Absolution over the phone

[MichaelBurk]

In the Orthodox Church, is it possible to receive absolution over the telephone (if distance, insufficient car fare, or other circumstances keep you from getting to an Orthodox Priest, or keep the priest from getting to you)?

 

[~Anastasia~]

Subscribing - but the answer I've heard when it was asked is no. Confession over the phone is possible, then another priest can only read the prayers and be done with it, but Absolution must be in person, from the answers I heard. My info is just from listening though, so better see what someone who knows will say.

 

[gzt]

This is the way I have heard it. Absolution is in person. Confession indeed can be done over the phone, but the absolution postponed until you can have that performed in person. Though I presume that, you know, if you meet your untimely end after confessing at a distance but before you get a chance to be absolved, God knows what was going on.

 

[ArmyMatt]

This is the way I have heard it. Absolution is in person. Confession indeed can be done over the phone, but the absolution postponed until you can have that performed in person. Though I presume that, you know, if you meet your untimely end after confessing at a distance but before you get a chance to be absolved, God knows what was going on.

this in a nutshell. there are no sacraments that are from a distance. if there is no over the phone baptism, communion, marriage, etc, absolution would certainly be a part of that.

 

[Arcangl86]

I

Subscribing - but the answer I've heard when it was asked is no. Confession over the phone is possible, then another priest can only read the prayers and be done with it, but Absolution must be in person, from the answers I heard. My info is just from listening though, so better see what someone who knows will say.

I'm confused about this. What do you mean that another priest can only read the prayers? Do you not need to confess to the priest pronouncing absolution?

 

[ArmyMatt]

What do you mean that another priest can only read the prayers? Do you not need to confess to the priest pronouncing absolution?

in depends on the priest. if you confess over a phone to a priest, he can read certain prayers for you over the phone. if you go to him in confession, since you already confessed to him, he can just absolve you since he already heard your confession.

the ideal though, is to confess to him face to face where he can absolve you afterwards

 

[~Anastasia~]

The situations I heard of involved confessing to one priest (usually ones Father Confessor or something, for that reason) over the phone. That priest can then contact a local priest and relay that he may read the prayers of Absolution (in person) which is the sacramental part.

This is what I have heard, from priests. But certainly this would depend on the priest and his willingness to do it this way (maybe the reasons also). I just know it has been done. But that sacraments must be in person, as mentioned above.

 

[gurneyhalleck1]

Hi,
You've reached the iPhone of Archpriest Gregarios Seraphim Kallistos. I'm not here right now to take your confession, but leave a message detailing your sins and failures, both voluntary and involuntary, committed in knowledge and in ignorance, lay it on the line, and I'll meet you after Vespers for absolution. Please * when you are ready to cut loose with your sins....or stay on the line for more options....

 

[ArmyMatt]

please leave a message at the sound of the bell

 

[All4Christ]

The situations I heard of involved confessing to one priest (usually ones Father Confessor or something, for that reason) over the phone. That priest can then contact a local priest and relay that he may read the prayers of Absolution (in person) which is the sacramental part.

This is what I have heard, from priests. But certainly this would depend on the priest and his willingness to do it this way (maybe the reasons also). I just know it has been done. But that sacraments must be in person, as mentioned above.

One of our friends at our parish has a Father Confessor out of state (his confessor before moving here). He confesses to him on a regular basis via the phone. Somehow they coordinate things with my priest, who prays the prayers of absolution. I think he may also go to our priest on occasion though. Not 100% sure how it all works.

 

[gurneyhalleck1]

We're sorry. All our lines are busy right now. There are too many sinners. Please stay on the line and we'll get the next available priest. Para servicio en espanol, oprima el numero siete. For Greek press
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[All4Christ]

Ha, nice gurney [emoji1]

 

[~Anastasia~]

One of our friends at our parish has a Father Confessor out of state (his confessor before moving here). He confesses to him on a regular basis via the phone. Somehow they coordinate things with my priest, who prays the prayers of absolution. I think he may also go to our priest on occasion though. Not 100% sure how it all works.

That's pretty much in the context of the questions I heard being discussed.

If you have a local priest, there's likely no reason to just go looking for a long-distance relationship with a confessor. But I can understand developing a relationship with a priest as one's confessor and maybe wishing to maintain that if one of them moves.

I don't have that much experience about such things, of course. Most of my confessions have been with my parish priest. He understands the process I've been through, and I'm comfortable with him. However, there's no major ongoing issue such that I would be unwilling to confess to another priest. But otoh, he has given me very good advice, and there is a relationship of trust that took time to develop. And I believe what have read - that to approach a priest, elder, etc. with faith in God and submission and willingness to hear from God will let Him speak to you through the man of God - and I have experienced Fr. M cooperating in that and giving me correct guidance when he himself said he did not know the answer.

Given all the dynamics in just my couple-years' relationship with my priest, I can understand the possibility of wanting to continue with the same Confessor.

But I've also been thinking it might be healthy to make it a point to confess at least sometimes to another priest, just for the sake of balance.

 

[gzt]

Generally these cases come up with, say, people who have a longstanding relationship with another confessor, sometimes with the family of the parish priest if they quite fairly don't want to confess to him but aren't near another parish, and I suppose some other situations.

 

[~Anastasia~]

Generally these cases come up with, say, people who have a longstanding relationship with another confessor, sometimes with the family of the parish priest if they quite fairly don't want to confess to him but aren't near another parish, and I suppose some other situations.

I can see that. Many in our parish don't want to confess to our priest because he is from here and they have known him since he was a youth. But we have a number of other priests close enough that it shouldn't be an issue, as well as a traveling confessor. But for the size parish he has, I'm guessing he isn't that busy with confession, just because I've had people tell me they aren't used to confessing to a priest they have watched grow up.

 

[E.C.]

Yes, no and not really.

Yes, we can do confessions over the phone when things like distance and language barriers come into play resulting in the need. No, we don't get absolved over the phone since that is done in person. Not really, because, the priest can say prayers over the phone but that doesn't replace putting the stole over the head. Whenever I've had confession over the phone the priest usually said that he'd do the absolution bit the next time I was in church.