We rely on our smart phones for just about everything - buying movie tickets, getting directions or even recalling the artist of that catchy new tune playing in the background. But confession? The Vatican says yes, but many local Catholics say "no thanks."
Not known for exactly embracing change with open arms, many were surprised when the Catholic Church recently gave the official nod to a Catholic app - one of hundreds available on the iPhone - called "Confession: A Roman Catholic App." Pope Benedict XVI even touted the importance of a Christian presence in the digital world in his World Communications Day address earlier this year. Even so, many local priests and parishioners seem reluctant to hop on the app bandwagon. Those who have walked through the app, however, were pleasantly surprised.
"I think the media has done it a disservice, implying it's meant to replace confession with a priest," says Maggie Estes, 28. "I definitely think it could be used as a good stepping stone."
The name is a bit misleading. The app isn't meant to replace the real thing, nor does it provide a morality score or give you feedback on the sins you digitally "confess." Instead it's meant to assist Catholics in preparing for the Sacrament of Penance, commonly referred to as confession, by taking the user through an examination of conscious using the 10 commandments as a guide. The user provides their gender, age and marital status for a customized list of questions, as well as a password to keep answers private. Presented in checklist format, Catholics can mark which sins they've committed. The app also walks the user through the confession process, telling them what to say and bringing up their list of sins for talking points.
"It's kind of like a grocery list," says Annie Hagaman, 30. "I could see how this might help someone feel more at ease. But hopefully you're living a decent enough life that you don't need an app to recall all of your sins."
For that reason, Monsignor Al Humbrecht of Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Soddy-Daisy offers cautious support. "If it makes a person more comfortable coming in to receive the sacrament it can be of value," he says. "But it also runs the risk of pulling stuff up and not having someone to bounce it off of."
Unlike the dark wooden booth and screen portrayed in so many movies, many Catholics today prefer face-to-face penance, which allows for a bit of spiritual guidance in addition to absolution.
Still, most are reluctant to confess the last time they actually received the sacrament. The Confession app is touted as an attempt to relate to a younger, more tech-savvy congregation - piquing the interest of those who've maybe strayed from the fold.
"It certainly brings the subject of confession back up to our generation," admits Catholic Ginger Birnbaum, 27. "But I worry about security. The words that pass between a priest and parishioner during the Sacrament of Penance are sacred and not meant to be tainted."
Humbrecht also warns that while the app is one way to prepare for penance, it certainly isn't the only way. "Our spiritual director in seminary taught us a very simple examination of conscious," he says. "Every night before bed, ask yourself two questions: 'How did I see Jesus in another person today?' and 'How was I Jesus for another person today?'
If you can answer those two questions, you've had a good day. If you can't, then you ask God to help you do better tomorrow." And you don't need an app for that.