THE CATHOLIC Church in Ireland has stressed that a new smartphone “confession” application is not a replacement for a priest despite receiving the approval of an American bishop.
“Confession: A Roman Catholic App” is available on iTunes for €1.59 and provides a step-by-step guide to the sacrament as well as advising on suitable acts of contrition.
It is the first iPhone application known to receive an “imprimatur” – a licence granted by a bishop certifying the church’s approval of publication.
The director of the Holy See’s press office, Fr Federico Lombardi pointed out that the Vatican did not regard the app as a replacement for actual confession.
“It is essential to understand that the sacrament of penance requires a personal dialogue between the penitent and the confessor in order for absolution to be given. This cannot be replaced by any computer application such as the iPhone,” he said. A spokesman for the Irish Catholic Bishops’ Conference yesterday gave the Vatican’s position which “succinctly summarises the issue from the Catholic Church perspective.
“The acts of the penitent and the absolution of the priest who, in the name of Christ, grants forgiveness and determines a way of repentance. The sacraments can never be substituted by technology,” he said. In their statement announcing the release of the application, the developers said the app “invited Catholics to prayerfully prepare for and participate in the rite of penance. “Individuals who have been away from the sacrament for some time will find ‘Confession: A Roman Catholic App’ to be a useful and inviting tool,” the statement said.