by Maureen Fiedler
Granted, personal “confession” has been in decline. There are no lines in front of confessionals on Saturday afternoons like there were in the days of my youth.
So, someone is trying to revive confession -- with digital assistance. There’s a new app for the iPhone that helps Catholic penitents with an examination of conscience, tailored to a person’s age, gender, state in life, etc. It’s apparently the rage, and is #25 among top sellers in Apple's iTunes App store.
That sales data may confirm that sin is popular, but is an examination of conscience that suggests sins to you that you may not have even conceived -- also popular? Hard to know. It’s just hitting the market for a mere $1.99! Who knows what is possible in the digital spiritual life?
This app was developed by a couple of priests, approved by a bishop, and apparently has the blessing of the Vatican.
Now, this is not -- as some thought originally -- “digital confession.” Alas!
Apparently, one still needs a priest for that. But maybe in the future, one can do confession by Skype, or WebX.
Forgiveness in cyberspace... maybe...just maybe...
