The Sacrament of Penance over Skype. Valid or not?

[CatholicAtHeart]

^

 

[Coralie]

Do you mean Confession? Or what are you referring to specifically?

 

[CatholicAtHeart]

Do you mean Confession? Or what are you referring to specifically?

Confession, and absolution.

 

[OuterWater]

The Orthodox Church has been known to allow this sort of thing when there is no other option for confession. God is merciful and gave us this mystery for our salvation, so if one is not close enough to a priest to confess face to face and has no other choice, then it would be better for the person to confess over skype, no? This is of course at the discretion of one's bishop and/or spiritual father, but I know for a fact that some Orthodox priests do allow this in extreme circumstances. Now doing it this way for convenience? Definitely not.

 

[Coralie]

Confession, and absolution.

Ask your priest. Like OuterWater says, if it's all that can happen, then God is merciful and we do our best in the situation.

 

[ArmyMatt]

yeah, if it is just because someone is being lazy, than no prolly not good for the person. if it is because someone cannot get to confession for whatever reason, God honors the heart of man

 

[Anhelyna]

CatholicAtHeart

This sadly is not permitted in Roman/Latin Catholicism , Confession HAS to be in person and Absolution has to be in person .

I know that in Orthodoxy , under special circumstances Confession by phone is permissable , but unless I'm mistaken you are a Catholic [ were you Received at Easter ? ]

This is a problem also for the Eastern Catholic Churches too where language can be a problem - I'm in the UK and my SF is in France - so I obviously do not manage to meet with him often - I'm still trying to sort this problem for myself

 

[Monica child of God 1]

It can be allowed. I know that the wife and children of a parish priest can have a confessor at a different parish. It isn't always practical to travel to the other parish for regular confession. In those cases, a phone confession may be allowed.

M.

 

[ikonographics]

How does the priest place the stole over your head over Skype?

 

[Anhelyna]

Hey folk - remember that at the present CatholicAtHeart is that - Catholic - and Latin Catholic too.

I've discussed the possibility of Phone Confession with my SF because of language problems in my parish for me - and he won't budge on the fact that the Catholic Church insists on confession in the physical presence of both priest and penitent .

 

[Monica child of God 1]

I assumed he was asking about Orthodox practice since he posted this in TAW.

M.

 

[Anhelyna]

I agree - this may be true - we need elucidation by CAH .

 

[MKJ]

I think he is looking for different views. The same question was posted in STR.

 

[Anhelyna]

Well - if that's so he has two versions of responses here

 

[Annoula]

skype seems awkward.
but i know that in Orthodoxy if someone is dying and there's no priest to confess to, this person can confess to someone else, and this someone else has to bring the confession in front of a priest for absolution.

 

[Kristos]

I've never heard of anyone doing it. Many people at my parish, including me, live an hour or more away and I don't think anyone is allowed to confess remotely. We do use skype for group meetings and catechises though.

 

[Monica child of God 1]

I think he is looking for different views. The same question was posted in STR.

Thanks. It wouldn't really make sense for him to ask about Catholic practice in TAW.

M.

 

[Damaris]

I've spoken with my own father confessor about this issue. What I took away from that was that a penitent may seek counsel from his confessor over the phone/email/Skype, but that this is not in itself a full sacramental confession. It has to be completed either by the penitent and the father confessor meeting in person at a later time and doing the absolution prayer then, or the penitent going to a local priest for that.

It should be noted that confessors are usually, but not always, clergy. In the case where a layperson (usually a monk or a nun) is blessed to hear confession, the penitent still goes to a priest for the absolution prayer.

 

[Constantine_Orthodox]

How does the priest place the stole over your head over Skype?

My first thought exactly!

 

[Protoevangel]

I've spoken with my own father confessor about this issue. What I took away from that was that a penitent may seek counsel from his confessor over the phone/email/Skype, but that this is not in itself a full sacramental confession. It has to be completed either by the penitent and the father confessor meeting in person at a later time and doing the absolution prayer then, or the penitent going to a local priest for that.

It should be noted that confessors are usually, but not always, clergy. In the case where a layperson (usually a monk or a nun) is blessed to hear confession, the penitent still goes to a priest for the absolution prayer.

This is my understanding as well.