A Catholic priest in the Philippines said a priest may hear confession using a mobile phone but the penitent must be physically present.
“As long as the penitent is physically present, even from a safe distance (without a divider), you can hear his/her confession through your phone,” said Bishop Pablo Virgilio David of Kalookan.
In a Facebook post on Friday, May 21, the prelate said the mobile phones are only used as “speakers” during confession.
“This is a valid sacrament of reconciliation,” said the prelate, adding that priests can look for a place with a separating clear glass divider to perform the sacrament.
“Sit on the opposite side of the clear glass divider while penitent is sitting on the other side,” he said in what seems to be an instruction to priests.
“Use a cell phone with a parish SIM card and give the number to the penitent,” said Bishop David.
“Allow the penitent to call you from the other side of the glass divider and start making a confession,” he added.
The prelate reminded priests not to put the monile phone on loudspeaker to ensure that the seal of confession is not compromised.
Confession is a sacrament, wherein one states his/her sins before a priest in a bid to seek forgiveness from God.
