As a Catholic, I am always amazed at the number of non-Catholics, both Christian and non-Christian, including non-religious, who have a lot to say about the workings of the Catholic Church. My take on it has always been that a) if they're not Catholic, they most likely don't understand it, and b) what business is it of theirs anyway and c) why does it bother them what rules the Catholic Church imposes on its members if they're not affected by those rules in any way?
I'm not talking about scandals here, mind you; when a Priest is a sexual abuser or predator, that clearly affects more than just the Catholic Church; and so do internal coverups and all that sort of thing. I'm just talking about dogma; the internal rules and precepts that govern the internal workings of the RCC.
The latest to catch my eye really has me irritated. The so-called 'iPhone Confessional' brouhaha.
The RCC requires that practical Catholics confess their sins every so often to a Priest, who hears them under the seal of the confessional, and then metes out the Sacrament of Penance and absolves the penitent (forgives in Christ's name) the sins confessed. Catholics believe that Christ gave the Church the power to forgive sin in His name.
Prior to going to confession, a Catholic is supposed to diligently search their conscience and call to mind their sins. How to do this and what kind of sins are covered in the training that Catholic receive at a young age or during the conversion process if they come to the Church later in life. But it can be a bit of a difficult mental exercise to go through one's memory and try very hard to take note of when has broken the Commandments in both sins of commission and sins of omission (things one has done and things one has failed to do). It's not quite like Hollywood portrayals, ie, "I took the Lord's name in vain six times since the last confession." "Say six Hail Mary's and four Our Father's, my son. Your sins are forgiven."
So here comes this iPhone app that simply allows a Catholic to go through the commandments, think about what they've done and not done, even have their memory jogged, and then tick off boxes indicating what they need to resolve with their Priest. The idea is no different than a piece of scratch paper and having the Bible readily at hand, really, it's just more convenient.
It was developed in a small diocese and approved by a local bishop. And I agree; it seems like a very useful app. Seems to me like it might remind Catholics that they are required to confess, and help them examine their consciences and remember what they did or didn't do and what they need to report to their Priest in the Confessional.
But the press reported it and they of course made a total mess of it. First, they reported that Rome says that Catholics can confess to their iPhones instead of a priest in a confessional. NO, NO, NO! Rome never approved it, a local bishop did. And one does not 'confess' to the iPhone app, one merely makes notes of one's sins to be reported to one's Priest in the confessional.
Now that they've misreported who approved the app, and what the app does, they're gathering shocked reactions from Catholics and non-Catholics alike, as well as shocked clergy who hadn't heard the true story but only read the idiotic headlines about 'robo-confession' and reacted angrily to what was not even true in the first place.
It ticks me off. Folks, if you're not Catholic, confession has nothing to do with you. If you are Catholic, this app is nothing more than a memory-jogging app that helps you to examine your conscience, make notes, and then help remember them when you speak to your Priest in the Confessional. There's no automatic forgiveness, no robo-confessional, and no, Rome hasn't approved the app - Rome doesn't have to. In fact, no one has to. If a Priest chooses to ban an iPhone in the confessional, one can always simply write down the list of sins one wishes to confess and take those in after using the iPhone app.
Most Catholic churches report that Confession is way way down in popularity; people just don't confess much anymore. It takes time, it's embarrassing, it makes some people feel badly about themselves, and of course, there is the Penance one must do. But it is required of a practical Catholic; anything that makes it easier to prepare for Confession and then actually go to Confession seems to me to be a pretty good idea.
But it will probably end up being withdrawn because of idiot reporters and non-Catholics who have strong opinions about things they don't understand and which don't affect them anyway.
OK, I feel better now. Rant over. Thanks for reading!
I'm not talking about scandals here, mind you; when a Priest is a sexual abuser or predator, that clearly affects more than just the Catholic Church; and so do internal coverups and all that sort of thing. I'm just talking about dogma; the internal rules and precepts that govern the internal workings of the RCC.
The latest to catch my eye really has me irritated. The so-called 'iPhone Confessional' brouhaha.
The RCC requires that practical Catholics confess their sins every so often to a Priest, who hears them under the seal of the confessional, and then metes out the Sacrament of Penance and absolves the penitent (forgives in Christ's name) the sins confessed. Catholics believe that Christ gave the Church the power to forgive sin in His name.
Prior to going to confession, a Catholic is supposed to diligently search their conscience and call to mind their sins. How to do this and what kind of sins are covered in the training that Catholic receive at a young age or during the conversion process if they come to the Church later in life. But it can be a bit of a difficult mental exercise to go through one's memory and try very hard to take note of when has broken the Commandments in both sins of commission and sins of omission (things one has done and things one has failed to do). It's not quite like Hollywood portrayals, ie, "I took the Lord's name in vain six times since the last confession." "Say six Hail Mary's and four Our Father's, my son. Your sins are forgiven."
So here comes this iPhone app that simply allows a Catholic to go through the commandments, think about what they've done and not done, even have their memory jogged, and then tick off boxes indicating what they need to resolve with their Priest. The idea is no different than a piece of scratch paper and having the Bible readily at hand, really, it's just more convenient.
It was developed in a small diocese and approved by a local bishop. And I agree; it seems like a very useful app. Seems to me like it might remind Catholics that they are required to confess, and help them examine their consciences and remember what they did or didn't do and what they need to report to their Priest in the Confessional.
But the press reported it and they of course made a total mess of it. First, they reported that Rome says that Catholics can confess to their iPhones instead of a priest in a confessional. NO, NO, NO! Rome never approved it, a local bishop did. And one does not 'confess' to the iPhone app, one merely makes notes of one's sins to be reported to one's Priest in the confessional.
Now that they've misreported who approved the app, and what the app does, they're gathering shocked reactions from Catholics and non-Catholics alike, as well as shocked clergy who hadn't heard the true story but only read the idiotic headlines about 'robo-confession' and reacted angrily to what was not even true in the first place.
It ticks me off. Folks, if you're not Catholic, confession has nothing to do with you. If you are Catholic, this app is nothing more than a memory-jogging app that helps you to examine your conscience, make notes, and then help remember them when you speak to your Priest in the Confessional. There's no automatic forgiveness, no robo-confessional, and no, Rome hasn't approved the app - Rome doesn't have to. In fact, no one has to. If a Priest chooses to ban an iPhone in the confessional, one can always simply write down the list of sins one wishes to confess and take those in after using the iPhone app.
Most Catholic churches report that Confession is way way down in popularity; people just don't confess much anymore. It takes time, it's embarrassing, it makes some people feel badly about themselves, and of course, there is the Penance one must do. But it is required of a practical Catholic; anything that makes it easier to prepare for Confession and then actually go to Confession seems to me to be a pretty good idea.
But it will probably end up being withdrawn because of idiot reporters and non-Catholics who have strong opinions about things they don't understand and which don't affect them anyway.
OK, I feel better now. Rant over. Thanks for reading!
