iCONFESSIONS FOR iCATHOLICS

AOA NEWS
By Tahlib



INDIANA - When the new iPhone App for Confessions was launched this week, it quickly became a bestseller climbing to #42 on the iTunes list. Approved by the Roman Catholic Church, or at least one of its Indiana Bishops and it was developed right here in the USA. Two brothers (the blood kind) from South Bend, Indiana (Home of Notre Dame) say they developed the new tool in response to the Pope's 2011 World Communications Day message to "proclaim the Gospel through the new media."

Now we Roman Catholics can pay $1.99 at iTunes to help us in our quest. Of course not everyone is happy with the innovation. An MSNBC reporter called it a return to "condolences" or paying for absolution from sin (See video below). Tim Drake of the National Catholic Register called it a "mockery" and Maureen Dowd of The New York Times parodied, "Our Father, who art in pixels, linked be Thy name, Thy Web site come, Thy Net be done, on Explorer as it is on Firefox. Give us this day our daily app, and forgive us our spam, as we forgive those who spam against us, and lead us not into aggregation, but deliver us from e-vil. Amen."

The description of the application is "Designed to be used in the confessional, this app is the perfect aid for every penitent. With a personalized examination of conscience for each user, password protected profiles, and a step-by-step guide to the sacrament, this app invites 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 text of this app was developed in collaboration with Rev. Thomas G. Weinandy, OFM, Executive Director of the Secretariat for Doctrine and Pastoral Practices of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, and Rev. Dan Scheidt, pastor of Queen of Peace Catholic Church in Mishawaka, IN. The app received an imprimatur from Bishop Kevin C. Rhodes of the Diocese of Fort Wayne – South Bend. It is the first known imprimatur to be given for an iPhone/iPad app."

The furor is all much more about anti-tech than mockery or anti-religious. If I had $1.99, an iPhone, iPad, or i-anything, I'd download it, and I'd use it too.