Can you do confession over the phone

Demand for confessions at St. Confession by phone, Skype, or emoji? Could it happen during coronavirus pandemic? David Burgard participates in "Priests in the Park. Used with permission. More in US. Police identify suspect in Denver cathedral vandalism Read article. Subscribe to our daily newsletter At Catholic News Agency, our team is committed to reporting the truth with courage, integrity, and fidelity to our faith.

One cannot speak in any way of 'confession by iPhone,'" Lombardi added. Tags: Catholic News , Confession , Coronavirus. Our mission is the truth. Join us! You may also like. Bishops issue statement in support of migrant farmworkers during pandemic - April 28, Pope composes prayers for end of pandemic to be recited after rosary - April 27, Longing for Communion can be exercise in spiritual growth, Jesuit says - April 21, Challenging times are a gift - April 17, Catholic Charities food pantries to reopen - April 06, Fauci is dedicated to public service, formed at Jesuit high school - March 31, Pandemic casts spotlight on a nearly forgotten martyr: St.

Augustine Catholic Church in Pleasanton, says that all of the Catholic church sacraments must happen in person.

In Coral Gables, Florida, Rev. Richard Vigoa chooses to integrate technology into his parking lot confessions, reports journalist Alex Harris. Like the other priests, Vigoa sits in the parking lot, waiting for members of his congregation to drive up and confess. The difference is that Vigoa speaks to parishioners via his iPhone. The archdioceses of both cities are enforcing stringent social distancing rules to make sure that confessionals can take place safely and confidentially. Booking appointments is an integral part of that process.

Scheduling appointments can also help your congregation avoid leaving the house for extended periods of time. Louis Review. You can integrate forms into your existing church website or send them to parishioners separately and set them up so they are anonymous.

Parishioners can schedule appointments easily and anonymously. This kind of proactive attitude has helped St. How to Start and Grow a Church. The cardinal said it is up to the local bishop to decide whether he will allow "collective absolution" in cases of serious necessity, "for example, at the entryway of hospital wards where the faithful are infected and in danger of death. In this case, the priest would have to take the necessary health precautions and should try to "amplify" his voice as much as possible so that the absolution may be heard, he added.

Church law requires, in most cases, that the priest and penitent be physically present to each other. The penitent states his or her sins out loud and expresses contrition for them. Recognizing the difficulties priests are facing regarding respecting health measures and mandates while being able to offer the sacrament, the cardinal said it is up to every bishop to indicate to their priests and the faithful "the cautious attentiveness that should be adopted" in the individual celebration of the sacrament of reconciliation in ways that maintain the physical presence of priest and penitent.

Such guidance should be based on the local situation concerning the spread and risk of contagion, he added. For example, the cardinal said, the place indicated for confession should be well-ventilated and outside of a confessional booth, face masks should be used, surrounding surfaces should be sanitized frequently, and there should be social distancing while also guaranteeing discretion and safeguarding the seal of confession. The cardinal's comments reiterated what the apostolic penitentiary said in mid-March when it released a note "On the Sacrament of Reconciliation in the present emergency of the coronavirus.

The sacrament must be administered according to canon law and other provisions, even during a global pandemic, it said, adding the indications he mentioned in the interview about taking precautionary measures to reduce the risk of spreading the virus. People who cannot get to confession because of the coronavirus lockdown or another serious reason can go to God directly, be specific about their sins, request pardon and experience God's loving forgiveness, he said.