I *love* it. The Roman Catholic Church has approved an iPhone app called “Confession” that allows penitents to choose the commandment they have broken, confess, and receive penance. Click the iTunes link to see more pictures.
Confession: A Roman Catholic App, developed by Little iApps in South Bend, Ind., received an “imprimatur” — an official publication licence from the church — from Bishop Kevin C. Rhodes of the Indiana Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend, the company said in a news release.
The release added that this is the first known imprimatur given to an iPhone or iPad app, even though a number of similar apps already exist.
It’s fascinating. You can add custom categories. And after each confession, you get a random bit of wisdom (I got St. Catherine of Siera and St. Faustina during both my “confessions” this morning).
Of course, Engadget has a snarky idea of what to do with it:
Can’t find your particular misstep? No problem! You’re able to add your own, custom dastardly deeds, filling in those gaps the app’s authors didn’t think anyone would fill. Now all it needs is a random sin selector: shake the phone to instantly get a wicked suggestion. That certainly could make boring Thursday nights at the dormitory a little more exciting.
What do you think? Are digital confessions and absolutions appropriate? And if so, what opportunity could there be for the United Methodist Church to serve in this digital capacity?
Discuss.
So, this supplants a real confession? I mean, not that many real confessions take place anymore, lol.
I actually think it is meant to prepare a penitent’s thoughts and accompany a penitent. For example, it says “when the priest says “Give thanks to the Lord for He is good” answer “For His mercy endures forever.” So it’s not to supplant confession but be a companion for it, I think.
It may be okayed as an “examination of conscience” (a private act) and but I don’t see it being presented as a substitute for the “Sacrament of Reconciliation,” which used to be called “Confession,” and which involves a priest personally hearing the confession and offering absolution. Of course, a lot of Protestants and perhaps a good number of Catholics are likely to be a bit fuzzy on the distinction.
I think your headline overstates what the CBC news story says the Roman Catholic Church did. The app “is supposed to help people prepare for confession and is designed to be used in the confessional, the booth in church where people sit while confessing to a priest…”
It’d be hard to believe that a church body which holds the Doctrine of the Real Presence in the elements of the Eucharist would accept this kind of disembodied version of one of the other sacraments.
you are correct the lede overstates the app’s purpose but my followup comment #2 above clarified that it is meant as an accessory not a replacement.
Indeed you did — the Get Religion entry on this story shows you’re kind of alone in doing so.
I heard it first from you… but here are a few follow-up articles!
http://www.getreligion.org/2011/02/time-for-confession-at-the-london-times/
and
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/09/opinion/09dowd.html
It appears that it is designed for a personal examination of conscience, not anything more.