Fully Encrypted Video Conference Confession

[BarbTherese]

i thought the communal confession (if that is what your refering to barbara) was only for extreme circumstance like war and possibly christmas and easter. That may be why the vatican shut it down if it was being used regularily.

 

I think too, Tab, that you are quite correct and rules etc. around forms of Confession are Church discipline and why the Third Form here was 'shut down' as it was only permitted as a Church discpline re Third Form in certain circumstances as you have stated.     Church discipline can change and sometimes has and possibly will in the future -  as with the meat on Friday ban and under pain of morrall sin if meat on Friday was eaten deliberately etc.  This discipline was lifted, but not the obligation to do penance somehow on each Friday - what penance exactly is left up to the individual.  Interestingly on Fridays and days of abstinence and even on Good Friday some Catholics would sit down to a non meat meal that was sumptious and enjoyable nonetheless and not penititential at all. The meaning of abstinence on Friday as penance in many instances was forgotten and with some the reason why there was abstinence on Fridays only.

 

Catholics who refrain from going to First Form nowadays and it seems to be a big problem needs to be addressed and probably is being done so behind the scenes in Rome as discussions on various levels on what can be done - and what in essence is the problem why there is such a drop off in Catholics going to First Form.  To correct a problem, one needs to know why the problem exists and exactly what the actual problem is.  One could of course fall over a real answer without knowing the problem and the why's of it - but in the normal course, my former statement applies.

In talking with Father last Saturday I said that it seems to me from talking to some Catholics it is, to my mind, the non-Catholic notion of not needing any sort of intermediary betwen the penitent and God to be forgiven.  Which of course is very true, but for Catholics we are commanded by The Church (Church Commandments or Precepts) to attend First Form at least once yearly HERE

 

  It seems to me that non Catholic notions are 'infiltrating' into Catholic thinking at times and not only where Confession is concerned.  The problem (in part) and only to my thinking is that rules and regulations have got so numerous and to some so confusing that they are abandoned.

 

CCC

 

1447 Over the centuries the concrete form in which the Church has exercised this power received from the Lord has varied considerably. During the first centuries the reconciliation of Christians who had committed particularly grave sins after their Baptism (for example, idolatry, murder, or adultery) was tied to a very rigorous discipline, according to which penitents had to do public penance for their sins, often for years, before receiving reconciliation. To this "order of penitents" (which concerned only certain grave sins), one was only rarely admitted and in certain regions only once in a lifetime. During the seventh century Irish missionaries, inspired by the Eastern monastic tradition, took to continental Europe the "private" practice of penance, which does not require public and prolonged completion of penitential works before reconciliation with the Church. From that time on, the sacrament has been performed in secret between penitent and priest. This new practice envisioned the possibility of repetition and so opened the way to a regular frequenting of this sacrament. It allowed the forgiveness of grave sins and venial sins to be integrated into one sacramental celebration. In its main lines this is the form of penance that the Church has practiced down to our day.

 

1448 Beneath the changes in discipline and celebration that this sacrament has undergone over the centuries, the same fundamental structure is to be discerned. It comprises two equally essential elements: on the one hand, the acts of the man who undergoes conversion through the action of the Holy Spirit: namely, contrition, confession, and satisfaction; on the other, God's action through the intervention of the Church. The Church, who through the bishop and his priests forgives sins in the name of Jesus Christ and determines the manner of satisfaction, also prays for the sinner and does penance with him. Thus the sinner is healed and re-established in ecclesial communion.

 

[BarbTherese]

Phatmass Board times out too quickly for me, sometimies I post and am happy with the post and then move away and something occurs to me some seconds later but I am told I cannot edit my post.

 

Anyway, I wanted to add this " It seems to me that non Catholic notions are 'infiltrating' into Catholic thinking at times and not only where Confession is concerned. The problem (in part) and only to my thinking is that rules and regulations have got so numerous and to some so confusing that they are abandoned. Some even did not and do not know the rule or regulation in the first place. At times, Catholics very often are confused somehow or stressed out to the max - and not visciously disobedient as the root cause of any disobedience to The Church.  Secular life today especially is very stressful, very - and especially for those with families and in the workforce at a time when in many places and countries, they are no longer assured of continued employment and they have children dependant and a house mortgaged and car on time payment and many other expenses flowing into their homes daily.  The dollar in the main rules our secular society for we have to eat, we have to pay various bills including a roof over our head and many with children to worry about and to be educated and not for free either nowdays.

 

[CatholicsAreKewl]

Possibly, but it would only "count" in situations of exceptional urgency or emergency, not as a norm.  And in those situations, a penitent is already allowed to make an act of perfect contrition with the intention of going to confession as soon as he or she is able.  So it might not even become an issue.  

 

Not to rain on your parade or anything. :|

What if it was a 3d video conference?

Edited May 3, 2013 by CatholicsAreKewl

[abrideofChrist]

I feel that the reason the Church will never have video confessions because She believes in the sacramentality of human to human interaction.  Sheep aren't shepherded by TV monitors, they have bone and flesh shepherds and dogs and fences.  God believes in the human face to face components of the Sacraments, catering to our humanity, our need for society of others.  That's why St. Paul just didn't become a convert by a blinding flash of insight.  He went to the Church, to humans, to be cured of blindness and be baptized by Ananias.  Human interaction is essential for most of us.  Again, it isn't a social construct, it's a Divine one.  Actual water poured by a human being over another one.  Food becoming the Bread of Life and received from a human being.  Men and women saying words to each other that make them cease being single.  Words said over men that mark their souls with holy orders.  Oil used to cure the sick and in certain circumstances, forgive sins.  A sacrament is a sign instituted by Christ to give grace.  If we were angels, we would not need signs.  God pays heed to our bodily reality.  There is a profound difference between physically going to the place of confession, talking with another human who is standing in the place of God and hearing those words with their original sound waves rather than a simulated experience in an encrypted conversation.  Just as anyone will argue that being in a live concert is profoundly different than listening to an MP3.  No, confessions will never be done via encrypted conference any more than the Mass obligation will be fulfilled by watching TV.

[fats]

given that any encryption system can be broken, sometimes far faster than most realize, would you really entrust your confession to the electronic media?

 

If actually going to Confession is something you worry about, as far as being seen there, ask yourself why that is. Most of the people i see in line for Confession in our 6000 family Parish, are the same ones , and i figure that the rest are missing out on a wonderful sacrament. Frequent Confessions, and the self examination required,  is what keeps me grounded ( and very humble) , and ensures that my list isnt more than 6 or 7 feet long at any given time :>)

[MartinLuther22]

Not with the US NSA listening in........