way of saying it was not a problem, while obviously avoiding using the word forgiveness. He had your post in certain.
If the priest is not present, but absolution is somehow possible, then wouldn't it just come directly from God? The whole point of the priesthood is sacramental nearness. If priests need not be near, then priests are not needed at all.
I don't live in Alaska or some remote area. A trend began in my area starting about 5 years ago.....priests not showing up for scheduled confession times, confessional boxes being reconfigured to look like little lounge offices on the priests side which I can see because th light is on. Lounge chair and all. I can clearly see the priest though the grill reading his book and ignoring what I am saying. Or racing to confession and waiting in line for 29 minutes while some soccer mom is rationalizing why her husband makes her do bad things and having to leave because time is up. Confession is a mess just like the priesthood, the Novus Ordo, the papacy and everything. The whole Catholic Faith has become one huge sloppy mess. No longer the rock of stablity amidst the storms of the world. The Church has embraced the world and is no longer speaking the Truth 99.999999 percent of the time.
Sad that Confession is offered only 30 minutes per week in many parishes. Thanks to Father McDonald, I can go to early morning Confession at St. Joseph, in Macon, during the week, if I need to. I realize that priests are very busy, however, I wish parishes that had two or more priests would offer Confession before Daily Mass, including Saturday, and for a longer period of time on Saturday afternoons before the Vigil Mass. The biggest part of my wish is that Confession would be available for a period of time before every Sunday Mass, including morning, afternoon and evening. Again, in parishes with two or more priests. As for Confession offered remotely, such as through Skype or closed circuit, I'm not convinced that is such a great idea. Diocese could reach out to religious orders around the world, such a the Missionaries of St. Paul, and borrow available priests for remote locations that are not currently being served by priests of the respective diocese, for whatever reason.
No, absolutely no, there would be zero way to protect against the seal...knowing how the government is.
In my opinion, another great point against remote confession, Joe Potillor!
Where a priest is available Confessions may also be heard during Mass. I have seen this at the Oxford Oratory, and in the Novus Ordo too, during the LOTW.
Of course, this will not please the 'you've got to participate actively one hundred per cent of the time!' crowd. The GIRM is forever telling the laity what to do, whereas the priest's rubrics are attenuated and vague.
As Father Zed would say, reason #842093 for Summorum Pontificum!
If this is where it's headed, then I have a great, money-saving idea for the next conclave. Instead of flying all those cardinals to Rome, just have them use gotomeeting.com and elect a pope that way.
They started dumbing down Confession when they began calling it "reconciliation." How sweet...
Gene, you apparently fail to realize that calling it the Sacrament of Penance put people off because of its negative connotations, whereas providing 'reconciliation rooms' with comfy chairs and a glass front to ensure 'safeguarding' has meant that people are returning to the Sacrament in droves.
Like all the other post-V2 changes, the faithful are beside themselves with enthusiasm. How can you doubt it, since the bishops are constantly informing Rome that it is indeed the case?
Post a Comment