Priest Texting During Confessions

[VoxClamantis]

From http://connecticutcatholiccorner.blogspo...l?spref=tw:




Priest on cell phone while hearing confessions...


Yeah, you heard that right.

On Monday night, my children and I went to a local parish for Confession. There were two women before us and soon after our arrival several other people came in. When our turn came I went in first and everything was as usual- not so for my children.

My youngest went right after me and after a few moments everyone in the pews could hear a cell phone going off.  I didn’t pay much attention to it because I thought it was coming from downstairs in the parish hall, but when my daughter came out her eyes were huge and she gave me ‘that look’ and whispered “Did you hear the cell phone?”

I nodded and shushed her, but she continued, “Father’s cell phone went off when I was confessing and I didn’t know if I should keep talking or let him finish with his call.”

My mouth dropped open.

I simply could not believe a priest would bother taking his cell phone into the Confessional with him, but since I had just confessed my own sins I didn’t want to create new ones by getting angry about it.  I shrugged it off as “He must have forgotten to turn it off” and I let it go.

My eldest daughter went in, came out, prayed and we all left the parish.  Once in the car, my youngest brought up the cell phone ringing during her confession and my eldest responded, “You think that is bad, Father was TEXTING during my confession.”

I hit the breaks on the car and turned around with a “WHAT?”

Her thoughts on all this at the original link...

[Heorot]

To be honest, I'm not even shocked anymore. When confession becomes "reconciliation", kneelers become chairs, and sacred language becomes banal ever-day language, it basically just ends up being a meeting, not a sacrament. You can't blame Novus Ordo priests for stopping their little chat in order to text a little.  :grin:

I must admit that I think the publishing of this article has more spite and bitterness about it than any sort of charitable motive. The woman sounds as if she's just venting. It's okay to vent, but perhaps not to waste peoples' time with an article on the internet. More troublesome is the fact that she said "a local parish", making every in Connecticut wonder "is it my priest?" or "could it be Fr. X?", etc., leading to an erosion of trust.

Still, this sucks.

[2HeartsServant]

If he is the only priest at the parish, he may have taken his phone to confession in case a sick or dying person needed the Sacraments---my pastor is in charge of three parishes, two schools, and ministers at a prison and hospital--I imagine his phone never stops ringing, even when he would like it to (as during confessions). If for no other reason than confusing or disturbing penitents, it's surely not prudent for father to be on the phone in confession...but it doesn't necessarily mean he's making dinner plans for later; he may just be trying to do the best he can.

[SCG]

These days priests can read their breviery on their phones. Some apps include versions of the Mass texts for priests to use on the altar. My only point is that cell phones can be used for things other than personal calls. My parish priest takes his cell phone with him everywhere, perhaps even the confessional. Maybe this priest simply forgot to turn his cell phone off and was responding to (texting) an urgent message.  Assume the best, not the worst.

[Heorot]

Assume the best, not the worst.

Very good advice...  :blush:

[SCG]

Assume the best, not the worst.

Very good advice...  :blush:

Don't feel bad.. Secrety I was assuming the worst about this woman and her daughter.  :blush:

[JCCMADD]

Oh well nothing too see here . Just move on. 

[Beware_the_Ides]

http://www.romans10seventeen.org/audio-f...Christ.mp3

[In nomine Patris]

How about going to confession and the priest having his little dog in there? I also saw the same priest bring the dog into church for a weekday morning mass and give it to a lady in the front pew to watch. It was well behaved and all but I don't know.....

[VoxClamantis]

How about going to confession and the priest having his little dog in there? I also saw the same priest bring the dog into church for a weekday morning mass and give it to a lady in the front pew to watch. It was well behaved and all but I don't know.....

That doesn't bother me at all, if it's a good doggy.  The sick thing, though -- and I've actually heard of this -- is people giving the Eucharist to their dogs.  I love me some scoobs, but that is blasphemous. Besides which, dogs are in no need of the Blessed Sacrament ( 'cause "all dogs go to Heaven" :P ) People are so messed up, so uneducated or misinformed (or worse, just plain sacrilegious).